Recent reviews by NOVI

SCORE: 10/10

RECOMMEND?:
If you think you’d enjoy a strategy FPS with an unlimited learning curve, addicting game-play, and beautiful community created cosmetics/content this title is for you!

MY OPINION:
I can confidently say “CS:GO” (now “CS2”) is my favourite game in existence. There's a saying in the “Counter-Strike” community… “Players never quit, they just take breaks” which is hilariously true. Take one step and all of a sudden you're fully submerged with a weighted anklet drawing you to the bottom of the game's darkest trenches. I've been enjoying this title since 2016-03-23.

SIMILAR TO:
Team Fortress 2, Valorant

STORY:
N/A

VISUAL:
“CS2” is “Valves” latest rendition of the infamous “CS:GO” and with that came new improvements in the visual department. The introduction of the “Source 2” engine allows for a brighter, more saturated, higher quality image. Personally speaking I'm a huge fan of the game in its current state especially compared to the latter.

AUDIO:
“Counter-Strike 2” features its very own custom soundtrack along with options for interchangeability. Players can purchase alternate music soundtracks called “Music Kits” as a means to personalize their experience. “Music Kits” can also be heard by an entire match if a player is nominated for MVP (Most Valuable Player.) Auditory cues play a crucial role as they help inform players of an enemy team's actions. Whether you're reloading, shooting, walking, or jumping amongst taking other actions, be careful as you might be giving away valuable data to the enemy team. “CS2” features many of the original “CS:GO” sounds that we know and love along with some updated weapon SFX.

GAME-PLAY:
I took the following from wikipedia since this is my second time writing this whole review due to the first edition being accidentally deleted, also they stated it better than I could.--> “The game pits two teams, Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists, against each other in different objective-based game modes. The most common game modes involve the Terrorists planting a bomb while Counter-Terrorists attempt to stop them, or Counter-Terrorists attempting to rescue hostages that the Terrorists have captured.”

COMMUNITY:
The “Counter-Strike” community is widely regarded as one of the most diverse culminations of people in gaming. Big or small, purple or blue, no matter who, this community is for you. “CS2” is relatively unfiltered which I personally enjoy due to its enabling of free speech/expression however a young person may be exposed to player content inappropriate in nature.

CONTROLS:
This title is meant to be played via keyboard and mouse. The controls are hyper customizable as they offer a plethora of options for personalization. I believe this game has some of the most satisfying movement once mastered. In comparison to “Call of Duty,” “Counter Strikes” movement is considered slower paced with a higher emphasis on micro movements and positioning. “CS2” is usually played using WASD for movement, mouse for aim, and scroll-wheel down for jump.

PERFORMANCE:
With the release of “Counter-Strike 2” we saw a slightly bigger file size and sub-optimal optimization that has since been heavily improved. “Valve” prefers to release games early and work out bugs with the assistance of the community. Some people complained about the “unfinished” state of “CS2” upon its release however I'm a proponent of the mindset behind an early drop. “Valve” devs are working hard and will continue to do so to ensure a smooth experience. Beware (as of this current moment) lower end PC’s may need to run on lower settings compared to CS:GO that was playable on a potato. At the time of this review we are closing in on one year since it came out and I can confidently say the game performs well.

IN-GAME PURCHASES:
“Counter-Strike” features the most impressive cosmetic economy within the gaming world. In 2013 “Valve” introduced the infamous “Arms Deal” update which allowed players to purchase weapon skins. This new feature was probably the first commercially available version of NFT’s (Non Fungible Tokens) especially within gaming. Every skin was unique and tied to its owner's “Steam” account. Each skin is able to be bought, traded, or sold via the “Steam Market” for “Steam Wallet” currency that can be used to make any and all purchases within the “Steam” site. Every skin has its own “Float” rating displaying a non-changing wear condition. Some skins also feature a pattern ID which is shown as a number from 1-1000 and refers to the particular orientation of whatever image is overlaid. One particular skin named “Stattrak Case Hardened AK-47” pattern 661 in factory new wear condition was allegedly sold privately for over one million real world dollars. I could go on forever talking about these in-game cosmetics as I only covered the most basic concepts.

CHEATERS:
A community of cheaters does exist however “Valve” is currently working on a new A.I. anti-cheat system called “VacNet 3.0” There also exists the possibility of player to player reports that help bring attention to suspected cheaters. In all fairness the game is more than playable and encounters are relatively rare.

INTERESTING:
Since I don't want to spend a lifetime listing every single interesting fact I know, I will leave you with a snippet from an article published by “Redbull” on the history of “Counter-Strikes” origins.

In November 1998, Half-Life was released for PC. This engrossing story-based first-person shooter put Valve on the map, captivating players with its tight gunplay and addictive exploration. Minh 'Gooseman' Le and Jess 'Cliffe' Cliffe were two such fans who also happened to be amateur video game developers. Inspired by the mechanical genius of Half-Life, the duo developed Counter-Strike, a multiplayer mod that would go on to birth a new gaming franchise.