Based on recent Steam reviews for Counter-Strike 2, the highly anticipated sequel to CSGO, it has received a lower rating compared to other Valve games, including classics like Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Portal, Dota 2, and Left 4 Dead. Players of Counter-Strike 2 have expressed concerns about missing game modes, the presence of cheaters in CS2, and the complete removal of Counter-Strike Global Offensive. This decline in the Steam rating for Counter-Strike 2 coincides with a new update for CS2, aimed at addressing ongoing issues related to hitboxes and detection.
With its revamped maps and improved crosshairs, Valve’s FPS sequel, Counter-Strike 2, appears to offer a lot as it takes over from CSGO. This next installment in the long-running multiplayer shooter franchise, which originated in 2000, represents one of the most significant PC gaming launches of the year. However, it continues to face criticism from the Counter-Strike community and has now garnered a Steam rating that sets it apart from other Valve games.
Steam reviews are categorized into two groups: “all reviews” and “recent reviews.” When considering all reviews, the overall rating for Counter-Strike 2 is “very positive.” However, this includes reviews posted for previous Counter-Strike versions, including CSGO, as CS2 has essentially inherited the Counter-Strike Steam page. When focusing on more than 160,000 recent reviews, the game has a “mixed” rating, which is lower than any other Valve game.
Notably, games such as Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Portal, Portal 2, Dota 2, both Left 4 Dead titles, and even the criticized Half-Life Source do not have a “mixed” rating, whether based on all reviews or recent reviews. Additionally, earlier versions of Counter-Strike that are still accessible, like Counter-Strike Source and Counter-Strike 1.6, have higher ratings than CS2, as do Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat, and Half-Life: Alyx.
Released on September 27, a significant number of negative user reviews for Counter-Strike 2 emerged on September 28, with thousands more appearing in the subsequent weeks.
One recurring problem involved hit detection, where character hitboxes failed to accurately register damage, especially when attacked from an elevated angle. In the latest Counter-Strike 2 patch, Valve claims to have “fixed several hitbox alignment bugs.” However, Counter-Strike 2 players have pointed out several other issues.
“Forced removal of casual game modes and maps I enjoyed playing,” one CS2 player comments. “Thanks for essentially removing my purchased copy of CSGO from my library,” another frustrated player remarks. A third player writes, “I reinstalled after a couple of years, got matched against a cheater, and remembered why I uninstalled in the first place.”
Despite these issues, Counter-Strike 2 maintains its popularity on Steam, reaching a peak of 1,223,144 concurrent players between October 9 and October 10. CSGO still holds the record for the highest number of concurrent players for any game on Steam, with 1,818,773.
For those looking to optimize their gameplay, it’s advisable to explore the best settings for Counter-Strike 2 and utilize the best keybinds to enhance their performance and play like the pros.