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Great game..... once you get good.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 59 / 60
Date: January 31, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Ok, here are your options. You can buy this package and get three multiplayer games. Or you can buy the retail version of Half Life 2 and get Counter Strike:Source, Half Life 2 Deathmatch, and the story version of HL2. Basically, with this package versus HL2 retail, you will be trading the story version of HL2 for the multiplayer game Day of Defeat and whatever price difference there is.

Now with that out of the way, I'd assume you are looking at this page because you are interested in Counter Strike: Source. Good choice. There is a reason CS:S is the number one online game in the world. The game is amazing......it's that simple.

The game is set up around the premise of Terrorists vs. Counter-Terrorists. When you first join a server you choose which side you want to be on, the main difference being the weapons you will have access to. During the game each team has a different goal. One some levels the Terrorists have to plant a bomb while the Counter-Terrorists try to stop them. On other levels the Counter-Terrorists try to rescue some hostages while the Terrorists try to stop them. During each round you get 1 life. That's it! This means if you die you have to sit around and wait until the round is over. It's not a big deal though, the levels are generally small and well designed, and rounds don't usually last very long. Some of the positives of this system are that it discourages "Rambo" type play where people will just run around with guns blazing, of course some people still do that, but most people are more concerned about being careful with their life.

The graphics in this game are amazing! All the particle, smoke and water effects are extremely well done. There is a reason the Source graphics engine is so popular and it shows in this game. If you don't have an up-to-date computer you may have to sacrifice some visuals for performance, but the Source engine scales quite well, so as long as you aren't years behind you should be able to find settings that work.

A heads up to any parents up there, there is a good amount of blood in this game and obviously it is centered around shooting other people, so you may want to keep that in mind if you are purchasing for a kid.

Now we move on to the actual gameplay. I already touched on the one life per round aspect of this game, but as a new player you should be prepared to die...... a lot! You will die over and over and you will never kill anyone. That is a fact, and if you are going to buy this game it would serve you well to just accept that right now. Having played First Person Shooters in the past will help a bit, but you will still be nothing but a bullet absorber when you first start out. The learning curve on this game is a bit steep, and there are many people out there who have been playing this game for years. They have the aiming system down to a science and know every level like the back of their hand. There is also a little weapon called the AWP, which is a sniper rifle you will get to know very well. Mainly by the amount of times you are killed by it. This is a one shot one kill weapon and there are some players out there who simply don't miss with it. Suffice to say it can be quit frustrating when you are constantly killed from 200 yards while you barely get a chance to even see who shot you.

The point of all this is that it will require a bit of patience to learn this game and get to a skill level where you can be competitive. There is a neat little option where you can start your own server and fill it with "bots", which are computer controlled characters, and use this as practice. You can even set the difficulty level of the bots. While no AI can compete with human intelligence this is a good way to get better at the game and learn the levels if you are getting frustrated on real servers.

Overall, it's a great game that is being updated constantly with new levels and features. If you can get past the learning curve you will be rewarded with a satisfying online shooter that you will be playing for years to come. If you are easily frustrated and do not want to put in the time it takes to get good at this game you may want to pass on this and try something else.

Counter-Strike: Source is a praiseworthy remake of one of the greatest action games of all time.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 11 / 12
Date: October 29, 2006
Author: Amazon User

In 1998, the first person shooter genre was revolutionized with the release of Half-Life. Players fought human beings and alien hordes and other various types of opposing creatures as they explored a secret base called Black Mesa. The popularity of Half-Life sparked many new talented developers. In 2000, the action video game genre was defined with the Half-Life modification of Counter-Strike. Counter-Strike featured an extremely addicting and superior gameplay that before hasn't been seen since the release of Pong. An entire culture seems to have been formed because of Counter-Strike as it's seen today, and now it is the most popular online action game in the world. Half-Life 2 featured stunning graphics and physical gameplay which gave Valve the signal that their new game engine, Source was a huge success. The next major project Valve decided to work on is Counter-Strike: Source, a completely overhauled and remade version of the legendary Counter-Strike with the Source engine. However, Valve knew that it would be a challenge both carefully keeping the sensitive gameplay intact that has been released years ago and both upgrading the way players play without the game becoming a failure. So, how did Valve do with the late 2004 release of the highly anticipated release of Counter-Strike: Source?

Before any quick conclusions are made about the game, players should know that it is actually still in development. The game is frequently updated by Valve with content additions and enhancements and maps that have not yet been ported to the Source engine yet. However, players will be happy to know that the major maps such as Dust2, Aztec, Office, and many others have already been ported to the new game. Only the least popular such as Siege have not yet been added to the game as of August of 2006. Players should be rest assured that the remaining maps should and most likely will be ported to the game.

So, why did Valve decide to release the game only partially developed publicly? There has never been an official answer to this but most players speculate because Valve is eager to know the public reactions to the game. When Counter-Strike: Source was barely released it only contained several maps available to play. Valve seemed to want to know what players thought of the game before they finish completing it. If the game appears to be a failure to the public, Valve would know if they had to scrap the project, but if generally positive reactions came from players, especially veteran Counter-Strike 1.6 players, Valve would happily continue with the remaining development of the game. With this said, the positive has happened. Generally, Counter-Strike: Source was accepted by fans, and Valve continues slowly with the development of the game.

Counter-Strike: Source as already very much known continues with generally the same gameplay of 1.6. If it did not, it wouldn't be deserved to be called "Counter-Strike: Source", but "Counter-Strike 2". Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists face off in map skirmishes with an arsenal of weapons available for purchase. Depending on either what of two possible map types they are playing in, the terrorists will either have to plant a bomb in one of two bomb spots in the map, or in the other game type the terrorists will have to protect usually four hostages that are in a specific area of the map from the counter-terrorists rescuing them and winning the round. Or, in both types, a victorious team can be declared simply when one has completely killed the other opposing team. As Counter-Strike 1.6, Counter-Strike: Source is a highly fast-paced shooter.

Unlike the Halo series where players will often both explore landscape and at the same time take on enemy foes, in Counter-Strike you can expect to be on your tiptoes the complete time you are playing. It only takes a few shots to the chest and only one to the head to die in Counter-Strike, which can sometimes be the focal point of the anger in the game but also helps drive the addicting gameplay of you having to always be on caution and keeping your reflexes sharp to survive the round. Counter-Strike is a very skill-orientated game, a newcomer can expect to easily have only one kill per ten deaths, but a veteran and highly experienced player can easily produce up to thirty kills with only one or two deaths.

While both Counter-Strike 1.6 and Counter-Strike: Source have a fairly large community, as a whole, the community is one of the rough parts of the game and at times is not very "newbie-friendly". Cheating using out-of-the-game programs called "hacking" is on an all-time high. But thankfully, Valve's VAC2 anti-cheat system does a fair and adequate job of catching cheaters and permanently banning them from the game. The VAC2 modules are frequently updated and are becoming more and more intelligent everyday, and if this goes at this rate, players can easily expect for the VAC2 system to catch virtually every single cheat in existence.

As from Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike: Source contains the same technological advancements of Half-Life 2. Players will see both physics and the upgraded graphics from the Source engine. To set the answer to the first question straight, Counter-Strike: Source as Half-Life 2 is a major technical accomplishment. From the definition of the textures, to the particle effects and to the ragdoll physics, Counter-Strike: Source as Half-Life 2 is a benchmark in PC gaming. It is without doubt that players will enjoy and be amazed at what Counter-Strike: Source has technologically to offer. The first time a player under a bridge shoots and kills an opposing player, sees the body dynamically and fluidly drop down the bridge and adjust its skeleton to the irregular landscape, the player will drop their jaws. Valve's physics portion of the engine both contains an enormous amount of dynamicness in objects and the bones of models. When a player throws a grenade down an alleyway that is filled with barrels, bottles, and other objects, the objects will fly into the air and drop down into a unique position that before has never been seen in video games. The engine's ragdoll physics also contains an incredible amount of fluidity and dead bodies can die an infinite amount of ways. Over a ledge, down a slope, or simply just drop down on the ground, they will always have a unique position.

The Source engine also as known in Half-Life 2 before features eye-popping graphics. Valve completely remade the textures that were used in Counter-Strike, and this is the major difference graphically of the 1.6 version of Counter-Strike and the Source version. The textures now really look more lifelike and clearer which makes the game look a lot more attractive. Valve also did a good job developing special effects in Source. From particle effects from bullets to the vivid volumetric smoke, it has all been carefully created. Whether you are standing behind a metallic surface or a soft sandy surface the proper effect on the texture will be created when bullets are fired on it. Players will see the bright-white ricocheting effect on metal plates or the dust that pops out of weak, stony surfaces. Players will also see that there is a nice smoke effect that comes from both an after-effect of a grenade, but more specifically the popping of a smoke grenade. The smoke actually has volume and depth to it and players can walk and notice that they are actually walking through a field of smoke rather then just a cheap dust effect that has been seen many times in past games.

Another quite noticeable and somewhat controversial change in the Source version of Counter-Strike is the displeasureable effect a player experiences when he is affected by a popping of a flashbang. In 1.6, players would be blinded and only see white for a few seconds, but still be able to hear and could more easily retreat by thought before the enemy rushes out in the open. However, in Source, a flashbang is much more effective in disorientating the enemy. A flashbang is not only much longer in Source, but also completely disables your hearing with a high-pitched scream. This entire effect can easily disorientate an entire enemy team with just one flashbang and can easily completely confuse a new player. In addition to the disorientating effect of the Source flashbang with the extended flashed time and the loss of hearing, players will also see that a flashbang continues to try and confuse a player by before returning his hearing and vision, an early image of where he is standing will bleed onto the screen making the player think that he has recovered whereas he will then move, but then notice that he has been tricked because he has not fully recovered, his senses will then finally return and he will notice where he now is.

A possibly overlooked point of Counter-Strike: Source is its audio. The Source engine supports a wide range of fluidity and dynamicness of its sound effects. Most of the weapon firing sounds have been copied and directly imported into Counter-Strike: Source from Counter-Strike 1.6. But most have actually seen the remake with Source. The well-known and highly-realistic firing sound of the AK-47 from Counter-Strike 1.6 has been made to sound even more deadly and clearer when redone with Source. Explosions from grenades and other things in the game can sound quite realistic at times. Depending on where you are, a proper amount of amplitude will be made that you will hear from the distance you are standing from. The Source engine also supports a very realistic surround-sound feature. Players can easily depending on what they hear make out what position it is in at the map.

The Source engine of course, does have its flaws, whether they are minor or major. For one thing, the graphics specifically in Counter-Strike: Source could have looked a lot more lifelike if some of the textures in the game were re-done. The distinct lack of using the Source engine's features such as prop placement can make some areas of the game look rather duller then they should. Also, most of the maps in Counter-Strike: Source needs a bit more optimization, mainly due to long map loads. Loading a map in the game can occasionally take well up to three minutes, when it shouldn't be because most maps don't have that many props and complex buildings that would result in long map loads. In addition, the maps generally are quite small when comparing to a game such as Battlefield 2. Not that this is bad, it actually helps contain the fast-paced action.

There are also a few other quirks in the game that can tend to keep the Counter-Strike 1.6 veterans from switching over to Source. Probably the most controversial aspect of the game is the hitboxes. This is because for some reason the hitboxes tend to be slow and late to the models when they are moving. For example if an enemy is strafing to the left, players can easily kill him by simply shooting a few inches to the left of his body and the shots would still register. This is because of how late the hitboxes are to the actual player models.

Another pesky and probably the most frustrating and annoying part of the game, is the artificial intelligence of the hostages. To say it straight, they are as intelligent as a group of dummies. In most maps, your chance of success of rescuing the hostages while there are still a few enemies alive is slime to none. Hostages are slow, will randomly stop at times, and can fail to exit out of buildings simply because they cannot detect the position of the doors. Artificial intelligence itself has never been a strong point in the Source engine. Put, Valve fans know that Valve works hard and constantly upgrades and fine-tunes the engine, and it is quite possible that both the hitboxes and hostage A.I. can be improved soon.

All of these quirks and little problems can easily be ignored when you look at the big picture. Most players find it an absolute delight of having their all-time favorite game Counter-Strike ported to the Source engine, and them wondering how the game would be with all of the upgraded graphics and special effects. Valve recently also started implementing the new lighting technology, HDR. HDR can make any map in any game standout and look gorgeous, as all what HDR is realistic lighting that mimics how the human eye sees light. The release of HDR is a sign that Valve is constantly upgrading their engine and implementing these upgrades to further improve some of the cons of the game.

As a whole, Counter-Strike: Source is a marvelous and fantastic remake of a widely known game. While some of the aspects in the game are controversial, it is because Valve always tends to lean their games towards a realism sort of sense. Players who want to get into the Counter-Strike franchise would probably be better off with the Source version of the game, mainly how Valve has improved some aspects from 1.6 and how simply the greater the graphics look. Even today, there are thousands of servers that are running the game, and there is always somewhere to play. If you have a love for action games or want to try the Source version of Counter-Strike, you should definitely pick up Counter-Strike: Source, and experience a solid and entertaining online shooter.

Amazing Graphics, familiar Game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: October 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This product was originally exactly what I was looking for with a retail package for HL2. I had played though Half Life 2 at a friends house and didn't want to put out the money to buy the game just to play CS:S. The problem here though, is that the games are essentially clones of the original Half Life mods, just with better graphics. Counter Strike feels a little changed, map layouts are a bit different than 1.6, and weapons are a bit more random in hitting what you aim at. (inaccurate). Day of Defeat source is pretty much an identical clone of Day of Defeat, just much much prettier, and at release there's only 4 maps compared to the hundreds that I've played in 1.6. The game runs much better under the Source engine than the original mod did on the Half Life 1 engine. If you have no interest in Half Life 2's single player and you don't already have 1.6, this is a product that you won't regret buying. (at least I didn't, and I have 1.6)

Patience = Fun.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: June 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

If you've played the original Counter Strike than you will know what I'm talking about in this review. If you are looking at this game than you already know that it's online only which means that you are really only going to be playing against other people. When you start out, these people are going to be leagues ahead of you in terms of skill.

I'm saying that you're bad at video games or FPSs (first person shooters), but you aren't going to be used to the way this game plays. Everyone else playing is going to already have memorized each map, how each gun fires, and they're going to know where you are. So while you're just trying to figure out how to use your flashlight properly you're also being hunted down. This can annoy and deter many people from enjoying this game. When you die twenty times without killing a single person, it can be irritating.

Luckily, CS:S has two things that can save you. One: you can create your own server and add a bunch of bots (computer controlled players) and set them to different difficulties and practice with them. This will start to get you used to how other players play, and you will get to know some of the maps and guns. Two: There are literally tens of thousands of servers out there and many of them are there for new players. So instead of going to clan servers you can go to newbie servers and just have some fun.

Overall, the game engine for this game is incredible. In my opinion it's the best FPS engine out there. The only problem are some of the people playing it with you. My advice is to find a static server that has people that have the same mindset about the game as you do (Relaxed-Serious) and just enjoy. If someone gets angry at you for not playing well, or playing too well then just leave and find another server. You'll enjoy the game much more that way.

Great game.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: December 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

If you like first person shooters, it's hard to beat the constant challenge of playing real people online. Most first person shooters are single player, and after you play through you are done with the game. If they have a multiplayer option, it is usually slapped together and not very good. Often, it is a "spray and pray" type game.

This game keeps going, and is continually challenging. You will die a lot at first.

I am almost 40 so I am not as fast as these younger players, but I do OK.

You need a decent video card, and a fast internet connection, DSL or cable. Add 5.1 surround sound Kinyo headphones and you are really in the game. Many hours of fun. See you on the battlefield!

"Toth Amon"

Can play forever, never gets dull. Just don't get used.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: June 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I won't write a long review, I'll just say that the game is amazing, and you are crazy if you don't get it. Now, I read a review that said to just buy it used, since you don't need to use the CD every time. That's partly true, but don't EVER even consider buying it used. That is because you have to bind the game to a Steam account using the CD Key on the case. So if someone has already bound it to their Steam account, your basically screwed. Besides, you can get it new for 20-30 bucks on Amazon, or at a Gamestop.

Tried and True

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: November 11, 2007
Author: Amazon User

There are very few people now adays that have not heard of a game called "Counter-Strike." Originally designed as a free modification in 1998 on the award winning (and still gorgeous even to today's standards) Half-Life engine, Counter-Strike quickly became thousands of people's unbreakable addiction (including mine).

What caused this to happen? The gameplay concept is rather simple and to the point? What keeps people playing?

The answer to that question is both simple and complex. First we will start with the weapons and map geometry.

WEAPONS AND MAP GEOMETRY: The game is extremely well rounded when it comes to the selection of weapons per side as well as how the map is designed for each side. Both teams have strategic points and and weaknesses on each map and unique weapons that fit some players over others. Another thing that keeps the gameplay random and strategic is that any player can pick up any fallen players weapon and switch what they have, no matter what team they are on and no matter how expensive it is. Heck, if the player is alive you two can STILL switch weapons with each other. You can be in combat with a player that has an M4 at one moment, then he can pop out with a scout the next. Theres tons of variation without making it get out of hand.

GRAPHICS ENGINE: The graphics engine is extremely important. This doesnt only include the visuals but the flexability of what the developer is able to provide the world in the range in details, visuals, interactivity, sound, etc. For it's time, the Half-Life engine was EXTREMELY flexable compared to the other games out at the time and offered modders and developers something they had not seen before. Half-Life 2 is not only that but the entire revamped package. The Visuals are amazing and the types of details and interaction in maps is unbelieveable. CS:Source brings back so many of the original maps but with the touch up they needed. From particle effects to high definition Bloom lighting, realistic physics from the Havok engine, to knowing where a person is by the high quality sound effects and actually feeling like your there makes the experience more rich and vibrant then ever before.

SOUND: As mentioned earlier, the sound is amazing. From being able to walk and actually hear other people's footsteps and knowing where they are, you are able to get the edge on another player. The guns all sound great and if a gun is powerful, you definitly know it. The atmosphere sounds really suck you in and enrich the experience.

GAMEPLAY: The Gameplay is simple, yet varied. You can choose maps where you must either bomb or protect a certain point or maps where you have to escort hostiges to a safe zone. The original Counter-Strike had a mode where you had to protect a VIP which they have yet to bring back which is disapointing but the core gameplay is there and it rocks. With the weapons being even, the levels being diverse but well rounded and the gameplay smooth as can be, it's easy to get sucked in for one vital reason: To be better than the next guy. You can be on a hot streak for days and meet someone that wipes the floor with your face and theres nothing you can do about it but keep playing and try to improve. This game truly has a sense of skill and it truly shows right away if you dont have any. On top of that, you can be involved in some of the coolest shoot outs and make some of the best friends you'll have by joining clans and teams within the community.

MODIFICATIONS: The irony here is that Counter-Strike started as a modification itself but now has grown to the level that people modify the modification itself. One that I personally like in particular that I can litterally sink hours into is a mod called "Zombie Mod." It's concept is massivly addicting and fast paced. You start the round off as normal in modified versions or the original maps or custom ones made by the community (cities, towns, etc) but within seconds of starting, 1 player randomly turns into the zombie. Now, in CS in general, you can run faster if you have the knife out, but the zombies run much faster than you do at your very fastest. You have to either be much smarter than them, which can be hard because they are real people not AI controller bots, or you have to constantly shoot them to push them back. As a zombie, you only have a knife, a TON of life and nightvision to aid you but you can easily make the best of it in the dark close quarter maps that are available for the mod. If you ever slash another player once, he will then turn into a zombie to aid you in your quest for total conquest. This mod can honestly cause panic in you and the random feats of survival each round keeps you massivly addicted.

All in all, this game has more replay value then any First Person Shooter I have ever seen. The concept is so simple and fund and you wont be able to put it down.

Time to Relax

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: April 22, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game will definitely make you forget the troubles of real life as you play on a server with with as few as two people or as many as a server holds, usually around thirty to sixty. Select whether you'd like to be a counter terrorist or a terrorist and compete with others for the best score and the best team score. This updated version of counter strike has incredible graphics and is tons of fun for either hardcore gamers or light gamers. Every part of the game is as realistic as it gets, from guns to movement, and from scenery to sound. I would recommend this game to pretty much anyone who likes a good FPS. My advice would be to buy it used, as you only the install CD, or DVD, and the serial number (the most important part to activate an account on Steam, the program which hosts the game.) Don't waste your money on a new copy, for you only use the CD once. I bought mine used for thirteen dollars and couldn't be happier. This game is fun for practically anyone.

Other than the graphic, it is another Counter Strike

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 15
Date: January 03, 2006
Author: Amazon User

My friend gave me Half Life 2 after he finished the story mode. I finished the story mode and I head onto CS:S. The first impression for me is, the graphic is better than CS, even though the graphic is not that great. I play for a month and quit. It just like the cs that I played 3-4 years ago. I still keep it on my laptop since I am looking for DOD. DOD is finally avaliable after a few months and it cost $19.9. I was thinking it would be free of charge like CS does. $19.9 for a graphic improvement is totally worthless. Well, I still keep it in my laptop until my space is running out.
Pros:
-Free internet play
-Nice story mode( So please buy Halflife2, not sole CS:S)
-Graphic improvement
-Run on older machine ( my old laptop with P4 1.8GHZ, ATI 7500M runs fine with setting adjustment)

Cons:
-Just like CS that I play 5 years ago
-Need to pay 19.9 for DOD!!

Counter-Strike is the BEST of THE BEST!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: October 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Counter-Strike has many different multiplayer games that you can download from the internet. It has very good game graphics and has a massive number of gamers playing it. You can play Counter Strike thru different clients to play online mutiplayer with people from all over the world.

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