Perhaps it was just the server I picked as there were only a handful of people playing the classic de_dust2 map, but I was terrible and very out of practice. After an hour of perseverance I realised I was not enjoying myself and starting to scream at the monitor, so I logged.
Perhaps CS' time has finally come. Even the current version CS:Source (which was released a few years ago shortly after Half-Life 2) seemed rather dated to me, although Source was essentially the same game as the original but with a graphical overhaul. But you can't say goodbye to such a giant game without fanfare.
I keep dying, take that Barrel!
It was a simple idea, a team of Terrorists against the Counter-Terrorists playing in slightly different scenarios within wildly different parts of the world. But the games' success hinged on its very realistic and authentic action. Using real world weapons and SWAT themed manoeuvres, one bullet aimed at you in the right place meant game over - no shrugging off nail storms and dodging rockets here. You would have to watch the remainder of the game waiting for the outcome before you could start playing again. Even though most games only lasted a few minutes, this fact put off many players that wanted straight back in after they had died.
But there was something special about CS, something that soon made it the number one Internet action game for many years. When Valve (the creators of Half-Life) launched Steam, their innovative content network, they also took on the development of CS (originally a fan-mod). Version 1.6 could only be played on Steam evoking an outcry from many die-hard fans. But Steam proved very successful at providing consistent updates and network play.
When asked "What's your favourite game of all time?" Counter-Strike for me, has to be right up there rubbing shoulders with the big boys, the likes of X-wing, even the mighty Streetfighter II. Indeed, CS' achievement is certainly impressive from what spawned as a homebrew mod to the original Half-Life way back in 1999.
"Fire in the hole!"
More info about Counter-Strike's history
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