Hey, I would def play the Black Mesa version (of the og game, not blue shift) unless you really love that HL1 aesthetic or like things 'untouched' . No hate for the OG, I loved my first play-through, but I think the Black Mesa version is really good and mostly leaves things how they were but with more polish.

I agree with you on the rigidity of the gameplay, its kind of old school in that way. I was kind of jarred by it coming back after a decade and a bit. But it keeps putting down this... vibe, and keeps the gameplay constantly shifting, it payed of for me.