It may lack some of the community niceties, beloved maps (Assault, anyone?), and little features of past games, but Global Offensive delivers on the promise of a faithful, polished, and better looking Counter-Strike for whoever wants it. Even if the community doesn't meet the golden standard of 1.6 and Source, CS:GO will remain a multiplayer classic for those willing to put in the time to learn the maps and weapons.

CS: GO stands as a glowing reminder that quality game design is rewarded in longevity and variety. Valve has not only updated the shooter but has completely outclassed its contemporaries. This is Counter-Strike, whatever the format you choose to play it on, and there isn't a higher recommendation than that.

At the end, what matters is not if CS:GO is innovative or more of the same than CS: Source, what counts is if it's fun. And CS:GO couldn't be better in this regard.

Quotation forthcoming.

When it comes down to it, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive may follow the same old formula of gameplay seen in previous versions of Counter-Strike, but it's still a well-rounded tactical shooter. It may not try anything drastically different or revolutionize the series by taking it in a new direction, but there's still enough there to appeal to newbies and hardcore fans alike.

Modern shooters do their job well, but Counter-Strike is the series that helped build the scene. At $15, Global Offensive is a great extension to that legacy.

Global Offensive takes no chances and it's hard to tell who it was made for. Source and 1.6 players will feel at home with the tried and true CS mechanics and traditional game modes, but GO gives them few reasons to migrate, other than flashy graphics on a few of the old maps. Conversely, newcomers to the series will find Counter-Strike's steep learning curve rather discouraging.