Counter Strike:Source

What is it? - Counter Strike:Source is mod for Half-Life 2. but also available separately from half-Life 2.

Game profile - It is among few most played game on internet.

The good about it - massive online community.

The bad about it - no singleplayer mode playable.

I rate it - 9/10


Originally, the game was a grassroots mod project, forged upon the original Half-Life. From these humble beginnings, it quickly became the most popular online shooter ever. Two of the game's principal designers went on to join the ranks of Half-Life designer Valve and have helped update Counter-Strike to make use of Half-Life 2's famous Source graphics engine.

Counter Strike: Source is, essentially, a visually-stunning port of the original: all the classic maps with the exact same game play. There are a variety of realistic weapons you can buy at the beginning of the round. Weapons fire with the touch of imprecision that reality mandates. And you only have one life, with no re-spawns. After one breezy round when the victorious team has been decided, another round starts up.

The game looks more beautiful than ever, with structures that feel weighty and solid and little visual touches throughout. The flash-bangs look fantastic. First, there's a blurry distortion as the screen melts into two blurred out of focus shots that slowly blend back together. The ringing and blindness! Rag doll physics now govern the death animations, so watch for keen and gruesome deaths. Great stuff.

The online network filter works excellently; finding a good, smooth running game is easier than ever. While HL2's Havoc physics have been integrated into CS:S, the game does not utilize them in the key gameplay. Cover cannot be destroyed. Nor will you be able to chuck boxes and guns at your opponents. You can crouch, but unlike most military games, you can not go prone. Admittedly, with the fast pace of the game, there is little reason for that option besides sniping. Prone would probably be too much of an advantage and alter the game's balance too drastically. Also, some of the newer but mostly inconsequential additions to the game from recent upgrades aren't here, like blast shields.

It's hard to argue against free. Counter Strike: Source is included with both retail boxes of Half-Life 2 and any version of the Steam-purchased Halflife 2. If I had to pay for this as a separate product, I'd be miffed. Perhaps later, there will be a complete reinvention and overhaul; but as a free upgrade for one of the greatest online games ever created, it's definitely worthwhile.

A fantastic game for you.