Is Competition really that good?

I seem to be in a bit of a gaming rut at the moment. I bought a few games in the Steam sales and in Humble Bundles that I haven’t given due gaming time. Instead of exploring the vastness of my steam library, I am always playing the same game: CounterStrike Global Offensive. For all you who don’t know what CounterStrike is or haven’t read my previous articles, CounterStrike is a super-successful series made by Valve based on a mod of the Half Life series. Either as a terrorist or a counter-terrorist, you attempt to achieve your goals, like planting a bomb, defusing a bomb or killing your opponents, whilst trying to stop your enemy doing the same. While this formula seems quite boring and repetitive, I would say not, as there are many different variations of the original game mode. This is not a review of CS GO, however, but rather a look at the competitive matchmaking system in which I have wasted so many hours. Imagine what I described above, but instead of just casual players, you have a team of 5 all working together to win, playing another team of 5 just as determined. Playing 30 rounds, 15 as terrorist and 15 as counter-terrorist, you must win at least 16 to clinch victory. If you die in a round that is it you have to wait till the next round. Furthermore, once you have died you can watch your team mates try to win. All this combined can sometimes make emotions run high. If you are the last person alive and you know that the rest of the team is watching you, the pressure can be quite real. Your performance in the match as well as your win percentage influence your global rank and rating. The best of the best can be scouted for pro teams, and actually compete for serious money. This, coupled with the tension and excitement of the individual round, really adds to this game’s replay value, moreso than anyone would expect. I, myself, enjoy this game mode very much, but at the start I found that I was quite lost. For beginners, the maps and strategies, the tension and pressure can really be too much. I recently played with Calum, the game’s co-editor, and one of our teammates got so frustrated at the beginner skills of Calum that he actually told him to commit suicide (or something to that effect which can not be printed). Thus, if you are a beginner, stay away from this mode and play the more casual game modes. The best and simultaneously worst thing about the competitive mode is your teammates. They make or break a great gaming session. If you get enthusiastic, funny and great companions, make sure you friend them as they really make playing CS GO enjoyable in any form. On the other hand, if you encounter those douchebags who surrender at any sign of difficulty, leave or are just a**holes then I feel sorry for you. Competitive matchmaking is there to extend the number of hours you spend playing CS, and it does so admirably, especially if you are as competitive as I am. If this game is getting stale for you, seriously try out this game mode, you won’t regret it!