Counter Strike
From LoveToKnow VideoGames
Counter Strike is a mod of the first-person shooter Half-Life released for the PC in 2000 and the Xbox in 2004. Players connect to servers and join one of two teams: Terrorists or Counter-Terrorists. When the match begins both teams appear on the map and must eliminate the other group or complete another team-based objective. This has been the most widely played online first-person shooter for the past several years. In fact, Counter Strike servers produce more internet traffic than the entire country of Italy!
About The Game
It has been praised for its fine balance between realistic gameplay and fast-paced action. For example, shots to different parts of an opponents body do more or less damage depending on the location. A shot to the leg does little damage compared to one connecting with the trunk. However, where bullets connect has no bearing on movement, meaning injured players can move as well as healthy players (but do so much more carefully).
In addition to the simple goal of eliminating the other team, there are several objective-based modes of play.
Bomb defusal gives a member of the Terrorist team a bomb to plant at one of two sites on the map. If it explodes, the Terrorists win. The Counter-Terrorist team may intercept the bomb carrier, defuse the bomb or stall the other team until time runs out to win.
Hostage Rescue mode places four hostages near the Terrorist base. The Counter-Terrorist team must escort the hostages to a rescue point somewhere on the map. If they succeed in rescuing at least half of the hostages, the Terrorist team loses. This produces interesting game mechanics where Terrorists hunt and kill hostages and the opposing team while the Counter-Terrorist group makes a mad-dash to protect the few innocents.
Assassination mode designated one Counter-Terrorist member as VIP and is given armor and a basic pistol. This player may not pick up dropped weapons and must reach the "extraction zone" for the team to win. If the VIP dies, the Terrorists win. The Counter-Terrorist team must coordinate an effort to protect and escort their precious (and almost defenseless) teammate. Assassination maps are the least played mode in Counter Strike due to the Terrorist team's habit of waiting at the extraction point and assaulting the VIP at the end.
Escape was available only on beta releases of Counter Strike. It pits the two teams against each other in a race to the exit. The teams begin far away from each other and the Terrorists are unarmed. However, a large cache of items was hidden near their starting point, urging them to find the stash and make a run for it. This was discontinued for the official release due to play mechanic imbalance issues.
Condition Zero
A single-player version of the popular game was released in March of 2004 after many delays. Similar to multiplayer Counter Strike, Counter Strike: Condition Zero was developed by a different studio than the original and contains a handful of graphical and map changes. Despite the popularity of the name, Counter Strike: Condition Zero sold poorly compared to the original.
Source
In 2004, the original developers of Counter Strike moved the game into the Source engine, giving the graphics a major upgrade and allowing more realistic physics and better environments for the game. Players can barricade doors with chairs and boxes, destroy or move cabinets and tables and interact fully with their surroundings. The reception to Counter Strike: Source is lukewarm at best, however, due to the glitches in the Source engine.
Players still flock to the original version of the game, preferring its balanced gameplay and adrenaline-pumping team-based combat. Counter Strike is the most popular online first-person shooter today and shows no signs of giving up its throne anytime soon.
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