GameLight Review - Counter-Strike Global Offensive

Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/730/
Source: Youtube Channel Valve

Developer: Valve
Publisher: Valve
Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, [PC]
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Genre: First-Person Shooter

Pros:
+ Upgraded graphics to familiar levels and characters
+ Wheel dial purchase system facilitates controller/gamepad use
+ New maps and official game modes of past mods
+ Periodically gets updated with new content
+ Still open-source for modders to create custom levels and modes
+ Sound effects and animations improved for a modern feel
+ Option to practice against bots is still present
+ Nice and reasonable price with frequent sale price for the game
+ An already strong and growing community

Cons:
- The game is still really tough and new to CS players will need to adjust to it
- Hosting games can still be a problem that requires port forwarding and such
- Cross-platform play was taken out (not too big of a problem)
- Console players don't have access to mods and custom games

Recommended: Absolutely!  Fun for casual players and challenging for competitive players, Counter-Strike Global Offensive has infinite possibilities.

While not a direct sequel to the original Counter-Strike, this iteration revamps the graphics, animation, audio, and gameplay of the series into the modern day technology along with new maps and modes.  Familiar maps will have a total make over for a more life-like setting.  The game feels a lot more closer to Counter-Strike 1.6 which is sure to please those familiar with the original.  Popular mode "gungame" has been added as an official mode in Global Offensive called Arms Race where players score points through player kills and wins the match by getting the last kill with the golden knife.  Other familiar modes have made a return.  Overall it's essentially the same game, but everything feels a lot nicer.

Aesthetics
Art-Style: 3D Realistic
+ Textures are a lot more crisp and clean
+ Animations are smoother and more life-like
+ Levels are portrayed with more environment over plain walls of it predecessors
+ Audio for the guns are stronger sounding
+ Character models are more distinguishable and less blocky
+ User-Interface is clean and comprehensible

- Those playing CS for 10+ years will feel weird around the new buy menu
Aesthetics: 10/10

Buttons
Controller: Keyboard/Mouse, Gamepad/Console Controller
+ Movement and aiming feels as tight as CS 1.6
+ Radial dial makes it easier and faster to buy for gamepad controllers
+ Guns feel and sound a bit more stronger and visceral which affect perception
+ Crouching-jumping is still a pivotal part of the game
+ Knives portray contact a lot better than previous installments

- Radial dial system is odd for long-time CS fans as some shortcuts are changed
- For now, there aren't any saved load-out buying yet
Buttons: 8/10

Concept & Content
Core Concept: Fulfill objectives each match or by eliminating other players
+ Classic bomb and hostage modes return with revamped maps
+ Gun game mod is added as an official mode called Arms Race
+ The radial dial makes buying on control pads a lot faster and easier
+ Long time CS modders of the series brings back special servers in GO
+ AIs for bots are a bit smarter providing better practice sessions
+ Steam workshop makes sharing mods that much easier

- Hosting games is still problematic
- Radial dial system is confusing for long-time CS players
Concept and Content: 9/10

Duration
+ Core game has plenty of modes and maps to keep the player entertained
+ Playing practice mode is a fun way to pass time when offline
+ Lots of special modes and maps are available through server searches
+ Plenty of replay value with mods, frequent updates, and modes available
Duration: 9/10

Fun
+ Playing it for the first time was a cross between nostalgia and something new
+ Seeing my favorite maps with new and improved looks made me happy
+ The feel, look and sound of guns and animations is much more modern
+ I liked having the ability to make my own gun-games with any map I wanted
+ There's an infinite amount of content for me in the game to try out

- Hosting a game is still problematic and has many technical difficulties
Fun: 9/10

Overall

Global Offensive is a welcome edition to the Counter-Strike series with its improved graphics and animations with revised audio recordings.  Valve took careful steps to improve what has been established without taking away important factors or changing anything too drastically.  Honestly, the only change I'm not entirely comfortable with is the radial dial, but it's something that all players can adapt to.  The plentiful amount of maps, modes, and possibilities the game offers are limitless which makes it absolutely worth buying for any First-Person Shooter fan.  Overall: 9/10