Counter-Strike is not your momma’s first person shooter.
Counter-Strike is designed to be punishing, to leave you begging for mercy, and never
let up.
It has always been one of the most challenging games to get into, because the first hundred
matches will leave you absolutely demolished.
Don’t think because you are good at Call of Duty, means you can jump right into Counter-Strike
and be a pro.
Two completely different beasts my friend.
There are no perks or kill streak rewards here, just your own skill.
And for its latest release, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, very little about all this
has change, if any at all.
The game is an online experience.
Sure you can play offline with bots, but that is just practicing for the real fun online.
Players are grouped in two separate teams, Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists, depending
on their skill.
You then have to work together with your team to accomplish a goal.
In Defusal, Terrorists need to plant a bomb and defend it until it goes boom while Counter-Terrorists
need to find it and defuse it.
In Hostage, Counter-Terrorists need to rescue hostages the Terrorists have while the Terrorists
need to hold onto them.
Whichever game mode you play, teamwork is a must.
When you die, you have to wait until the next round.
Also the winning team is rewarded with more money to buy weapons and armor with, so the
winning side definitely gets an advantage.
But if these don’t suit your fancy, you can play the two other modes.
Arms Race has you starting off with a weapon and switching to another with each kill.
And Demolition sees you getting new weapons depending on how you play.
Each mode is fast, focusing more on short but fast games with multiple rounds.
Which is a good time to think about your mistakes, and also strategize for the next round.
But the number one most important thing about online shooters are the controls and how they
feel.
Counter-Strike was, is, and will be, designed to be played with a mouse and keyboard.
If you are unfamiliar and playing with an analog controller, it will be tough and strange.
On the PS3, the game completely supports usb mouse and keyboard controls, and even move
controls, go figure.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive keeps the series alive and kicking.
Everything feels great and plays even better.
It doesn’t feel like most modern shooters, and because of that I am grateful.
It is a challenge to learn but the fruits of the labor are ever so sweet.