"The revolution has begun! Counter strike source lived up to its hype and more."

At first, I was dubious on wether or not I should buy this game. But being the avid CS fan that I am, I decided to take the risk of buying something off Steam. Boy was that a great choice. CS:Source delivers all that its predecessor succeeded at while fullfilling its hype.

Graphics-10/10
The first thing I noticed when I joined a server was the graphics. Images reflect perfectly off shiny surfaces while guns kick up dirt around objects. Looking at the sun actually blinds you, and flashbangs leave a motion blur while you are recovering. The characters look realistic and are actually lip synched (wow!). It is great to walk through the streets of cs_italy while the sun reflects on the shiny tiles. The water reflects and refracts perfectly based on its environment. Although the graphics do not appear as flashy as doom3, the technology is more polished. You do not get cone-heads or lines through your models. Valve did an excellent job on optimizing this game, because I run it at 40 fps average on a subpar system. This game is truly a cinematic experience.

Gameplay-10/10
This is counter-strike, the most popular online game ever concocted. Valve did a great job keeping what was good, and removing what gamers hated (the shield). They rebalanced the guns, so now every gun is useful. Like its predecessor, this game plays like a dream. Two teams, Counter Terrorists and Terrorists, duke it out in realistic settings. There are several methods of gameplay, such as DE maps ( terrorists plant a bomb which the cts try to defuse) and cs maps ( where counter-terrorists try to rescue hostages which the terrorists guard). These are extremely balanced by the wide range of guns and tools the players can use. Nothing is better than going in with a pack of teammates, telling commands via voice chat, and taking out the enemy with the help of a machine gunner and grenadier! The new Havok physics engine adds to the tactical gameplay; you can now knock over desks, cabinets, tables, etc for cover! It is also amazing to attack a computer, also being able to sever its chips and RAM!

Control-10/10
The computer fps genre was refined years ago. The controls are near perfect; you move with the keyboard and aim with the mouse. The game has completely customizable controls, including mouth smoothing/sensitivity. The learning curve is almost nonexistant; you can shoot, defuse, rescue hostages with the press of a button.

Sound-9/10
The sound in this game is great. Every gun sounds unique, with its own bass and pitch. The players sound awesome as they walk through the dirt and take cover. What captivated me the most was the impact of bullets hitting wood. It is awesome to take cover while bullets kick up wood chips behind you, YES BEHIND YOU, the surround sound system rules. The only thing preventing a perfect score is that sometimes the sounds can get repetetive. But the other aspects more than make up for this.

Average-10/10
To sum it up, this game is amazing. With the combination of a sweet shader engine, havok physics, perfect implementation of what we loved from the original CS, and excellent tactical fun, this game should be owned by anyone old enough to enjoy it.

Buy or rent?- this game is a defenite purchase. Wether your a neophyte or a CS veteran, this game never dissappoints. There is so much more I can say, but so little time and space to explain it all. Why the heck are you even reading my review, GO OUT AND BUY IT!!!!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/11/04