Steven Carruthers

Publisher: Vivendi Universal | Developer: Valve | ETA: Out Now (Online) | Price: �39.99 Inc VAT.

Once upon a time there was a game mod called Counter-Strike, which took the world of online gaming by storm. Over the past few years it�s become even more popular than the game it was based on (namely Half-Life) and is arguably the most played online shooter in history. With the sequel to Half-Life in the making, Counter-Strike�s developers at Valve decided to remake the aging classic for the modern technological age, taking advantage of its big brother�s brand spanking new �Source� game engine.

Gameplay

After a good few years of being popular, most games just get old and are filed away in the good memories archive. Not Counter-Strike though. Despite its out-of-date graphics, physics and sound, good old Counter-Strike is still huge, with a massive fan-base all over the world. It�s fairly safe to say that this monstrous popularity is down to one thing, something which never gets outdated. Gameplay.

It seems that Valve have very wisely opted to change as little as possible concerning the way in which the game actually plays, avoiding causing upset amongst the ranks of the game�s die hard fans. A lot of people have been playing CS for years and if stripped of the ability to jump, or being allowed to pickup health packs scattered about the level could possibly lead to a surge of phone calls to the Samaritans. As the old saying goes �If it isn�t broke, don�t fix it�.

The game works just as the original did; players are split into two teams (terrorists and counter-terrorists) who then face off against each other. Objectives include saving/guarding hostages and planting/diffusing bombs, but in most cases it seems that killing each other is the main goal. There are no deathmatch, capture the flag or other standard game types which may be a daunting prospect for new players. CS has retained its fast paced, almost arcade style of play in this remake, and each match usually only lasts a matter of minutes. This could be reduced to only a few seconds if your team does not cooperate. Counter-Strike has always encouraged team-work and communication over singular acts of heroism, and CS: Source is no different. You need to use the voice commands (controlled via the keyboard) or a headset to ensure that your team follows orders and adheres to strategic plans.

One of the main differences between this game (along with the original) and other multiplayer shooters is that players earn money each round depending on how well their team performs. These funds can then be used to purchase items such as weapons, ammunition and even armour at the beginning of a round. This quite original style of play works well, but can sometimes lead to one team having a huge advantage in terms of equipment should they win a few rounds in succession. This system is difficult to get to grips with initially but long-time players swear by it.

Despite the fundamental gameplay of the first game being painstakingly recreated in this version, there are a few interesting new features bolted on, none of which have any significant impact on the way in which the game actually plays. Firstly, thanks to the new �Havok� physics engine, items such as barrels, filing cabinets and even drinks machines can be pushed over or rolled down slopes. They even react realistically to bullet impacts and explosions. The Havok engine is being used to great extent in Half-Life 2 but in CS: Source it plays a far more cosmetic role. It�s certainly interesting to roll barrels down a hill and pray that one of them will hit an unsuspecting member of the opposition, but it bears no real relevance to the game and can�t be used to any great advantage (believe me, I�ve tried). This area of the new physics system is simply a novelty (albeit it a welcome one) and I for one am pleased that Valve haven�t let it interfere with how this classic game is played.

However, �rag-doll� physics are also present in the CS: Source. Incase you�ve had your head buried in the sand for the past few years let me fill you in. Rag-doll physics use a system of virtual weighted bones to make bodies react realistically to forces acting upon them. Basically, if you throw a grenade into a group of terrorists it�ll send their bodies flying through the air in all sorts of directions, and on the way down they�ll land in a crumpled heap on the ground or may even end up hanging over a low wall in a seriously painful looking position. This area of game physics has been used in the past by games such as Unreal Tournament 2003/4 and Rainbow Six 3. It�s good to see that Counter-Strike has caught up and now has that extra feeling of realism to it.

As far as levels go CS: Source is limited to the same maps as its predecessor (which is hardly surprising since it is a remake after all). However, it also inherits its superb level design. Each map is perfectly balanced with multiple routes between areas, preventing players simply camping around a bottleneck and waiting for their enemy to arrive, slaughtering them like cattle. There�s also plenty of cover in interesting places. For example on the Aztec map there�s a large square walkway with a low wall around its inner edge. Along with a multitude of boxes, stone pillars and other items, this makes for a great fire-fight between the two teams. Anyone who has played CS will know this area well.

While on the subject of fire-fights, I should mention CS: Source�s vast array of weaponry. Although there are no new additions to the arsenal since the previous instalment, the number of guns, grenades, ammunition types and protective gear is nothing short of remarkable. As I said earlier, each weapon has its own distinct sound. This, coupled with each weapon�s unique firing style gives a huge amount of variety to the game, and really allows players to specialise in their chosen area of combat. For example, a magnum sniper rifle has a high degree of accuracy and is perfect for getting head shots, but the much less accurate machine guns can churn bullets out much faster which may make up for its lack of accuracy in the right hands. As with most modern shooters, the cross-hair in this game grows larger as you fire, hence decreasing the weapon�s accuracy, so short controlled bursts of fire is the most precise method of firing. The alternative is what is called �spray and pray� or �spamming� where a player holds down the fire button and tries to aim in the general direction of the enemy, sending a constant stream of uncontrollable bullets their way. This, and other unprofessional methods of play, have been immortalised on the office map in a series of humourous photographs with captions such as �Ping � Being the scapegoat of your inadequacies since 1974� beneath a photo of a tortoise, along with an image of a camp site above the phrase �Camping - Do unto others before they do unto you�. These make some interesting viewing if you happen to get killed early in the match and are free to roam the map as a floating ghostly camera.

Needless to say then, that there are no immediate re-spawns in this game, you�re forced to sit out the remainder of the match until there is a winner or the clock runs out. This allows the fallen to spectate and can lead to quite a lot of tension if you�re the only member of your team alive. You can almost feel their eyes on you as you sneak around the level trying to stay alive.

Graphics

The graphics in this game are most certainly the biggest improvement over the original, which is to be expected given the age gap between CS: Source and its predecessor. It seems that the main reason (if not only reason) that CS has been remade using the new Source engine is the graphical improvement, and that�s certainly what it�s got.

A breath of fresh air has been given to all the old maps, now much richer in detail and far more realistic. One of my personal favourite areas as far as graphics go is the water area of the Aztec map. The new engine renders water beautifully with full reflection, movement and even refraction available if your hardware�s up to the job. Another subtle, yet effective, visual upgrade is the use of specular/bump mapping. This allows light to be handled differently to traditional textures and can very cleverly make a flat surface look far more 3-dimensional or can allow light to be reflected only from certain areas. For example, the floor tiles on the chateaux level use this technique to make them look shiny, but only in the right places. The light only reflects on the tiles and not on the grouting between them. It really does look pretty in an everyday kind of way.

If you�re not impressed with the water or these new-fangled textures then the gorgeously detailed weapon and character models should clinch it. You wouldn�t think that a game with so many weapons would have adequate time devoted to modelling each of them but CS: Source�s artists have done just that. Each weapon has been modelled to look exactly like its real-life counterpart and even the player�s hands are now far more life-like than in the previous game. As far as characters go, the artwork is also pretty good, but I would have liked to see more use of the bump/specular mapping on the characters. Maybe it would have slowed the game down too much but it would have been nice to have the choice if you felt that your PC was up to it.

If your PC isn�t up to it, or indeed isn�t up to playing any of the latest games, then it may struggle playing CS: Source. Although a great deal of players of the original will probably wish to convert, many simply may not have a machine capable of running the new game which is hugely hardware intensive compared with the original. Could this lead to a divergence of the Counter-Strike community, splitting their numbers between the two games? Quite possibly, for the time being at least.

Sound

As with the original Counter-Strike, each weapon has its own unique sound, as does each material when it�s struck by a stray bullet. This variety of audio allows you to have a good guess at what weapon your enemy is using to pin you down behind that pile of boxes or under that table, letting you make better informed decisions. For example, if you hear a pistol going off in the distance as the wood above your head splinters, you know you have a pretty good chance of taking him out if you�re sitting there with a scoped rifle. However, in my opinion the audio could have been so much better. CS: Source may have a great variety of sounds but this is nothing more than the original provided, and it seems to me that this game has borrowed a lot of its audio files from the first game. The sound quality is thin at best and is simply no match for that of other modern shooters such as Call of Duty or Soldier of Fortune II. The best thing about the sound in this game is the use of �deafening� when a grenade goes off near you (providing you�re not killed by the blast). Your hearing is numbed and the only sound to reach you is a ringing noise as you try to regain your sense of direction after the shock. This, coupled with a visual effect which burns your current view onto the screen for a few seconds after a nearby explosion, is frighteningly realistic and can be used to great effect on groups of enemies.

Controls

Like with most other aspects of the game, Valve have remained true to the original when sculpting the control system. The mouse and keys setup is totally customisable, as with most PC games, and is hardly anything radical. The only part you may have to tinker with is the communications system controls (yelling commands at your team mates and such like) which may be quite difficult to remember if you�re new to Counter-Strike.

Conclusion

Overall, Counter-Strike: Source is simply a graphics and physics upgrade on the original game, without much else thrown in. Same maps, same weapons, same game. The game was intended as a direct remake so this is perfectly acceptable, but some new content would have certainly been welcomed. It�s fair to say that if you enjoyed the original Counter-Strike then you�ll like this one just as much, if not more, and it�s certainly a great way to fill in the time in before Half-Life 2 hits the shelves. Counter-Strike: Source will be played for years to come and is an update which will be welcomed with open arms by the game�s ever-growing legion of fans.

SCORE: 84%