First breaking into the online scene as a mere mod for Half-Life in 1999, Counter-Strike became the king of online gaming. Cue the release of Half-Life 2 in 2004 and Counter-Strike: Source steps into the online limelight.
So why is it that even now, nearly four years later that the original game is still seeing as much action as Source? The reason is, despite Valve's attempts to take a forward leap with the franchise, Source's refinements make it a very different game than the original, despite it using the majority of the same maps and the same classic game type. The implementation of the Havok physics engine and more realistic character models make it a game that focuses on headshots. This very minor change to the gameplay sparked much controversy, with many of the longest serving players reverting back to the original after mere months.
However Source has been able to develop its own parallel community over the years, now standing alongside the original game, Halo 3 and World of Warcraft as one of the kings of online gaming. With all online shooters, the main hook factor is the incredible skill levels of the best players. Whereas most games have some room for genuine gaming skill to be developed, CS:S has an incredible amount of depth to all its 20+ weapons, which all take some committed use to master. Each weapon has its own style and techniques, for instance one of the early golden rules to master is making use of the 'perfect' AK-47 first bullet which has no recoil. Once you can pull off a long-range headshot with that, it's time to think about the best techniques to provide accurate bursts without exposing yourself by moving too slow, crouching etc. Then there are various weapon combinations to think about such as determining how long the opponent you just flash banged is going to be blind for, or when exactly the recoil on that M4 is too much to handle, so you can take that USP for a spin.
These are just a few examples of golden rules you might learn during your time playing. Of course though, it isn't just a free for all game and you have to communicate well as a team if you're going to win. The game supports its own in-game chat, however many clan teams choose to use other external voice communication channels. If you don't have a headset then the text communications are a sufficient substitute, however if you're a serious Counter-Strike player then a headset is essential. The dedication some players have to the game is unmatched; many players spend hundreds on new hardware upgrades for their computer in order to squeeze out those extra few frames per second. Every little process that can be changed has large knock on effects; so if you're just starting up then don't feel intimidated because someone tells you to "sort your rates out".
It is however not necessary to spend hundreds of pounds on hardware upgrades, unless your PC is reaching its fifth birthday anytime soon as the game still looks fantastic, even on lower settings. The visuals have had a huge upgrade up to Half-Life 2 standard, and now the game can even take advantage of HDR lighting if your hardware is up to scratch. Nearly four years on they still don't look out of place in the current generation and I can't imagine them looking bad in another five years time, just like the original's graphics.
As well as a headset giving you a tactical advantage through teamwork, you can do yourself a massive favor by investing in a decent pair of headphones as the audio is as much your friend as it can be your enemy, depending on your setup. Using your ears to work out where somebody is can be just as important as your aim. You'll also learn what each weapon sounds like from even across an entire map, for each gun's sound is very distinctive. Bar the shooting itself, there is little else to listen to, so you may find it relaxing to put some music on a media player whilst playing, especially as when starting up you'll probably spend more time dead than alive.
Don't let the intimidating skill of other players put you off trying out CS:S. Once you get a grip for a handful of weapons then the game really starts to take off. Counter-Strike: Source is utterly essential for anybody who has so much as wanted to try an online shooter before. Its huge community combined with some of the deepest game play available, and a development team who are still finding new ways to improve the experience with constant updates makes it one of the best online games ever made. Utterly essential - you don't just play Counter-Strike, you learn it.
People who downloaded Counter-Strike: Source have also downloaded:
Counter-Strike 1.6, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Halo: Combat Evolved, Half-Life 2, Call of Duty, Half-Life, Call of Duty: MW3
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