CS:GO, the world’s most popular FPS game, persists despite Valorant’s surge in popularity. Both games maintain dedicated player bases, and those familiar with both will acknowledge Valorant’s influence on Counter-Strike’s movement and shooting mechanics. With the release of Counter-Strike 2, Valve revitalizes CS:GO with the Source 2 engine, incorporating elements inspired by Valorant. Let’s explore 7 features in Counter-Strike 2 drawn from Valorant.
While we’ve detailed the new features in Counter-Strike 2 extensively, many players have noticed the parallels between CS2 and Valorant. Certain features stand out,
1. Equivalent Round Numbers to Valorant
In Counter-Strike, competitive games comprised 30 rounds, with victory achieved upon winning 16 rounds. Valve’s CS 2 update abolished the shorter competitive mode, adopting the MR12 format for matchmaking. Consequently, the maximum number of rounds is now 24, mirroring Valorant. Consequently, a team can secure victory in 13 rounds. This adjustment is widely praised as it reduces gun-saving rounds and enhances the frequency of high-stakes retakes.
Notable yet Substantial Changes in Matchmaking within the Latest Counter-Strike 2 Update:
2. Grid-style Purchasing Menu
Counter-Strike 2’s recent update introduced an overhauled buy menu, adopting a grid-style UI akin to Valorant’s. Notably, this grid-style menu was initially featured in the Danger Zone update of 2018, where Valve introduced a battle-royale mode to CS:GO. Below, you’ll find a comparison of the buy menu systems between Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant.
CS2 (Left) vs Valorant (Right) | Credits: CS2Intel/Twitter
3. Refund Guns After Purchasing
Valve’s recent update introduced the option to sell purchased guns. Personally, as a player of both games, it’s increasingly common to witness players accidentally buying items in CS only to realize they can’t sell them, a feature available in Valorant. Now, in Counter-Strike 2, you can adjust your loadout seamlessly before the buy menu vanishes at the round’s onset. Below, you’ll find the gun refund option. CS2’s buy menu now mirrors Valorant’s.
4. Crosshair Follows Gun Recoil
One of the most obvious features influenced by Valorant in Counter-Strike 2 is the ability to enable Follow Recoil. This feature allows your crosshair to track the gun’s recoil pattern, providing clear visibility of your shot direction. Riot introduced a similar mechanic in Valorant, where initiating ADS mode (aim down sight) causes the crosshair to follow the gun’s recoil, aiding players in visualizing their shot trajectory.
Initially, it might feel unusual for players accustomed to practicing CS:GO’s recoil patterns as they may find spraying more challenging with this feature enabled. However, its inclusion facilitates practicing and maintaining recoil patterns. Experienced players adapting to this feature will execute spray-downs accurately, effectively eliminating multiple enemies. Here’s a demonstration of the feature in action:
5. Preview Grenade Landing
With extensive experience in both Valorant and CS:GO, I can attest that smoke lineups and grenades in Counter-Strike games are notably intricate. Players position themselves strategically, aiming precisely to deploy smokes for strategic advantage. Conversely, Valorant offers a more streamlined approach. Take, for instance, Brimstone’s ability to effortlessly mark locations on the map for smoke placement, which materialize upon activation.
In Counter-Strike 2, Valve introduces grenade previewing in practice mode. When players throw grenades in practice mode, a small UI screen displays their landing location in-game.
While not a gameplay feature, Valve’s addition simplifies grenade learning for new players and allows pros to experiment with lineups. Throwing grenades accurately remains more challenging in Counter-Strike than in Valorant.
6. CS2 Radar Indicates Footstep Noises
Counter-Strike 2 introduces an updated in-game radar (mini-map) with visual indicators for player movement noises. Jumping, landing, or running will now display concentric circles on the radar, indicating the distance at which these actions can be heard.
Additionally, firing a gun and certain other actions trigger the noise indicator on the radar. Currently, in the beta version, dropping a gun does not activate this feature. However, this may be addressed in future updates to further enhance the radar’s functionality.
7. Anti-Cheat Now Terminates Matches
Counter-Strike 2 introduces a VAC Live anti-cheat system detailed in our new features list above. Expect significant improvements with this Valve-developed anti-cheat. Notably, it functions akin to Valorant’s Vanguard, swiftly banning hackers mid-match for using aimbot, wallhacks, spinbotting, etc.
Similar to Valorant, CS2 terminates matches upon detection of cheating, promptly notifying players. Below is a leaked code snippet highlighting this new feature:
8. Celebrate Your Kill Count with New UI
In Valorant, a skull appears at the bottom center of your screen whenever you get a kill, signaling your success. The celebration sound accompanying each kill intensifies as you accumulate more kills during the round. Upon achieving an ace (eliminating all 5 enemy players), Valorant’s UI enhances the celebration with intense effects and a resounding “Ace” announcement.
In Counter-Strike 2, a similar feature has been introduced to commemorate kill counts. Each kill adds a playing card to the bottom center of the UI, stacking up according to your kill count. Achieving an ace completes the deck and triggers further UI changes. This enhancement aims to reward players for securing five kills and wiping out the entire enemy team. Here’s a glimpse of this feature:
9. Vibrant Map Designs
Counter-Strike 2 showcases a noticeable design shift towards livelier and more colorful maps. This transformation is largely attributed to the graphical enhancements of the Source 2 engine. However, it’s evident that the map redesigns in Counter-Strike 2 are drawing parallels to the aesthetic of Valorant. Watch the CS2 trailer to see the striking similarities:
10. Gameplay UI Resembles Valorant
Counter-Strike 2’s UI elements have undergone notable changes, appearing reminiscent of Valorant. Health and ammo indicators now sit centered at the bottom, while player cards, time, and score occupy the top, mirroring Valorant’s layout. A side-by-side gameplay screenshot of both titles illustrates this adaptation.
Valorant (Twitch/iiTzTimmy) on the left, Counter-Strike 2 (Valve blog) on the right.
After digesting this article comparing features of Counter-Strike 2 to Valorant, you might question whether CS2 has simply mimicked Valorant. Yet, ponder this: Valorant’s fundamental gameplay mechanics—shooting and movement—are undoubtedly reminiscent of the original Counter-Strike. However, Valorant introduces notable alterations in gameplay dynamics and overall design ethos, particularly through its array of distinctive agents.
As we approach Summer 2023, it will be intriguing to witness if CS2 can sway Valorant players towards its realm. Alternatively, both games can coexist autonomously, each offering its own brand of enjoyment. Should one developer excel in certain aspects, the competitive landscape intensifies. Whether deemed as copying, borrowing, or simply drawing inspiration, it’s a positive evolution. Nevertheless, are there any CS2 features overlooked here? Share your insights in the comments section below.
Pritam Chopra is a seasoned IT professional and a passionate blogger hailing from the dynamic realm of technology. With an insatiable curiosity for all things tech-related, Pritam has dedicated himself to exploring and unraveling the intricacies of the digital world.
