Counter-Strike: Source (CSS) is a competitive first-person shooter game for PC that is strictly for online play – indeed there is no offline mode at all. While it was originally available as a free mod for Half Life, it is now a full paid product on Steam.

What is Counter-Strike: Source?

Counter-Strike: Source is a remake of the original Half Life mod, built in the far prettier Source engine. Anecdotally, the original developer of the mod was Turtle Studios – a team that later became better known as creators of the Left 4 Dead games.

Counter-Strike: Source’s gameplay remains the same. This focused FPS shooter throws players in as either terrorists or SWAT who must battle each other while trying to complete a series of objectives (hold hostage vs save hostage, for instance). The ultimate goal is to win more rounds than the opposing team.

Be warned: play five minutes of Counter-Strike: Source and it is possible that your social life will become a thing of the past. Counter-Strike’s charm lies in the teamwork and strategy needed to win. This forces quick relationships (both positive and negative) to be formed with your team. You really feel like you're fighting for you cause, be that saving the world or destroy it. All of which has made Counter-Strike a high-water mark for competitive online games.

The facelift the series needed

One of the great attractions of Counter-Strike: Source are its maps. Most of these remakes from the original mode (such as de_nuke or cs_assault). But whether new or old, the challenge of every map in CSS is learning how to dominate it – finding every secret nook, cranny, and bug to exploit in order to secure victory. No, it isn’t cheating, it’s the game.

As previously mentioned, CSS uses the Source engine (as seen in Half-Life 2). The result is a visually more powerful, expandable, and scalable game – with the ability to add effects like normal mapping, reflections, HDR, and even physics with the Havok physics engine.

Fortunately, at this point CSS is old, so even with this visual overhaul you don’t need a powerful PC to enjoy the game.

Counter Strike: Source is the first in the series exclusive to Valve’s Steam platform. This represented a quantum leap in terms of online matches, but many users are devoted to creating versions of No-Steam Counter-Strike: Source. We wouldn’t recommend these though – stick to the official version.

Are you ready to understand its success?

Counter-Strike: Source is the best in the series, and the best entry point for new players. Want to find out why this series has so many followers? Look no further, download it now.

Disclaimer: We aren’t responsible for it ruining your life.