Half-Life: Counter-Strike

The Good
Without a doubt the first multiplayer-only game that brought the right amount of realism and team tactics to what's still essentially an arcade game without dulling gameplay. That's Counter-Strike in a nutshell, I mean, there's really nothing shockingly revealing that I can add to the reams of text that have been written trying to explain it's success but what the heck, right?

Let's see, first you take the thrilling team-based fps gameplay found since the days of the first Quake CTF maps, but increase the complexity behind it's goals. Instead of running to blue base and back you now have to plant/defuse a bomb, rescue a group of hostages, etc. in any of the urban-themed maps, and all for points that eventually make up the game's final objective. The realistic arsenal of weapons takes gameplay back to the basic firearm tactics without stopping with gimmicks such as bouncing bullets, mini-nukes or the like, and said weapons don't just magically spawn here or there, you have to buy them (as well as the ammo, grenades and armor) with the cash you get from the successful completition of each mission. Loose the assignment, or screw up (shoot a hostage for instance) and your team gets a pay cut the next round. A simple idea that adds lots of variety to a game and that periodically helps shift the balance of power in the maps.

Movement rate is also slower than on most arcadey deathmatch games, with a bigger emphasis on precission aiming and recoil as spraying bullets around while you are running with your SMGs will accomplish nothing as your line of fire is much more fickle and prone to lose it's aim than you were used to. Damage is more realistic with usually a few shots needed to bring someone down and death is final (well, at least until the next round).

To add to the experience you also have to remember that the game is based as a Half-Life mod, so you already have an engine that supports semi-realistic ballistics, skeletal animation and enough graphic detail for you to make out details such as what weapon is someone wielding and what team does he belong to (terrorists or counter-terrorists).

The Bad
It's still not completely realistic, as any glance to other mods such as Day of Defeat will show. And playing this game in single-player mode is just pathetic for obvious reasons thus limiting it's appeal (no matter just how smart the bots you use are). I might also add that playing this game over modem/internet connections is equally dull, for the real experience you have to set yourself a lan-party with 8 friends or so, and that's not always an option.

The Bottom Line
The biggest thing to happen to multiplayer gaming since Quake and still THE multiplayer game for many people, and rightly so! Blending team tactics, strategic elements and deeper gameplay without dulling the experience of shooting the hell out of your best buddies. A must for anyone that even remotely considers himself an action gamer. Anyone else just move on... nothing for you reflex-impaired folks here.