An iconic franchise in the gaming sphere, Counter-Strike has been entertaining players for over two decades with its skill-based gameplay and tactical shootouts. From the original Half-Life mod to the most recent and widely popular CS:GO, the series remains a staple of the FPS genre.
With Counter-Strike 2 recently being announced as a free and game-changing update to CS:GO, players should be preparing themselves for the next iteration of the franchise. While many welcome changes will no doubt be made, CS:GO was already a great game in its own right. Here are all the things that Counter Strike 2 should keep from its predecessor.
8 Economy
Featured in casual and competitive game modes, CS:GO has its own economy. Players can earn money by winning rounds and killing enemies, before spending said cash on better weapons, armor, and grenades.
Resource management is part of what makes the game so enjoyable, leading to tactical decisions such as running ‘eco rounds’ to save up for better weapons and armor for a ‘buy round.’ This adds an extra dimension to the game, and makes winning that first pistol round all the more important.
7 Low Time To Kill
Unlike other titles in the genre (Overwatch, for example), Counter-Strike has always given players a limited amount of health to work with, which makes them quick to go down in a firefight.
This means one slip-up could be the difference between life and death, and encourages the player to adopt cunning strategies and refine their aim, with the low time to kill working to make the game a more engaging one. Besides, it feels super satisfying to get that one-tap headshot.
6 Dynamic Noises
Many players have been in a 1v1 clutch situation, with the bomb ticking down and their final opponent nowhere to be seen. Then, a soft footstep or reload can be heard, giving away their enemies’ position and ensuring a swift victory.
CS:GO rewards those who listen carefully, and the next title in the series should be no different. So much information can be discerned from the smallest of noises, and attentive players should be able to profit from their vigilance.
5 Gun Variety
While most players only use a select few of the rifles and pistols, it doesn’t mean Counter Strike 2 should remove the other guns entirely. Many of them provide decent alternatives if players are strapped for cash, and while they may be situational, it can be fun to experiment with the wide variety of options available.
Some are suited to particular tactics, such as laying down suppressive fire with the high ammo negev, or skulking around in a tight corridor with a shotgun. They are no doubt a risky buy, but if used wisely, can be highly rewarding.
4 Spray Patterns
Gunplay in CS:GO is complex. Players have to think about their movement accuracy, bullet spread, and even effective range. Recoil control is also a key aspect, with each gun having its own individual spray pattern.
Players will have spent many hours learning how to control this recoil and maintain accuracy when firing full-auto. If Counter-Strike 2 introduced new spray patterns for old guns, it would disregard years of muscle memory and would be frustrating to say the least. Valve is better off introducing entirely new guns with fresh spray patterns to avoid players having to make a jarring adjustment.
3 Skin Marketplace
A core aspect of the game, CS:GO is nothing without its skins. Over the years, hundreds of different cosmetics have been released, including knives, gloves, and even massively valuable items like the AWP Dragon Lore which can go for 100,000s of dollars.
It’s not just these high-end skins that have value – many players have items worth $10–20, and inventories that reach into the hundreds. Counter-Strike 2 must not only allow players to keep their old skins and trade them on the community market, but also ensure that these skins maintain their value going forward in the new game.
2 Tactical Grenades
One of the things that makes CS:GO so fun to play is the wide variety of tactical options at a player’s disposal. Smokes, flashes, decoys, and Molotovs are all great ways to gain entry to a bombsite, and can be used on defense to deny ground and cover retreats.
Smokes in particular are vital to the game, allowing players to cover their movement and cut off a choke point. Many players have also gone out of their way to learn complex throws and ensure a tactical advantage. Put simply, a Counter-Strike without ‘nades wouldn’t be the same
1 Popular Maps
With so many iconic maps such as Dust II, Mirage, and Inferno, Counter-Strike 2 should continue the tradition of bringing back and updating old maps from previous games. They are not only beloved by the community, but the layout of these maps has been so refined that they are ideal for competitive play.
Many players will know the map and its callouts off by heart, making for faster and easier communication. Some will also know the precise area and angle to throw a grenade from to ensure it gets across the map and ends up in a key location. Safe to say, removing many of the fan-favorite CS:GO maps will not go down well with the community, so Valve should ensure they make an appearance in Counter-Strike 2.
Counter-Strike 2 is releasing summer 2023 for Windows.