Raising the difficulty definitely helps linear set-piece-heavy games, otherwise I memorize the encounters and cheese through it. The first big combat encounter with the marines is a good showcase of the better AI. I got mushed more than a dozen times. The Vortigaunts are harder too because they do a sideways strafe like the Elites from Halo, almost guaranteeing I miss my first shot.

Xen was a bit of a shitshow in the original Half-Life. The developers admitted it was rushed, and it plays poorly compared to what you did throughout the rest of the game. The long-jumping-over-infinite-pits is what we remember, and a boss fight that was... something. I'm very curious what the Crowbar team have done with the setting.

That said, my poor shotgun! What do you mean it's more balanced and not the god weapon that carries me through the whole game?!