The long-awaited Counter-Strike 2 release is here. CS:GO is officially a thing of the past, and players are getting to grips with everything the next generation of Counter-Strike has to offer. We’ve played plenty of the full CS2 release, and have a few thoughts so far.
Credit: Valve
Gunplay and Movement
The jewel in CS:GO’s crown was its near-perfect gunplay. Because of this, the Counter-Strike 2 release has to replicate lightning in a bottle or risk alienating a massive amount of players. It wasn’t perfect in CS2’s Limited Test, but is it any better in the full release?
In short, yes. The Counter-Strike 2 gameplay feels tappy and responsive, and your headshots always seem to land with great hit registration. But no, it’s not perfect. The subtick system seems to still be causing issues for some players when being peeked.
Right now, problems with how animations relate to the subtick system make it seem as though you’re dying from behind walls, and it’s frustrating for any CS2 player – not just the pros. If Valve can fix this, it will have cracked arguably CS2’s biggest problem at the moment.
Credit: Valve
In terms of movement, the Counter-Strike 2 gameplay has come a long way in a short time. Bunnyhopping feels good, and it no longer feels like you’re walking with cement in your boots. Subtick ensures it’s not quite CS:GO, though. Watch this space.
Maps
If you played the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test, you already know what to expect from the maps. Most have received a fancy lighting upgrade, with the exception of Overpass and Inferno, which have received significant makeovers. Both of these maps get a thumbs up from us, with some interesting changes that could affect CS2 esports.
We’ve just got one question. Cobblestone and Cache, when, Valve?
Ranks
The Vertiglobal era is officially here. The CS2 release brings ranks per map, a massive change from CS:GO. Honestly? It works. It means you don’t have to master every single Counter-Strike 2 map, and doesn’t punish your ELO for trying something new.
It’s early doors, but we’re calling this a W.
MR12
Prior to the CS2 release, I was an MR12 hater. After playing a fair amount, consider me a convert. Overall, MR12 makes matchmaking a more pleasant experience.
Pistol rounds are still way too important to the economy, but beyond that very fixable issue, MR12 is a good thing for Counter-Strike 2. Maybe Valve does know best?
Miscellaneous Issues
The Counter-Strike 2 release is still fresh, so there were always going to be a few smaller issues along the way. We’ve noticed a few, and wanted to point them out:
Watching highlights and lowlights via the in-game demo viewer causes consistent crashes.
No cl_righthand 0 command.
Getting into custom community servers is a pain.
Overall though, the CS2 release is off to a solid start. As noisy as some negative voices can be, it’s a great base with plenty of potential for years to come. If CS:GO’s lifespan is anything to go by, Valve will get it right.
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