FPS fans rejoice – the next iteration of the highly popular Counter-Strike series has finally been announced. Releasing as a free and game-changing update for CS:GO, Counter-Strike 2 will make a series of improvements and upgrades to the game, affecting everything from gameplay and custom maps to better visuals and audio.
Valve has showcased some of the new features that will be introduced, and while more changes are yet to be announced, there are already plenty of things for players to get stuck into on the newly released limited test. Here are all the things that Counter-Strike 2 changes from the base game.
8 Reworked Sounds
Anyone that has played CS:GO knows that audio can come in clutch. Hearing a soft footstep can give away someone’s position, and falsley defusing a bomb to lure defenders out of their hiding spots is a popular and often rewarding tactic.
Counter-Strike 2 doubles down on the importance of audio, with more distinct and balanced sounds introduced to elevate the tactical nature of the gameplay. The sounds have also been redesigned to better reflect the environment around the player, making for a more immersive and captivating experience.
7 Overhauled UI
CS:GO has been around for over a decade, and despite various updates to the UI over the years, it’s beginning to show its age. Counter-Strike 2 makes a bunch of new enhancements, with a fresh and polished UI for players to dive right into.
These changes not only look cleaner and more defined than previous versions, but also communicate critical game state info. With the updated system, players are more aware than ever of how the round is progressing.
6 Better-Looking Maps
All the CS:GO maps have been given some much-needed TLC to improve their appearance in Counter-Strike 2. There are three main categories that maps are classed under, with each category reflecting a different level of modification.
‘Touchstone’ maps (like Dust II) have only had a few changes, with small improvements to lighting and character read. ‘Upgrade’ maps (such as Nuke) have had major enhancements to their visuals. Finally, ‘Overhaul’ maps (such as Overpass) have been recreated from the ground up in Source 2. Players will now be able to appreciate the heightened beauty of all these maps.
5 Upgraded VFX
Alongside the nicer-looking maps, visual effects have also received a boost in Counter-Strike 2. Explosions, fire, smoke, muzzle flashes, blood spatters, water, and more have received upgrades, making the game more vibrant and colorful than ever.
The new VFX also adds to the gameplay, allowing players to better distinguish when their shots have landed, and determine where gunfire came from thanks to directional blood impacts on the floor and ground. This adds a whole new way to gather critical information, and while these new VFX may only be a minor inclusion, it adds another interesting layer to Counter-Strike's skill-based combat.
4 Better Skins
Valve is letting players carry over their entire CS:GO inventory into the new game, which will likely come as a relief to those who have valuable skins. Not only will these cosmetics be available to use in Counter-Strike 2, but they will also benefit from Source 2’s improved lighting and materials.
This means that many iconic items will look even better, especially as CS:GO’s weapons have been replaced with higher-resolution models. The visual upgrades to older skins, and the likely influx of new cosmetics after Counter-Strike 2 releases, will no doubt lead to a new golden age for skin trading and case openings.
3 Map Making Tools
Many of the best maps in CS:GO were designed by the community or members of the original Half-Life mod team. Following this tradition, Valve has decided to release Source 2 tools to players, making it far easier for them to design and create their own Counter-Strike maps.
This will no doubt help build a thriving community centered around creating custom maps and testing them out. Players should also expect more unconventional types of maps, such as aim practice, surfing, or 1v1 arenas, to make a return with these helpful new tools.
2 Better Tick Rate
A feature that has long been on the community’s wish list, Counter-Strike servers will now introduce an update to remove the tick system. Previously, time was only judged in short intervals called ticks, with nothing in-between registering until the next tick. This meant there were often a couple of milliseconds of delay in the game responding to inputs.
Now, Counter-Strike has overhauled the system, allowing the game to respond the exact moment it receives an input. This will more accurately follow the player’s movement and shooting, as well as making special maneuvers like bunny hopping easier and more consistent to pull off.
1 New Smoke Tactics
The most dramatic improvement announced so far, Counter-Strike 2’s new smokes are truly game-changing. Smoke grenades will now dynamically fill up the space they are in, and appear the same way for everyone, effectively removing exploitative one-way smokes from the game.
Smoke will be affected by lighting, and can be dispersed to create gaps of visibility by firing through the smoke or detonating a grenade. This adds a whole new tactical dimension to the game, as players will be able to interact with the smoke and use it to their advantage on both the offense and defense. Players should be ready for some cunning new plays with this revolutionary new feature.
Counter-Strike 2 is releasing summer 2023 for Windows.