Awesome game, I used to play the heck out of the demo back in the day. I remember thinking that the stealth aspect in Thief was so much better than in more commercial titles like Metal Gear Solid or Splinter Cell.
I haven't played Splinter Cell, but I'd agree that the stealth in Thief is much, much better than that in MGS. But then again, MGS never felt like a straight up stealth game to me, but more as an action game with some stealth elements.
One thing I don't think I quite got across in my write up is how much I love the lore of Thief. Whether it's conveyed via notes, overheard conversations or by the short snippets of text before each mission, you really get a feel for the world, for the various organizations and individuals inhabiting it
18.
Counterstrike (PC: 1999)
Originally,
Counterstrike was released as a fan-made mod for
Half-Life. It proved so successful and so popular that, since its release, it has seen multiple iterations of the same game. In fact, the
Counterstrike: Source release is probably my favorite version of the game but, aside from the improved graphics, it's incredibly similar to the original. So, the original gets the spot on the list because of how much time I've spent with it. Unfair? Maybe. Shut up. This is my list and I can put
Counterstrike: Source in the corner if I so please.
Anyways,
Counterstrike is a multiplayer first-person shooter where players take the role of either a terrorist or counter-terrorist.... dude. Guy. Whatever. Each team has different objectives depending upon the map. Sometimes the terrorists must successfully plant a bomb while the counter-terrorist forces attempt to either stop them or defuse the bomb before it explodes. On other maps, the terrorist team must protect a group of hostages while the counter-terrorist forces attempt to save and extract them.
Unlike other FPS games, in
Counterstrike your avatar is the equivalent of an old balloon, filled with blood and stretched to the breaking point. A single bullet can and will kill you.
Once you eventually die, you have to wait until the current round ends and a new one begins so that usually means players take a slower, more cautious approach. Unless you're me, then you just run around and throw your body at the first bullets you see. Yes, I am that awesome. At the beginning of each round, the players get an allotment of money, the amount depending upon their performances in the previous rounds, with which they can buy guns, grenades, and other gear. It's very simple, very easy to get started, but difficult to master.
For me,
Counterstrike was a LAN party staple for many, many years. Actually, it still is. On the very rare occasion when someone hosts a LAN party,
Counterstrike invariably rears its balaclava-clad head sometime during the evening. Dissenting naysayers usually suggest something newer, something more modern, but
Counterstrike is not so easily dissuaded and, in the end, files are installed, settings are fiddled with, and old faithful is booted up. The games continue until the players get fed up and suggest a new game to play, which is usually at about 3 in the morning when the pizza is cold, the Mountain Dew is warm and the only snack foods left are stale pretzels and dorito crumbs.
Counterstrike was (is!) a great game and a testament to how a game doesn't need to be complex or even fast paced to be super fun. Don't go to
Counterstrike if you're looking for a great single-player experience. While newer versions of the game include bots, it's just not the same. Personally, I can't even enjoy playing it online as so much of the fun I've had with this game was about just hanging out with friends and being crammed into a basement full of computers and nerds, shouting out obscenities into the wee hours of the morning.
So, go enjoy a round of
Counterstrike with your best friends. While the original is my 'favorite' version, those new to the game would be best off with one of the more recent releases of which I am aware that there many. Whatever your choice,
Counterstrike gets a hearty recommendation for those who enjoy dorito-stains on their W, A, S, D keys, amateur bomb defusers, and people who love to hear the words 'Hostage down!' over and over and over again.