At the end of March 2023, Valve launched closed beta testing of Counter-Strike 2, a new version of the competitive shooter CS:GO. The game is not very different from the original, but still created a huge stir in the gaming community. It’s worth noting that visually CS2 looks almost the same as the previous version, but there are important updates. Moreover, the changes relate not only to the interface but also to the gameplay. If you are ready to plunge into the world of Counter-Strike 2 matches as much as you love CS:GO matches, then this article written by eZstah is for you.
The Most Important Differences Between Counter-Strike 2 And CS:GO
Since the rumors about the release of Counter-Strike 2, the number of CS:GO players has increased significantly. If in December 2022 the average number of players was 629,325, then in the summer of 2023 the figure increased to 900,000-1,000,000 players. Perhaps every player is eager to get access to Counter-Strike 2 to see the improvements. Very soon, more players will have this opportunity, but for now, let’s look at them.
Smoke Grenades
This is the most noticeable change that will definitely change the behavior of players in certain game situations. Previously, the smoke lasted 18 seconds and was constant, completely limiting visibility: it was possible to safely plant a bomb or change position.
The smoke effect has increased to 20 seconds, players can interact with them. For example, a shot will create a hole, and a fragmentation grenade will help you disperse the smoke for a while. Apparently, smoke grenades in CS2 will become less versatile. There are no longer guarantees that the enemy will lose control of the territory. However, the importance of the review remains the same. Gamers will have to find more interesting ways to provide it.
Removing Skyboxes
There are other important mechanics with grenades. Global Offensive used a system of skyboxes – invisible textures on top of the map from which grenades bounced. Players have learned to use this when throwing, but there will be no skyboxes in Counter-Strike 2. Because of this, many grenades will stop working at the beginning of the rounds, but others will appear since there are no more obstacles in the sky. Grenades can now be thrown across the entire map, which will allow players to realize a huge number of new rounds on each of the maps.
Refusal of Tick Rate
In CS:GO, the server updates data at a certain frequency. It’s called tickrate. The higher it is, the more accurately the system processes the data. For example, you may not get credit for a hit because the computer did not have time to quickly send information about it to the server. Tick rate greatly influences the way grenades move when deployed. Valve’s CS:GO servers use a tick rate of 64. That’s why some people prefer to play on FACEIT and other platforms, where it is 128. By the way, the same indicator is in Valorant from Riot Games, which is presented as an important advantage of the game.
However, in Counter-Strike 2, Valve didn’t just increase the stats to 128, as many expected. Instead, the server will instantly respond to all player actions thanks to the new system, which will make the game much more accurate and fair.
Character Movement
Those who have tried Counter-Strike 2 know that the models in the shooter began to move noticeably smoother than before. This is not very convenient yet, but you can get used to it, especially if a person plays not only CS. In CS:GO, strafe is of great importance – the ability to suddenly jump out from around a corner, shoot at an enemy, and return to a safe place without taking damage. This is the basis of close and mid-range duels in Valve’s shooter. Now it’s not so easy to jerk an opponent: it’s much easier for him to get into timing and respond with a shot.
Graphics Updates
It seems that the improved picture is aimed only at visual perception, but in the case of a competitive shooter at the level of CS:GO, this is not entirely true. In Counter-Strike, any information matters. Bomb explosions now look brighter, with blood stains exactly matching the direction of the shot. With this, players will, in theory, be able to determine where the opponent is. To a lesser extent, this concerns lighting and new textures: many players who are accustomed to setting graphics to a minimum for the sake of performance will simply not see these textures. However, for some, due to better visuals, it will be easier to see the enemy.
Sound Updates
The sound in Counter-Strike 2 has become clearer. It conveys the surroundings better. This means that with a good headset and gaming experience, a gamer will be able to recognize the exact direction from which the shot came.
Mini-fixes For AWP
The sniper rifle has received small but important changes. Firstly, you can no longer simply hold down the right mouse button to enable double zoom. Secondly, now when fired there is a clear trajectory, like from a tracer. It will be easier to find the sniper. Perhaps, in this way, Valve wants to slightly reduce the importance of this role and, accordingly, increase the importance of all others.
New Anti-cheat
The last thing worth mentioning is Valve’s fight against cheaters, which has been going on ever since the launch of the first version of Counter-Strike. Lately, VAC has been working better and better, but it is not perfect, which can ruin the enjoyment of the game for many players. The capabilities of the new engine will allow developers to add improved anti-cheat to CS2. It is claimed that VAC Live 2 will identify violators in real-time. If the system detects a dishonest player, it will immediately cancel the match.
Wrapping It Up
The release of Counter-Strike 2 opens up new possibilities for players to develop more sophisticated strategies. You can use new advantages to achieve the same results as Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev or Valerii “b1t” Vakhovskyi from Navi. We also recommend using Profilerr services to learn more about pro players, as well as make adjustments to the settings for a more effective game. The service is open to users from all over the world, including players from US, Canada, or Ukraine.
Filed Under: Gaming News
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