Now Playing: Global Offensive

I’ve spoken a little before about CS:GO. I never played the original Counter-Strike much and when CS:Source was released I bought it as part of the Half-Life 2 package, but I only ever sank about 40 hours into it over about six years.

CS:GO feels different but also very familiar. Including my time from the Beta, I’ve sunk about 130 hours into the game now. I wasn’t too sure about it at first, but it’s definitely grown on me. Pretty much every weapon feels viable, and I find myself mixing up a lot during and between rounds, which helps stop things getting a little repetitive.

It’s a very simple game at its core, but it does take time to master, memorizing the maps and learning how each weapon handles. But it’s also a very situational game, and while fast reflexes help a lot, outwitting your opponent is all the more satisfying. Knowing when to move, when to shoot, when to reload or switch weapons - all variables to weigh that can result in a victory or defeat.

There’s a few different game modes for variety, but no sense of progression, levelling up or unlocks as so many other shooters are fond of these days. Take that as a negative or a positive depending on your preference.

I can’t say I generally enjoy online first-person shooters, at least not for any extended period of time, but CS:GO seems perfect as the kind of shooter I can drop in and out of whenever I get the urge to play one. Overall, it’s a solid enough package, and with a few more content updates to flesh it out, certainly one worth checking out.

7/10