Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 298 sampled Steam reviews (277 positive / 21 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Multiplayer & servers9% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Multiplayer & servers29% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
92%
89 reviews
5-15h
94%
71 reviews
15-40h
89%
47 reviews
40-100h
97%
33 reviews
100h+
93%
58 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 88 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 91 | 1286 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 86 | 6 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 96% | 91 | 3000 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Feb 18, 2025) · 300 reviews sampled · 17496 total reviews in window · weighted 200.8 up / 10 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (9)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 86
“As used in CS: Source, that ground breaking physics engine is just gimmickry. Likewise, no attempt has been made to make the robotic hostages lifelike. So much for "HL2's" ground-breaking AI. But we have a confession: we just can't stop playing it. [Dec 2004, p.85]”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Counter-Strike: Source is, once you've gained a knack for it, the most consistently rewarding and surprising team-based shoot-'em-up available on the PC today. It's been dressed up nicely for its relaunch in 2004, but it wasn't broken, and Valve hasn't fixed it.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“The most impressive outlet of Source’s physics engine is the most subtle, that of the corpses left after any particular round of slaughter. Bodies realistically slump into corners, drape over crates, and fall to the ground. I’m sure everyone will have a “coolest corpse” story within a week of playing.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A technically and graphically stunning port of a game that was already pretty damn good, with the potential to deliver bigger and better things in future. And you can’t complain too much about that.”
- 85
“Valve has done a sterling job of moving a flagship franchise over to a new engine. Whilst the gameplay guts come over correct and intact, (which may disappoint some), Counter-Strike: Source is an even more engrossing and captivating experience, capable of sapping hours of your time, and even the worst "1337 g33zers" abusing voice chat can't spoil the fun you'll have with it.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“One of the best war games to play online. With so many players and so many newbies ready to take a bullet in the head from you, your gameplay options are endless and your lastability hours are infinite.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The game looks more beautiful than ever, with structures that feel weighty and solid and little visual touches throughout. The flash-bangs look fantastic.”
read full review ↗ - 92
“A fantastic conversion of a timeless classic and it has stolen the hearts of the online community once again.”
read full review ↗ - 91
“This update has refreshed our love of the game, bringing a new physicality and violence to online shooters. CS:Source is essential. [PC Gamer UK]”
read full review ↗
Eurogamer
GamesRadar+Patch history
- Counter-Strike: Source Update ReleasedAug 24, 2026
- Counter-Strike: Source Update ReleasedFeb 18, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Counter-Strike: Source Update ReleasedJul 2, 2021