Counter-Strike 2 review, what’s new added to the game

A couple of weeks after the first reliable rumors about the existence of the so-called “Counter-Strike 2” appeared, the management of the “Valve” company decided to break the silence and officially presented an updated version of “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive”, posting several thematic videos on its YouTube channel. A link to them is provided below:

Despite the fact that today’s material is only the first step towards the disclosure of “Counter-Strike 2”, the developers have provided a rather voluminous answer to the question: what is the “new” part of the series.

At its core, CS2 is a free upgrade from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to the Source 2 engine that will bring several significant changes to the game, including:

• Revolutionary change to smoke grenades: smoke grenades now use dynamic volumetric particles that interact with the environment and react to light, gunshots and explosions. The new smoke effect interacts with other elements of the game, opening up space for new tactics. Bullets and grenades disperse the smoke, expanding the veil or briefly scattering it. In addition, smoke will now disperse through open doors and broken windows, go down and up stairs, drag along corridors and mix with smoke from other grenades.
• Tickrate Zero: Movement, shooting, and throwing are no longer affected by the server refresh rate. The Valve R&D team introduces the series’ innovative “podtika” system. The underteak structure is the basis of Counter-Strike 2. Previously, servers calculated changes on the map only at certain intervals – “ticks”. The new architecture allows the Counter-Strike 2 server to instantly know that you have taken a step, fired a shot, or thrown a grenade. As a result, both movement and shooting are more responsive, and grenades always fly in the same trajectory.
• Map redesign: In Counter-Strike 2, the developers have redesigned most of the maps from GO. According to company representatives, some have only undergone minor visual changes, while others, on the contrary, were created from scratch. It is noteworthy that thanks to the use of the Source 2 engine, the studio was able to achieve incredible success in applying modern lighting technologies. This is what formed the basis for the changes regarding the maps of the game.
• New interface: a new game and, accordingly, a new interface. Among other things, a completely redesigned interface adds visual effects to the player’s state in Counter-Strike 2. Improvements are needed not just for beauty – they convey important game information.
• High Quality Audio: The sounds for Counter-Strike 2 have been remastered. Now they convey the environment better, are more distinguishable and provide more information. The developers have also worked on their balance to make the game sound as pleasant as possible.

In addition to the above list of changes, the developers also shared information about the future of the in-game material you bought in CS: GO. If you were worried about this, then you can exhale with peace of mind. All your CS:GO items will not only stay with you in Counter-Strike 2, but will also become more beautiful thanks to the way Source 2 works with lighting and materials.

The game not only supports the old skins, but also uses new high quality models for some of them.

Well, directly the information that excites many: when will the game be released. It is planned that the updated version of CS:GO will debut this summer, and today the limited testing of Counter-Strike 2 starts, which will be available to some CS:GO players.

If you become the very lucky one, then a corresponding notification about this will be sent to your profile in “CS: GO”.