It’s been a few years now since Half Life 2: Episode Two was released, and so far it doesn’t look like there’s any solid evidence to support theories of a sequel to the godfather of all first person shooters. Just because we might not see a numerical sequel to the series, doesn’t mean we can’t explore the Half Life universe in new and different ways!  Over the last few years, a developer by the name of Crowbar Collective has been lovingly recreating the entirety of Half Life using the updated source engine. The game is almost complete, but thus far the Xen levels remain omitted, but according to Crowbar Collective, that should all change around summer of 2017.

In a recent Steam news update, Crowbar Collective gave us the semisolid projected finish time of the Xen levels of Black Mesa, and in a forum post, they teased us with a captivating screenshot of the newest content.

The team remains, as always, hard at work on Xen! Currently our specific focus is on gameplay: crafting a fun and cohesive experience from start to finish. We want our version of Xen to feel like it really belongs with the rest of the game in terms of mechanics, cohesion and progression. But we also want to push the boundaries and explore this unique and varied setting; to build an experience that feels both fresh and familiar to players from all walks of Half-Life veterancy. While our Xen is certainly going to be gorgeous, we are first and foremost really committed to making sure that the gameplay works on every level.

Whether it’s your first time giving Half Life a run, or you’re making a long overdue return to the game, the Black Mesa mod is an impressive undertaking that is also easier on the eyes than the original.

What do you think about the Xen screenshot? Do you feel that Crowbar Collective is doing the game justice? Hit us up with your thoughts in the comments and make DFTG your source for gaming news!