Just noticed this on Slashdot, a very well written review on the beta version of Counter Strike: Source which has been released, via steam, to registered CyberCafe"s. A very good read!
On a side note, Counter Strike: Condition Zero owners will very soon get to test after the ongoing content preloading is completed, probably of a newer beta build.
The rumors are spreading, and people are getting anxious to get their hands on Counter-Strike: Source. Many people have ventured to their local LAN centers, which often aren’t all that local; just to get first impressions for the new game. What’s new? What’s changed? Is it still playable? Could it actually be an improvement over 1.6? We’ll tell you...
The Source Engine
Years in the making, and the official platform for Half-Life 2, the Source engine is what Valve is hoping will set the bar in computer gaming. Gone are the days of flat and scripted environments, stiff models, and half-hearted special effects. The new version of Counter-Strike is based on the Source engine, and that’s why it’s called Counter-Strike: Source (or CS: Source).
This review will focus primarily on the changes made to the actual game itself, and secondly the changes that have been introduced as byproducts to the adoption of the Source engine. We’ll spare you the details that don’t matter – you’ll get plenty of those when you play the game, starting August 18th for CZ owners...