★───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────★

• Graphics: Source 2 looks nice, yes. The lights, shadows, dynamic smoke... everything's fine there. But sometimes it feels like you're playing a weird CS:GO remake with RTX mods. They've improved, but they haven't revolutionized it. The headshot still sounds just as beautiful.

• Gameplay: This is where the fun lies. While the movement and shooting changes feel awkward at first, you get used to it eventually. The delayed peek is annoying, but it also punishes mindless rushers. CS2 still rewards a cool head and clean aim. The matchmaker is sort of in perpetual beta, but when it's engaging, it's enjoyable.

• Maps: Dust 2 is still the church. Nuke is brighter than your future. Mirage... well, it should be retired, but it's still going strong. Most of the classic maps are lovingly reimagined, though there are details (buggy smoke, random frame rates) that still get you down.

• Sound: There are improvements, but also confusion. Some footsteps sound like they're on another map. Valve is fine-tuning, but for now, you have to play more with intuition than with your ear. The weapon sounds are still superior, though.

• Toxicity: The classic. Screaming Russians, premades with egos bigger than their ranks, and you in the middle trying not to break your mouse. But when you hook up a cool team... it feels like LAN at a friend's house.

Summary: Counter-Strike 2 didn't come to reinvent the wheel, but it did paint it, inflate it, and put lights on it. Sometimes it feels green, other times it makes you scream "THIS IS CS." If you play it for the love of the game, the clutch, the echo earned with duals, you'll enjoy it. If you're looking for something casual, run...