A Counter Strike 2 Beginner Guide

Counter-Strike 2 is still a fresh, new sequel to the hit title Counter-Strike, and it’s never too late for new players to start playing the game. In general, Counter-Strike is one of the more beginner-friendly competitive games in the scene, and players don’t have to commit too much time learning how to play. In this article, we’ll make the process of understanding the basics much easier with a detailed beginner guide on how to play CS2.

What Is CS2?

Counter-Strike 2 is the latest version of the Counter-Strike series, one of Valve’s most popular games ever. The game is a tactical shooter, heavily emphasizing on team-based gameplay where Terrorists go against Counter-Terrorists to win rounds. Rounds can be won by completing objectives surrounding the bomb.

It is a fast-paced and action-packed game with a lot of chaos going on. Players enjoy the game because of its competitive aspect where high skill ceilings are achievable.

How Can I Play CS2?

If you are wondering, “how can I play CS2,” the answer is very simple. Counter-Strike 2 can be downloaded directly from the Steam client. It is worth noting that the game is completely free to play, so you can immediately try out the game for free! However, there are in-app purchases that could cost you real money, though they are optional.

Basic Rules Of CS2 Gameplay

In this section of the article, we’ll give you a quick rundown of the game’s basic rules so you will know how to play Counter-Strike 2 properly.

Game Objective

The game is pretty simple – there are two sides: Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists. Each side has its own objectives that are required to win rounds.

Terrorists must plant the bomb (C4 Explosive) at bomb sites and have it detonated to win rounds. Alternatively, they can also win by eliminating all the Counter-Terrorists.

Counter-terrorists are tasked to defend bomb sites and prevent Terrorists from planting the bomb. If the bomb has been planted, Counter-Terrorists must try to retake the bomb site and defuse it before time runs out. Alternatively, they can also win by eliminating all Terrorists before the bomb blows up.

Round System

Competitive Counter-Strike gameplay revolves around a round system. Typically, a CS2 match consists of 24 rounds. Both teams will have the opportunity to play on either side, as players will switch sides after 12 rounds, also known as halftime.

Teams can accumulate rounds by eliminating the enemy team or successfully completing their objectives. A team will win the match by raking in 13 rounds. However, in the case of a 12-12 draw, overtime will be required to determine the winner once and for all.

Phases Of The Game

In each round, there are up to three phases of the game:

1. Buy Phase: At the start of every round, players will have 15 seconds to buy equipment such as weapons, armor, grenades, and other forms of utility.
2. Round Phase: – After the buy phase ends, players begin taking space around the map and killing enemy players whenever the opportunity arises. They are building up progress to achieve their respective objectives.
3. Retake Phase: – A retake phase occurs when the bomb is planted. Terrorists must defend the bomb and buy time to explode it, while Counter-Terrorists must break into the bomb site and try defusing the bomb.

Economy System

Just like most other titles, a game of Counter-Strike relies on money and economy. Players will earn money after every round, depending on how many kills they get, and whether they win or lose the round.

Teams must plan out their purchases carefully, as the economy must be managed wisely. There are various types of buys, such as the full buy, force buy, or eco buy.

Game Modes In CS2

Counter-Strike is mostly known for its Competitive game mode, but there are a few others players can engage in as well. Here is a brief overview of each game mode and its characteristics.

Competitive Mode

The most popular game mode in the game is also known as Premier Mode in CS2.

Competitive matches feature 5v5 gameplay, with each team consisting of five players. Players are put into ranks and skill groups that reflect their individual skills, determined by their average performance.

After every match, players will gain or lose elo points based on the outcome of the game and their individual performance. Rules such as team collision and friendly fire are enabled. Players cannot leave the game, as doing so will result in punishments.

Casual Mode

Casual Mode follows the basic rules of Competitive Mode, except the matches aren’t ranked, and there can be up to 10 players on each team.

There are fewer restrictions, such as no team collision and friendly fire. Players can engage in gameplay with less pressure, making Casual a great way to practice without having to worry about individual performance and ranking.

Players can join and leave the game anytime without being punished since the game mode is unranked.

Deathmatch Mode

The Deathmatch Mode features free-for-all gameplay, allowing players to run around the map and shoot at anyone they see.

Players can select whichever weapons they want, and the objective is just to kill as many players as possible. Deathmatch is the perfect game mode for players looking to learn how to use various guns.

More experienced players prefer playing Deathmatch to warm up and keep their aim sharp before queuing for a Competitive match.

Other Modes

There are also other, less-popular game modes such as:

• Arms Race: Players play a Deathmatch-like game mode, except they must get kills using different weapons to complete the objective.
• Danger Zone: A battle-royale game mode where players parachute down and loot buildings to take down enemy teams.
• Wingman: A miniature version of Competitive Mode, featuring 2v2 gameplay. Maps are shrunk and the round timers are scaled down.

Understanding The Mechanics

Before getting into the game, we figured you should know the basic mechanics of the game so you’ll know where to start.

Shooting

Counter-Strike 2 is a first-person shooter game, so it is evident that the most important mechanic is shooting and gunplay. Here are some things to keep in mind.

• Recoil: All weapons in the game have recoil when shooting, meaning they have unique spray patterns. You must learn and practice how to control the recoil for each weapon to ensure you are accurate when shooting.
• Tapping: To avoid using spray patterns, players can engage in tapping, meaning they are shooting one bullet at a time. Tapping ensures you are accurate, but reduces the number of bullets shot per second.
• Bursting: Bursting is similar to tapping, but instead of shooting one bullet at a time, you are shooting 3 to 5 bullets, hence the act of bursting. Bursting is great for mid to long-ranged engagements.

Movement

Movement is crucial in Counter-Strike. Not only must you get to places to secure objectives, but good movement can also make you more difficult to shoot at.

• Running: Running is the default method of movement. However, you will make footstep noises, giving your opponents information on your whereabouts.
• Walking: Walking can be done by holding down the “Shift” key. Your movement is slowed down, but your footsteps will not be audible to opponents, perfect for moments when you are trying to be stealthy.
• Crouching: Crouching essentially makes you duck. You are more accurate when crouching, however, your mobility is heavily reduced.
• Jumping: Jumping is required to get through obstacles such as boxes. It is also useful to throw off opponents and make yourself harder to shoot at. However, you are inaccurate when jumping.

Different Types Of Weapons

There are various types of weapons in Counter-Strike, costing different amounts of money and having their own uses.

• Pistols: Cheap weapons that are only purchased in the pistol round or eco rounds. They do not provide good firepower to take out armored opponents and are often not very reliable.
• Rifles: Rifles are the most-used weapon type in Counter-Strike, and are the ones you will see most often. The primary rifle for the Terrorist side is the AK-47, while the primary rifles for the Counter-Terrorist side are the M4A1-S and M4A4.
• SMGs: SMGs are very cheap weapons that are great for low buys. Usually, players can run and gun using SMGs. However, they don’t do very well against fully-armored opponents.
• Snipers: The main sniper rifle in the game is the AWP, which can kill enemy players with only one shot. Snipers are best used in long-ranged duels but require quick adjustments and flicks.
• Shotguns: Shotguns are the least popular weapon type in the game. They are very effective in close-range fights. However, they are absolutely useless in long-ranged fights, making them unreliable.

Grenades And Utility

On top of weapons, there are also grenades and utilities available for purchase. There are various grenades such as the smoke grenade, flashbang, molotov, incendiary grenade, and HE grenade that have different purposes.

Grenades are essential to help you take map control and take favorable engagements. An additional utility such as the Defuse Kit exists, allowing Counter-Terrorists to defuse the bomb faster if equipped.

Map Awareness

In Counter-Strike, you will play on many different maps. Each map has callouts and key areas that are highly contested. It is important to learn the names of these callouts so you can relay accurate information to your teammates.

You will also have a minimap radar at the top corner of your screen, displaying real-time information about your teammates and enemies if they show up. You should always peep at the radar every few seconds to stay informed about the movement of your teammates and enemies.

Roles In Counter-Strike

There are five primary roles in Counter-Strike 2:

1. Entry Fragger: The entry fragger is usually the player with the best individual skill. They will go into the bomb site first and will try to get the opening kill. A successful entry frag will allow the team to take control of the site.
2. AWPer: Teams usually have one player designated for the sniper role, also known as the “AWPer.” This person is the sniper, usually holding angles from far away, picking off enemies from afar.
3. Support Player: The support player will help the team using grenades. They can throw flashbangs to set up teammates for easy kills, and then utilize smokes and molotovs to create favorable situations for the team.
4. Lurker: The lurker usually operates alone, far away from the rest of the team. Lurkers play on the opposite side of the entire team. Their job is to gather information and cut off rotations by surprising enemy players.
5. In-game Leader: The in-game leader is the captain of the team. They will read the opponents, such as common strategies and angles, and command the team on the strategy for the rounds. They will also make mid-round calls.

You don’t have to worry about these roles too much when you’re just starting out, but it is best to understand the different roles and see which one you prefer.

Hopefully, this guide has taught you the basics of how to play CS2. The game has a very high skill ceiling, so you must master the mechanics and learn advanced strategies to climb the ranks!