Counter Strike, or CS as it is popularly called, has been a success since it was released. Counter-Strike: Condition Zero is one of the newer versions of CS. CS: Condition Zero was brought to the market in 2004, making use of the Half-Life mechanism. Just like any other game, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero or CS: CZ has a multiplayer mode that allows players to choose from ten different character models, places, textures, etc. However, Condition Zero, on the other hand, also has a singe player mode. In this mode, the player would have to do missions, in order for him or her to unlock more maps and better bots. Aside from this, CS: CZ has better bots than other CS games. Counter-Strike: Condition Zero as of 2008, according to GameSpy, is one of the most played Half-Life games.

Counter-Strike: Condition Zero’s gameplay is similar to that of any other CS game. It is a first-person shooter video game wherein player or players could team up. Groups or individual players could choose to be, either, a part of a terrorist or counter-terrorist group, or sometimes just be a spectator.

The objective or goal of the game is for groups to finish their missions by eliminating or finishing off the other team. The game would start with players located at their own bases, which are located at the opposite ends of the map. At the beginning of the game, gamers are given “freeze time,” wherein players are given a few seconds before the game begins. During this freeze times, players can buy their equipment, ammunition, etc. Once their freeze time is over, players could start hunting down their enemies and kill them. If they’re weapon looses ammunition, they could go back to their bases and buy it there or, they could buy some ammunition at some “neutral buy zones.” After the game, players who were not killed by the opposing team gets to keep the weapon he or she has used. But, for players who lost or died after the game, they start with the basic default weapon again. Monetary bonuses are given for each player if they are able to win a game, lose a game, kill an enemy, instruct hostages to follow them, or to even plant bombs or rescue hostages.

A scoreboard is also provided in the game, in which players could see their team scores and own statistics that includes their name, number of kills and deaths. The scoreboard is also able to recognize which player is dead, which player has the bomb or which player is on assassination maps. However, players could not see the opposing team’s player’s statistics until he or she is killed during the game.

Players who are killed in the game just become spectators for the rest of the game. Once a gamer becomes a spectator, he or she can view the game in different angles or views. However, some of these views prohibits players to give off tips to their team mates. Aside from this, players who are killed are not allowed to change their names until the next round starts again. Also, once players are killed, chat messages sent by the player, who’s character is dead, cannot send or receive messages from players’ characters’ that are still alive. Just like text messages, voice chat or messages cannot be received and sent to live players.

Maps made for Condition Zero are re-makes of other Counter-Strike games’ maps; they just add new effects and textures to it. As of 2008, some of the new maps created by Turtle Rock Studio were also added into the Xbox version of Counter-Strike.

Aside from all of this, players who are a part of a group, clan or community could create their own group name. Groups are a cluster of people that consists of less than 10 members, clans are bigger than groups that consist of mostly 10-50 members and communities, however, are bigger than clans because they have more than 50 members. These groups usually run their own servers that they could handle themselves.

Condition Zero also has another feature called, Deleted Scenes. This feature is actually a series of 18 unconnected single-player missions. It also shows some weapons from the “lost contents,” that could only be seen in the Deleted Scenes. These weapons that could only be seen in Deleted Scenes include the M72 Light Anti-Armor Weapon and the M60 machine gun. However, there are some weapons that could only be used by terrorist bots, like the machete and the suicide belt. There are also some investigative weapons found in the game, these are the blowtorch, radio, Fiber optic camera and remote control bombs. In the Deleted Scenes, players are allowed to carry three grenades instead of one. Not only that, but the player’s Kevlar Armor’s protection power is also increased, thus, protecting the player better.

On the other hand, some weapons, such as the Colt M4A1, FAMAS and Galil are reanimated by using the “beta animations.” Aside from this, some weapons’ textures (eg. Colors) are changed. An example of this would be the Artic Warfare Magnum, in which its color used to be green but now its brown, the Steyr AUG and the Colt M4 Carbine which are now colored with a two-tone police black.

For those who have played CS for the longest time, they would appreciate the game’s original concept and the game’s added features. All of these have made the Counter-Strike gaming experience even better.

Author Bio: Budu Pogo is the webmaster for Pogo Games. Pogo Games features the latest online gaming sensations. Pogo is a family-friendly site.

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