Half-Life - The Way Through Black Mesa rev 1

Walkthrough by Bernd Wolffgramm, Editor DLH 98

Published in DLH 98 Jan 1999 - All rights reserved.

This is a complete walkthrough, it will guide you through all traps
and riddles in this game.

Level: Anomalous Materials

Look around a bit and go to the wardrobe. In the room behind it you
will find your suit. Dress with it and take the stuff from your
locker. Now the guard will open the door to the secured area. Head up
to the test lab. Walk into the test chamber, climb up the leddar and
press the button. After the sample has been released push the vehicle
into the machine. Now the shit begins.

Level: Unforseen consequences

Leave the test chamber, the first door will open by using the
'activate' key. Make your way back to the two scientists, one
will open the door for you. In the next room let the energy
flash crack the next door. Now run through the next corridor,
grab the jimmy, smash the lower window, do the same with the
door to the lift shaft. Climb up the leddar on the left side and
jump onto the platform at the top. Move right back to the information
hall, crawl through the air condition at the bottom into the computer
lab. Jump onto the fallen computer rack into the corridor and move right.
You will get to a hole in the corridor, jump down into the water and find
the valve. Open it and the water will get you to another hole, move out
of the water. In the next hall use the lever and jump on the sinking
platform. Avoid to get hit by the facehuggers. You will get to a bridge
that breaks down, use the tubes on the right to bypass it. Move into the
air condition shaft and let youself fall down in the next corner. Open
the door and move into the mud, turn left and follow the water to the end.
Use the leddars and jump from box to box to get to the lower platform.
Follow the way to the elevator.

Level: Office Complex

The loaded power cable stops you. Open the air condition shaft and
move right. Find the red door, turn the power off. Leave through the
door, smash the window, move the small table in front of the window
and jump into the office complex. Make your way through the boxes and
get the pumpgun. The guard has opened the door in the meantime, don't
forget to get all the ammo from that room. Go back now to the room
with the water. Jump from the table to the switch in opposite the
door and turn off the electricity. Open the air condition shaft,
creep in and make it up to the end. You will fall down into a
corridor. Move the two boxes so you can use them as a stair to
reach the leddar. Climb up and you will get to a room with an
automatic machine gun. If you want to turn it off you fast have to
creep beneeth the iron platform right under it and use the lever
(though this is not necessary).

You will pass two soldiers and a few scientists (more or less living)
untill you get into a cafeteria or something. Hack the woods from the
door. You will get to the cold-storage house. Look out for a red
switch and use it. In the first room of the cold-storage house you
have to climb up the leddar now, creep into the air condition system
and jump from cupboard to air shaft and finally you will get to a
metal room. Leave and jump into the elevator shaft of cause to reach
the leddar. Use three leddars, the last one to get on the elevator
cabine. Jump in and another level is done.

Level: We've Got Hostiles

This level is quite linear. Only try to avoid these laser barriers
which activate heavy machine gun fire. You will have to fight against
soldiers and you finally will get into the fresh air for the first
time.

Jump fast into the bunker on the left because you cannot stand the
enormous fire power of the foreign troops. Climb down the leddar and
you will get to a ventilator shaft. The correct way out is right at
the bottom of the shaft. Use the middle air condition shaft to escape.
In the control room press the red button to open the door.

Level: Blast Pit

Crack down the woods from the exit. Walk up and use the lever which
makes the platform come. Use this lift. Wether you go by foot or use
the trolly you will get to a sea with toxic waste. Leave this waste
over the boxes and climb on the tube. Follow the tube, jump into it
and finally leave it. Use a leddar again, get on the higher of the
two tubes and jump on the balcony. In the big toxic waste hall use
the lift and follow the way. If you blow up the way - jump! You will
get to the monster tentacle. I think there is no way to kill it right
now - just try to survive it on your way down inside the shaft. The
tentacle is blind by the way and you can use the granates to send it
to the wrong way.
You will get to another shaft, use the display to call the lift.
After a few seconds the lift crashes down the shaft into a toxic
waste. Get out there as fast as you can and jum onto the platform.
A scientists asks you to start a generator. Follow the corridor, use
the elevator and climb up the leddar, be carefull with the moving
platform. Jump on the tube and activate the generator. Make your way
back to the scientist and climb up the leddar in the toxic waste
shaft. Jump to the platform. Now you have power, what you need is
fuel and oxygene. Make your way up to silo 03 through the tentacle
shaft. Run along the corridor, you will find the fuel room locked.
Climb down the leddar and let yourself down through the tube. You
will end on a small rusty tube. Do not leave that ! Follow the tube
to the left and leave over a leddar. Shaft time again, turn on the
fan. Now move up one ledge and jump into the air stream of the fan.
This will get you to the top of the silo, crack up the woods and
creep into the air condition system. You will get to a control room
where you can activate fuel and oxy. Now make your last visit at the
tentacle shaft, climb back into the control room and blast his ass
goodbye. Now get down to the hole in the middle of the silo. Jump
into the water, dive through one of the holes and leave the water
on the right. You are now on a tube system. Don't climb down the
leddar but jump on the tube. You must follow the tubes, jumping from
tube to tube to get to a valve. Use it and the two tube will move
to one. Follow it to a room.

Level: Powerup

Don't mess with the 1st monster you meet, you have no chance. Use
your speed to run into the corridor right opposite of the entrance.
Keep left and move to the silo with the hazardous waste (to be
opened with the wheel). Fight your way up the leddar and jump onto
the 2nd platform. Be carefull: Behind almost any corner soldiers will
await you. Follow the arrows to the power generator. Use the lift.
Fight your way down the iron stairs up to the water and remove the
boxes that block him. Go to the control room and turn the generator
on. Now go back to the monster. Run into the left large corridor and
use the switch. The monster now will be grilled. Now drive the rail
onto the platform, go to the rail control room and use the lever. Now
drive the rail highspeed through the wall.

Level: On the rail

At the guard use the switch to open the barrier. Go the end of the
tunnel and shoot the aliens on the ceiling. Now drive the rail to
the lift. Let the train go, you will get to a switch where a hook
blocks the trail. Kill all enmies here and let the trolly move on.
You will get to switch where you have to shoot the arrow to let
the trolly go on straight away. Leave the rail at the next platform
and you will find the control room for the hook behind a pile of
boxes. Use the lever. Now drive back to the hook, also shoot the
arrow here and let the rail roll. You will get to an underground
station with three gates. Kill all soldiers and use the switch on two
of the paltforms. Now move up the stairs at the right gate, keep
right and walk into the tunnel. At the hook move right and upstairs.
Move on and enter the rocket silo behind the red door. Climb down
and you will get to next rail section. Let the train go. You will
get to a nasty guy with a rocket thrower. Unbelievable but true, he
can only hit you, not the trolly. So just duck, when you come by.
Leave at the next barrier and jump-duck over the undestroyable boxes.
Walk upstairs and use the lever in the control room. Go back to
the green boxes, now move left. Get on the next trolly. Drive onto
the platform. You will get to the next floor. The easiest way to
survive is to duck. If you come to an arrow - shoot it, you will
need to drive on straight away. Once you have stopped, move down
the leddar and finally the world has you back.

Walk through the red door. You will get to some stairs which are
secured with three laser barriers. Push the small box close to
the big one and use them as your stairs. Launch the rocket and
leave the bunker again, move left and climb down the leddar. Use
the new trolly.

Level: Aprehension

Crack up the lock that keeps the tons, dive up and use the tons
as your bridge to the right. Move up and jump in the water again
on the other side of the yellow-grey wall. Dive along the corridors,
behind the doors you have the possibility to dive up to get some
air. You will get to a fish monster. Move around the water, go
upstairs and climb into the cage. Now you have the cross bow. In
the water escape through the wood lattice and pick up enough ammo
to kill the fish. In the next bassin room, move around, jump through
the hole in the lattice and dive along the tunnel. Activate the
power in the generator control and jump over the moving cylinders
to get to the other platform. You will get to a computer room. Kill
all the aliens and a collegue will open the cold-storage room for
you. Hurry up! Now make your way up to the next guard. He dies. Move
into the platform in the middle of the yard and activate surface
access. Now run into the tunnel and access the dark room.

You will wake up in a garbage yard and the walls are coming towards
you. Jump fast from one box to another, pick up the jimmy and leave
over the leddar. Crack the lattice and move down. Follow the light!

Level: Residue Processing

Move through the cave and use the valve at the silo. Climb up the
leddar and crawl in. Follow the guard and take his weapon (he didn't
have a long life, too pitty). Return to the main area, access the
toxic swimming pool and leave through the tube. Jump straight on
and creep on the tubes. Now it will be an in- and outwater session,
leave the area in a hall with three conveyor belts. Move out the
water and push the middle lever at the conveyor control. In the back
room press the green button and run to the belt where you have the
most space to creep. Now let yourself always fall to the next lower
conveyor belt. If you have survived you finally will get to a
shaft. Climp up the leddar and another level is done.

Level: Questionable Ethics

Jump over the fence and press the button in the next room. Kill the
gorilla monster and in the next room it is barbeque time for a
couple of facehuggers. Leave and talk to the guard. You will get
to a large hall with an active laser barrier. Shoot this and a
door will be accessable. Move around on the next floor and press
the red buttons four times. Now got to the lab with the yellow
button. Push the box as close to the middle as possible. Now press
the button and the wall will be cracked up. Jump down and talk to the
scientists. Lead one to the eye scanner in the main hall.

Level: Surface Tension

The red door is locked, so jump into the water on the right side
and climb up the leddar at the intake tower. Press the button here
and glide back into the water. Now open the lattices manually and
dive in. You will get to smooth water, climb up the leddar and
enter the tubes. Now comes a most sucking part. You will get to
about five areas. The exits of these areas are only small holes
in the rock. You need to get to a grey tower. Use the valve here
and go to the mine field. Shoot in the sand to find the mines, now
jump behind the fence and jump into the open hole. Free climbing
will be your new hobby. Make your way up to a cave and get the rocket
thrower. Time for the helicopter to say good bye. Now move right and
use leddars again to get to another tube.
You will get out ... on a marines training camp. Forget the tank,
just open the big door in the guard shed. Move in. Unfortunately you
have to eliminate the beige tank. Over run him and hide next to the
door. Now use the rocket thrower. Move right around the ordinance
storage facility - beware of snipers. Creep beneeth the barbed wire
and shoot the explosive tons to kill the electricity. Now use the
power tree to get on the roof. Do a little labyrinthing to get to
a hole in the roof. Jump in.

Level: On Your Own

Now don't even think about touch something. Don't move any box,
don't blow up any laser traps. Shoot any facehugger as fast as
possible. If one laser trap explodes, the level wil be restarted.
So save as often as you can. Jump and crawl to the elevator in
the opposite corner of the hall. Crack the box that blocks it and
go to the control room on the left. Press the button and jump onto
the lift. From here jump into the lift area in the middle of the
room. Use the lift. Save!
You have to cope with the tank. Move around the building into the
house, kill all enemies fast, the guard upstairs must survive. He is
the only one that knows the door combination to the weapon storage.
Grab anything you can carry and also smack the boxes to get back the
cross bow.

Now jump out of the window, move right along the ledge, jump from one
power box to the next and climb up the leddar. On the roof you will
have to use the small platforms and the foot bridges to get to the
platform in the left corner. You will get to a dropping place of the
soldiers. Fight the aliens and use the immobile canon to crack the
large portal. Use this ... hmmm ... as a trampoline and jump down
on the over side of the roof. Creep into the air condition system.
If you have fallen down use one car lift to get out after the canon
has blocked the way out. Now use the canon for your needs and open the
door with it (also helps with the three aliens). Move around the
ledge including a little double jump. In the streets use the monster
slime to get on the right roof and jump into the water. Climp into
the tube. In the moment the soldiers puts in a granate move back and
dive. Jump from the ledge to the ofen tube, open the hatch and crawl
in. Kill the soldiers and look for a guard to open both the door and
the barrier. In the garage let the monster be monster and run right
fast. Two monster slime later you are on a silo and your task is to
give the right coordinates for air attacks. You have to destroy the
door and the wall on the left near to the water. You also have to
'kill' the power tree because you will need it as a bridge to get
to the tunnel.

Level: Forget About Freeman

You will come to a small hall ... the ceiling is coming down, so be
quick along the ledge. Jump down from the control room and keep right.
If you have the choice, move right again and use the valve on the
small platform. Climb down. Push the iron box into the water and use
it as a platform to get over the fence. Dive on. Kill the fish and
dive through and under the gear drives. When you have left the water
it is fragging time again. Kill all soldiers including the tank. You
should have enough rockets. After you have left the elevator, move
right. And then it is tank time again, but this time it is you who
fires the gun ! Use the small canon to clear the rest. Now follow
the left way, press the yellow button and another level is done.

Level: Lambda Core

Move into the control booth and press the button. Now jump onto the
platform and follow the truck down. In the next room you play a
little hide and seek with four ninja girls. After you have won, make
your way through a pile of boxes, move up to the upper ledges and
find an elevator. In the hazardous material bay B climb up the leddar
on the right and the scientist will open the next door for you.

Now you have to do two things. Find both of the two pumps and press
the button. The way to one of them seems to be blocked, but you can
creep through the barricade. then go to the main pool, jump down and
dive to the reactor to spin both wheels there. Dive up and leave over
the leddar (move with the direction of the flashes). The next lift is
broken but you can use the leddar to climb as high as you can and
jump to floor B. Open the door to the transporter and move into the
right light. Make sure you land on a platform on the over side of the
fence. Jump into the middle. Any port leads you to another location.
The right combination is: 2-4-7. Now you are standing in another
room. You have to push the button on the left and right to activate
the transporter in the middle. You are save on the moving ring but
you will have to duck when it is moving up.

Use the leddar and you are in the most important lab. Let the
scientist open the door for you. Wait for the scientist to give you
the sign, then stand on the starting point and jump into the
dimension door.

Level: Xen

Jump down to the next ... emmm ... thing and jump to one of the
smaller platforms. You will get to the mother of all shells. Go to
the healing pool, right next to it you will find a way into the
inner of the cave. Use any of these mechanisms looking like a
mushroom. Then blow up the cage in one corner. Jump into the
transporter.

Level: Gonarch's Lair

Look for a spider web. Unfortunately you cannot break it yourself.
Fight with Gonarch and when you have collected many hits he will go to
his web. Follow him. The same game in the next vally. When he is
gone, fall through the net in the middle of the platform, but be
sure you land on safe ground. Here is another healing pool. Now
follow Gonarch and shoot him from under the web. When he dies, a
dimension door opens.

Level: Interloper

First reach the cave and follow the tunnel. You will get to a moving
obelisk, make your way over the small moving platform to the back of
one of the blue aliens. This will take you to the transporter.

You are in a cave. Move left and get into a cave tunnel on the
opposite at the place. Jump over the stones and bypass the violet
monster without bigger damage. Leave this place on the other side
and make sure that you can jump on the top ring to bypass the two
tentacles. Follow the way and you will get to a transporter that will
beam you to the alien factory.

The aliens need a few minutes to see you, so fast jump onto the lift,
go to the first floor and wait till the lift is in the basement again.
Now jump on the roof of the elevator and go to the conveyor belts.
Change belts and you will be transported to a toxic waste, get out
there fast. Now the aliens see you. Fight your way up to the moving
piston and jump on it. Follow the way and crack as less tons as
necessary, because there are unfriendly persons living in them. You
will get to a blue portal. This doesn't work, so use the red
enlighted alien air system next to it at the bottom. Follow it and
you will get to another hall. Use the spinning lifts to get to the
dimension portal high up in the air. Jump in. Now you are just a few
steps away from the last level.

Level: Nihilanth

Okay, you are alone with a monster baby, and a nasty one. Your goal
is to survive and kill Nihilanth. First crack up the yellow gems that
protect him. Two hits with rockets will do so. Hide behind the green
rock. Nihilanth will shoot with a teleporter flash at you which will
bring you to three different sub levels. These are not so much
defended but you will find enough ammo there. First you will get to a
beige level with funny ledges. Use the low graviation and jump step
for step to the transporter at the ceiling. In the next sub level you
will find a blue enlighted ammo storage. Kill all unfriendly forces
and jump on one of these moving balls. The last level is a wide
underwater area. Collect all ammo packs and climb out of the water. The
alien slime will get you to the transporter at the ceiling.

After you have cracked the three gems shoot from all canons you have
to Nihilanth. His skullpan will open. Now use the trampoline to get
over him and fire in his head. He will explode. Your last action is
to talk to the guy and jump into the green flashes.

A few comments on the game: I have played three games over the last
weeks using a 3D graphics engine: Sin, Blood 2 and Half-Life.
I liked Sin and Blood 2, but in my eyes Half-Life was the most
exciting of these three games. When I played Sin it was the first
game where the enemies AI was a little bit more unpredicatble than
in e.g. Unreal or Quake 2. The Blood 2 AI sucked, but in Half-Life
the enemies gave me the most thrill. E.g. the AI of the soldiers is
cool, they are real guerillas, not only dump targets.

Well done Valve ! We are looking for more of these quality games !

Thanx to Oliver Wiesemann, olwie@paderborn.netsurf.de

Bernd Wolffgramm, Editor DLH 98
bernd@dlh.net

Copyright by DLH 98