Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is one of the most played shooters for PC, and it's popularity has brought a number of mods into the limelight. One of the better mods for the games is a Zombies mod, where players either defend themselves on a map or try to escape to the end of one.
If fighting hordes of human controlled zombies is something enjoyable to you, this is mod is one of the better zombie defense shooters available. I've often found it to be more satisfying than Left 4 Dead, though the play-styles are significantly different.
In the CS:GO mod, humans purchase weapons as per normal at the beginning of the round. Different servers may have restrictions on what weapons are available (the automatic pistol is sometimes restricted), and even individual maps within the mod may not permit some.
The play focuses on humans fighting zombies. There are two basic map types, with dozens of maps fitting in each category. The first category is defense maps. In these, the objective is simply to survive. Numerous spots on each map will have map objects capable of being moved (shot) into position to block zombies from entering a room, hallway, etc. The zombies can move the objects as well, so a carefully controlled defense is necessary for humans to survive.
The second category is the escape maps. In these, the humans are attempting to reach the end of a map, often with points along the way where they must hold ground while a lever is pressed or a timer counts down. There is more variety to these maps than there are in the defense ones, mainly because modders have built maps that have different objectives within them. For instance, a button may need to be pressed to open a door, but zombies may be in the way between the exit and the button, forcing the humans to fight their way through zombies to reach the goal. Humans may need to jump on a boat or helicopter to get from point A to B faster and more safely.
Most servers also have different classes to pick from, both for zombies and humans. Humans usually have the choice between a standard CS:GO character with normal abilities, but most players choose either a character with increased jump or increased speed since there are no other disadvantages. For zombies, the best servers have a variety of options, though they usually come at a cost. A high HP zombie may be a bit slower. A fast zombie has less health. Others may have a bonus to speed and jump, but will be knocked back more easily by gunfire.
Choosing a class that fits best to your preferred style is important. Some people may not be good at jumping, so a human that jumps higher and farther may be useful. If one of the humans is really good at running away, a zombie may want to pick a speed class even though they may die more easily.
And zombies don't die easily. The runner has at least 2000 hp, while less specialized classes will have around 3000. Better yet, a lot of servers have the zombies respawn after death. While that may sound overpowered for the zombies, it's not. When you have a server with 40 people, and 20 humans are guarding one entrance, that's a LOT of bullets flying. Add in infinite ammo (total count, magazines are still limited), and you get a challenge for both sides. My favorite server actually increases the ammo count of most weapons' magazines to 200 rounds, though sniper rifles only have 50-100.
If you are looking for a challenging game and already have CS:GO, this is an excellent mod to play, and no separate downloads are required except when joining the server, and that data is automatically downloaded.
Check out this gameplay video of one of the more popular maps below.
So what do you think of the Counter Strike: Global Offensive Zombie mod? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!
