Review

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Valve knows how to make First Person Shooters! Thanks to them Counter-Strike (CS), the popular Half Life mod turned full game, is easily one of the most played FPS on PC. Over time, Valve has released multiple games in the series, with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive being the latest iteration. After spending a decent amount of time in game I’m happy to announce that, though the game isn’t perfect, it’s worthy of being a part of my favorite FPS series!

For those of you who are knew to the series, CS games are objective based multiplayer shooters. The game divides players into two teams: Terrorist and Counter-Terrorists. Depending on the map, the Terrorists will have to plant a bomb or keep hostages from being rescued. The CT’s, in turn, would need to disarm the bomb or rescue the hostages. The winner of the match is determined by how many rounds are won;  the number of times each team fails/completes their objective. What made CS stand out amongst other shooters was the fact that if you died during a round, you had to wait till the round was over to respawn. Instead of jumping right back into the game like normal, you’d become a spectator of the match as the other players finished up. Adding to this was the use of realistic mechanics. You’ll only be able to take a couple of shots before dying with most guns; headshots are deadly regardless of firearm. Due to the realistic physics, you’d have to account for your weapon’s recoil when shooting. Those who liked to “spray and pray” usually missed their targets before succumbing to returned fire.

After each round, you are scored based on how well you did. You’re then awarded money to purchase weapons, armor, and other items at the beginning of the following round. Those that do poorly will still get some money, just not much. And of course, the better/stronger weapons and gear are reserved for those who can afford their high price. All of these elements made matches in the past really tense. Teamwork was essential and skillful players always outdid lucky ones. That said, it was always fair; I never felt cheated when I lost to better players.

Counter Strike: Global Offense (CS: GO) takes things to a new level by maintaining a strong foundation in the older mechanics of the series while introducing new, modern elements. In addition to the original Bomb Defuse and Hostage Rescue options, are two new match types. The first, Arms Race, is a Team Deathmatch like mode allowing you to respawn if killed. The twist comes in the weapon selection. Similar to the Call of Duty’s Gun Game, you have to cycle through all the weapons in the game in order to win. Each time you kill an opponent, you are given the next gun on the list. What makes this even cooler is the fact that, even though there can only be one winner, you’re placed on teams. This changes the things up a bit; not only are you cooperating with your teammates, you’re also competing with them.

The second new match type is called Demolition. This is a combination of Bomb Defuse and Arms Race. The Terrorists have to plant a bomb while the CT’s are trying to stop them. Just like in Arms Race, your weapons are chosen for you. However, instead of switching as soon as you kill an enemy, you’ll be given the next weapon on the list when the next round starts. Also, to make things more interesting, each kill grants you a weaker weapon then the one before it. Not weak in terms of firepower (a sniper rifle might do more damage than a SMG), but weak in the sense of how useful they are. The Demolition maps are usually small, close-quarter maps where SMGs and shotguns are really devastating due to their effectiveness in close proximity.

Continuing on the theme of old meets new, the original match types can be played in two new modes, Classic Casual and Classic Competitive. Classic Competitive is just like the old CS games that I described above. Casual is a little more relaxed. Everyone automatically starts out with full armor (something you’d normally have to buy), Friendly Fire is turned off, and the money awarded when losing is higher. This is a good place to go if you’re new to the series as it’s much more forgiving. One thing I didn’t like though was that regardless of what team you are on, you can hear everyone talking into their mics. There is no point in going over strategy this way, when the other team can hear your plans.

Now that we have talked about the modes and match types, it’s time to dive into the heart of the gameplay. I’m talking about the weapons and maps of course. On the map side of things, I’m pleased with the designs. I just wish there were more. Don’t get me wrong, there are over fifteen playable maps here. Some of which are classic maps that have been tweaked to be more realistic, allowing for more strategic options. Instead of having a bunch of boxes to hide behind, there are run down cars. Instead of places with only a few entries/exits, there are houses with multiple rooms, windows, and hiding places. On top of those are the awesome new maps which are also realistic in nature.

When I complained about the amount of maps, I meant when it came to match types. Each match type has its own host of maps that are only available for those particular matches. Hostage Rescue only has two maps in rotation as of this review. I’m either forced to pick a different match type or risk becoming bored with the current selection. Now to be fair, being on PC, there are bound to be custom maps coming out. Still, it would have been nice to have more maps designed by Valve. To make matters worse, there are several classic maps that could have been added to pad the experience. Why were they left out? Hopefully, not for a map pack down the line!

I also have mixed feelings when it comes to the weapons. From a hardcore CS fan standpoint, there are too many weapons that have been altered resulting in increased aiming accuracy. Meaning, you can spray an entire room and get a bunch of random headshots. This would have never flown before; sure, you might have gotten lucky and killed one person. Lucky shots happen all the time. But, at no point were you actually considered a real threat by jamming on the trigger. I could be wrong, but if feels like in order to appeal to more gamers, Valve lowered the recoil on a lot of weapons. On the flip side of this, having skill still means something. Taking my time, crouching and focusing, I can easily drop enemies from long distances. That doesn’t mean I don’t die. I do…a lot. Ultimately, skill reigns and I love that.

Valve added new purchasable items for CS:GO. One cool addition happens to be a molotov cocktail (incendiary grenade for CTs) which can blanket an area with fire for a limited time. This can force enemies to change their route, allowing you to better control choke points on the map. At the very least it can weaken any opponents trying to flank you, making it easier to finish them off. Another new item I liked was the decoy grenade. During matches gamers can glance at a mini-map (radar) at the top of the screen. It shows where your teammates are, the bomb sites, etc. One thing it also shows is the location of enemies that recently opened fire (it tracks their noise). The decoy grenade emits gun sounds when it explodes making it appear as though there are enemies shooting on the radar. This is great at confusing the opposition, again, making them easier to take down.

The last thing Valve added to CS:GO are the normal staples we’ve grown accustomed to over the years. There are achievements, leaderboards, stat trackers, private lobbies and more. You can even practice against bots. While I think it can be cheap (you can gain achievements playing practice rounds) practicing can help newcomers get up to speed. Speaking of getting up to speed, finally, a CS title can graphically hold its own when compared to other FPS’s. The game looks really good with detailed maps and characters. I especially like the fact that even though you’re on a team, your character looks a little different than your teammates. There might be a different bandana wrapper around his face or, instead of a SWAT helmet he dons different head gear. This is true of some weaponry as well; if you are the one holding the bomb, others can actually see it on your person. These little things go a long way to make CS:GO more charming on a visual level.

All and all, CS:GO is an awesome FPS. This is especially true if you’ve grown tired to the CODs and Battlefields that releases every year. There are some problem areas in terms of weapon balancing and map selection and at times the game can randomly crash back to the desktop or glitch out, removing your cursor from the game (making it impossible to select options). With that said, there’s nothing here that will keep you from enjoying yourself!