Counter-Strike is an easy game to get into. There’s no real story and the basic motive is to play as either the Counter-Terrorists or the Terrorists. Depending on what map is playing (and which team you’re on), you’ll either have to rescue hostages or prevent terrorists from bombing certain locations on the board. The big question, however, is if this version is worth the money come X-Mas time.

If you’ve been stuck under a rock for the past five years and have never heard of, nor have played Counter-Strike, I’ll briefly bring you up to speed. Games like Quake and Unreal are a lot of fun, and so are games like Rainbow Six or Ghost Recon, but what if you could combine the two? If you did you would have something like Counter-Strike. It blends the fast action of a FPS but a sense of caution and realism with a Special Forces feel to it ala Rainbow Six. You have your choice of being either good or bad and depending upon your choice you’ll be carrying out different orders. Some maps will require you to rescue hostages if you’re a counter-terrorist, while being a terrorist you’ll have to prevent the rescue of any hostages. On the other hand, some maps require the terrorists to plant a bomb while the counter-terrorists must prevent or defuse it if necessary. They are two very basic types of gameplay but the fun that can be had from both is extremely rewarding. After each round depending on the outcome you’ll be awarded cash. Cash can be used to buy a plethora of weapons, grenades, and items. Counter-Strike has over 20 weapons, each realistically created. Some guns are only available for the specific team as others are shared by both. It’s always fun to experiment to see which gun you like best. It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyways), the more rounds you win the more cash you get, the more cash you have, the bigger the gun you can buy.

Of course there is the opportunity to play alone, as the X-Box version offers a single player mode with AI bots. But Counter-Strike is not a game you want to play alone, or even with one other friend for that matter. Without a doubt CS is a game you’ll want to take online and the X-Box offers both pros and cons in this department. Probably one of the most significant factors that the X-Box version holds that PC players will envy is the cheat-free environment. Counter-Strike was a game that people enjoyed cheating at; whether it was aim bots or seeing through walls or even speed hacks, the game became less fun for me because of it. Now that the X-Box version is out you’ll be able to experience a game where the playing field is leveled. Skill vs. Skill not Hack vs. Hack. Something else players can be happy about is the full functioning voice chat enabled capabilities. Old school Counter-Strike players won’t have to worry about using radio commands or trying to get there sound card to work with there microphone, now they can just simply plug, play, and enjoy strategizing with their teammates. Definitely a plus in Microsoft’s corner. The X-Box version also comes with seven new exclusive (got to love that word) maps, as well as the old favorites that are all graphically enhanced. Microsoft wasn’t just going to give us something that’s been out on the PC for five years, thankfully they’ve given us some extras to make the game worthwhile.

Unfortunately, with the good come the bad and there are two slight nuisances in the X-Box version, both in which really couldn’t be helped but are a burden nonetheless. The first is the fact that only sixteen players are allowed on a server. Sixteen players should be enough but sometimes I’m just in the mood for a 16-16 match, or even a 10-10. Unfortunately the X-Box can only do so much and gamers will have to be satisfied with an 8-8 match up, which, for the most part, is enjoyable. The second problem is something PC players might have a problem with (I know I have) for awhile. First person shooters are meant to be played with a mouse and keyboard and while Microsoft has done a good job of configuring the controller (left analog moves right analog aims) it’ll still take some time and precision on how to aim. Those being pointed out, gamers can’t ask for a better ported version of the game then they’ll be getting. Let’s also not try to forget that new maps could be in the not-so-distant future for our downloading pleasure.

Even though Counter-Strike is based off the Half-Life engine, which is definitely showing its age, the artists still had their work ahead of them. Instead of just porting the same old graphics that the old time players of Counter-Strike have seen, Valve and Ritual Entertainment have done a great job of creating an enhanced version the game. Every map has been re-done and team characters for both the counter-terrorists and terrorists have been visually improved.

The maps look as good as ever and it was a nice eye opener to see some of the old maps (Aztec, Dust, and Militia) get a shot of adrenaline back into them. Each map has some new sets of textures applied and it’s definitely noticeable. Not only have they been made to look better, the designs have also been tweaked a bit. Old players shouldn’t expect to know everything on every map because you might just be surprised. Even though the Half-Life engine is beginning to die, I have to applaud the work done to keep it looking fresh. Every map I played on (especially the old ones) managed to surprise me.

The characters have also been given a new crisp, clean look. New content added on the X-Box version will give gamers a few more skins for both sides as well. There are also some nice lighting effects as your vision will adjust when moving from a dark to light area or vice versa; something that wasn’t in the PC version and something that X-Box gamers can look forward to. Visually speaking, this is the best I’ve seen Counter-Strike look in a long time. Even though that might not say much, it’ll be good for players on the X-Box version to have.

The sound effects in Counter-Strike are pretty much the same in both versions. However there are a few added minuet details that make the X-Box version sound better than its PC brethren. For starters, the added effect of being too close to a loud explosion or a flash bang gives players a slight tingling sensation and builds a deafening effect of muffled gun shots around them. Some weapons also seem to be a bit louder and tougher than the PC version giving gamers a very loud experience (especially those with 5.1 D.D. sound). Overall the sounds of Counter-Strike are good, as they’ve been in the years before it.

Something else the X-Box version has on the PC version is the HDTV support. Playing Counter-Strike on the big screen seems to be a lot more exciting then on my 15 inch monitor. Hell you can even add your own custom soundtrack while you play! For those people who love to just sit back and listen to some tunes while they play, now you can.

I also like how the interface has been adapted for the X-Box though it’ll take a few moments to get used to it (especially for PC players). The only real important part of the interface (and new design for the X-Box version) is during your purchase of weapons. Clicking the left analog stick will bring up the menu screen and allow you to select which type of gun (rifle, hand-gun sub machine gun) or item to choose from. The menu can be accessed quickly and purchasing arms and munitions will take but a few seconds. Each gun and item has a brief description on the side and shows how strong or accurate it is. It’s a very nice addition for new players as it gives some quick information about the weapon they are going to buy.

Without a doubt Counter-Strike is going to open the eyes of all those gamers who have never experienced it. But I suppose the big question is, if you already have the PC version why bother to get the X-Box version. Sure it might have new maps, better graphics, some added effects, but is planting down 50 bucks going to make you a happier person? It really depends on the person, as for myself, I really enjoyed playing Counter-Strike and if I was looking for a good FPS action game then this would definitely be my pick for the X-Box. If I had to decide which version is better I would have to choose the X-Box. It’s simpler to get into, less of a worry about tending to your PC, a cheat-free environment, and an easy voice-chat function. Though it might have lost a little of its oomph over the past five years, Counter-Strike still manages to be a ton of fun.