Counter-Strike
System:
X-Box
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Valve
Released: November 2003
Genre: First Person Shooter
Capabilities: Memory Unit, System Link, Custom
Soundtracks, Online Play via Xbox Live, Communicator Headset, Online Downloads
Review Written: December 8, 2003
After being out on the market for over five years, the most widely
played online PC game, Counter-Strike (CS), finally makes its way to
consoles courtesy of a partnership between Microsoft and Valve, for the Xbox. If
you’re one to ignore the PC gaming world, CS initially came out in 1998 as a mod
for Valve’s classic FPS, Half-Life. And since it was a mod, it became
free for download across the web. Valve has since released a retail version for
the PC because of the stunning success of CS.
Microsoft must really be want to increasing the amount of online games available
for the Xbox by adding in this classic title, but the move does raise a few
eyebrows. Why even bother shelling the retail $50 for the Xbox version, when you
can download the PC one for free and not bother with the yearly fees for Xbox
Live. That, and unlike other recent PC-to-console-ports (Unreal 2
specifically), you don’t have to worry about your PC requirements, because even
the most aged PC setups can run the five year old mod just fine. There is a
little bit of extras gained here, but not really enough to justify a purchase
for the PC fanatics of the game.
If you haven’t played CS before, it is pretty much a squad based FPS, as
terrorists take on counter-terrorists in a wide variety of locales. There is
only two main ways to play. Demolition features the terrorists planting a bomb
and having to defend it for a limited amount of time so the counter’s cannot
defuse it. Hostage Rescue has the counter’s finding several hostages and
escorting them to an extraction point. There is another alternative winning
condition, and is the most common in all the online bouts I have played, and
that is to eliminate all the members of the opposing squad.
Each series has several rounds to it, and cash is earned for your squad
depending on how well they perform. The cash is used to get extra ammo,
grenades, and armor at the beginning of each round. CS has a bit more of a
realistic approach in the FPS genre, players can only sustain a few shots before
falling dead, and that’s if they are decked out with armor too. As Players can
only carry a sidearm, and a primary weapon. Also, once a player is dead, they do
not regenerate and have to wait for their partners to finish off the round. For
you non PC gamers thinking, “Oh I see, like SOCOM,” you should slap
yourself in the face because CS was one of the first games to take this unique
and effective approach to the genre. Anyways, this effect instantaneously
reduces the rate of running across the crazy run-n-gunners from Quake and
Doom, and causes gamers to play more authentic, actually making them try
to make the most of the cover available in all the stages, and scout out each
part of a level before running out in the open.
I feel the controls made a nice adaptation to the Xbox controller. Valve
implemented the popular Halo scheme for using both analog sticks to
maneuver across the stages. There is a rather shallow training mode that teaches
you how to rescue hostages and defuse bombs. CS newbies probably would have
benefited if there was some form of additional tactical training to make use of
the level terrain and to develop other strategies, but that is pretty much what
the single player option is for. Up to 11 bots can be included in single player
action for the two modes available. There are four difficulty settings, each one
obviously makes them tougher to kill, and don’t be surprised if you get caught
guessing that the AI is so damn good you forgot that you were offline. Don’t be
scoffing because there isn’t a mission-based story mode available, the single
player mode is pretty much only here to prep you up for the online opponents.
However, I do wish I could have controlled one of any surviving AI teammates
once I was killed, much like in Ghost Recon single player, but sadly I
have to wait for the comp to finish the bout.
Online play has its ups and downs compared to its PC counterpart. On the good
side, Microsoft’s heavy-security makes running into players using hacks and
cheats a very rare occurrence. Also, the broadband network practically
guarantees all rounds running at high speeds and all users having voice chat
compatibilities makes it nice to carefully coordinate your attacks too. On the
other hand, even though the game has just been out for a couple weeks, there
isn’t that much of user base online. I recall other console online shooters like
both SOCOM’s on PS2 and the pair of Ghost Recon Xbox titles having
far better online activity in its first few weeks than CS has had thus far.
Graphically, it is still apparent that CS originated in 1998. The character
models, and level textures are slightly touched up from the PC version, but not
in a fashion that gives a feel that the title has got a true Xbox makeover.
Oddly enough I noticed awkward frame skipping in death animations, and clipping
for some of the post-death camera angles of your teammates. While they really
don’t detract from the gameplay at all, it is just a damn shame that this dated
of a graphics engine has these graphical flaws on the Xbox.
There isn’t that much to the sound in CS. Each gun has its own distinct firing
sound effect, and picking up on your opponent’s gunfire can help you greatly in
combat. Other than that there isn’t much else left to the audio. There is a dark
background track for menu browsing, but that’s about it for original background
music, as there is none for actual gameplay. Thankfully, Valve gives us the
option to use custom soundtracks, so if you carefully want to sneak your way
around stages to rhymes of Eminem, so be it.
Even though CS stays true to its PC roots by offering the same miniscule amount
of modes available, I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me that you just want
something more. I’m not talking about a story driven single player mode
(although that would have been very nice), but extra multi player modes. I still
catch myself digging through the menus making sure if there is any extra match
types. I guess that is what the mods are for…….oops that’s right that can’t
really exist in the console universe. However, there are slight chances that
Valve will except user made mods from the PC version and make them available as
content download via Xbox Live. They already got two maps available for
download, which brings the total up to 20 to duel in. Another gripe I have is
how come there is no split screen support? I can understand no split screen in
online play because of latency issues, but I’m baffled to why Valve didn’t
include it in offline play.
RATINGS
Graphics: 6.6
Sound: 5.5
Gameplay: 8.4
Replay Value: 6.5
Overall: 6.7
Don’t get me wrong, this is still the same addicting CS we all know and love,
but why shell out the extra $50 and Xbox Live fees to play a five year old PC
game that has been free since its release? The complete lack of extras (Live
downloads may change that in the future) is pretty noticeable, and the single
player modes do nothing for you. Now if Microsoft would have done the smart
thing and released this at a $30 budget price, then I would have wholeheartedly
given this my recommendation. However, if you’re one of the few gamers that
ignore the PC universe and plan on getting this for its incredibly lacking
single player options then you are making the biggest $50 mistake of your life.