Counter Striker 1.6 Review

Counter Strike was first released back in 2000 to critical acclaim on the PC, and had numerous updates on the same game engine that culminated in a final release in the guise of Counter Strike 1.6 which was released in 2003. After that Counter Strike Source was released in 2004.

Gameplay:
Back to CS1.6 though, numerous things made it a worldwide hit. It was built around a simple idea, terrorists and counter terrorists fighting against each other across various maps. However, this wasn't just a simple death match shooter. The game was structured into rounds, which could end in either 3 ways depending on how the map is set up. If a player is eliminated in the round, they won't respawn until the next one.

The 3 ways to win the round are to kill every member of the opposing team, plant or defuse the bomb depending on which side you're on, or rescue the hostages or prevent their rescue, again depending on which site you're on.

However, there is also a great mod for the game, called GunGame. In this mode, it acts like a frantic deathmatch in that you're constantly respawning once you've been killed. Everyone starts off with the same weapon, and as you get 2 or more kills with each weapon, you'll level up to getting a more powerful weapon. This is a great way to train up new players on the physics of the game, and it's a fun way to break from the norm of having to sit out the round once you've been killed.

Graphics:
Now, let's remember that this game was released back in early 2000 and the last version using the old engine was used in 2003. Despite this, the player models look surprisingly good. Also, the weapon models are top notch, and still look authentic. What lets the graphics down in some way is that there can be some clipping on the maps, and some dodgy frame animations at times too. However, these don't detract from an other wise excellent game experience.

Difficulty level:
In all honesty, at the start of the game, you'll be terrible. Even FPS veterans will find the game a challenge at first if they've came from playing the Call of Duty series, which is in part due to a lack of ADS in CS 1.6. This is actually pretty refreshing after playing the COD games since it forces you to learn a new way to eliminate enemies on the map. With a few hours of practice though (and numerous eliminations) you'll become more adapt at the game, and really appreciate it's depth.

I'll be writing a general tips and tricks guide soon to help people that have never picked up the game before, especially if they want to try it before the new game comes out later this year.

Score: 9/10