Title: Counter Strike Global OffensiveFormat: PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Valve
Developer: Valve, Hidden Path
Price: $15
ESRB Rating: M
Counter Strike has to be one of the most hardcore first person shooters ever created, and with Global Offensive, the biggest overhaul yet only improves upon an already solid foundation.
Presentation:Counter Strike has never been a juggernaut in the graphical department, the dated Source engine has never really blown anybody away. Seeing how the game really focuses on substance rather than flash, its easily forgiving when you get into the great gameplay. Instead of giving the game a massive overhaul, the developers have provided several welcomed tweaks and improvements. Classic maps like Aztec have been greatly improved with some nice visual tweaks and cool geographical changes. The lighting in the maps has been improved as well, providing a more realistic look than the previous games. The player models look good, appearing smoother with more fluid animations. The game is really smooth on the PC, unless you have an older computer. If you have a PS3 or Xbox, then the framerate is locked. I managed to play both the PC and PS3 versions of the game, and they are exactly the same in terms of visuals. There isn't much else to note regarding the presentation, like I previously stated, the team really focused on making the gameplay as good as they can. 
Core Gameplay and Multiplayer:Casual players will come to find that this game doesn't suit them, and might go back to a game like Call of Duty. I am not saying that only hardcore players play Counter Strike, just if you don't want to put in the time, you won't be placing in the top three of the leaderboards any time soon. Most of the gameplay hasn't changed from previous iterations of the game. The ability to look down your iron sights is still nowhere to be find, and I know that this one exclusion will instantly turn off newcomers to the series. There are nine classic maps that return, with the inclusion of eight new maps. The two new modes in the game are Arms Race and Demolition, with Arms Race being my favorite. It so fast paced and with the inclusions of respawns, its definitely the most user friendly for newcomers. If you want to jump into the classic modes, Competitive and Casual are at your disposal. The game has also been balanced beautifully, with the addition of a few new items. The Zeus taser is a pretty cool new weapon, along with the inclusion of molotov cocktail, incendiary, and decoy grenades. The molotov cocktail comes with a bit of new strategic options, creating an ocean of flames that can block off certain paths so you can focus on another opening. The game has a lot of old and new modes which allow for new opportunities, or just some classic pick up and play style matches. 
Final Thoughts:Counter Strike has always been one of those great games with an even greater community that backs it up. One of the most iconic FPS games has finally made its transition it modern consoles, but never loses any of the mechanics that made the original game so great.
S&S Rating: 8.5/10 @whatsPlay
