Fans of FPS games will likely point to Counter-Strike as one of their firsts. This title, which initially began as a Half-Life mod, has sprung into a series that gamers still love today. Twenty-four years after its release, Counter-Strike enjoys mainstream popularity, thanks to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO), a multiplayer FPS.

RELATED: Half-Life: 10 Most Terrifying Creatures, Ranked

CS: GO's mainstream attention is owed to its dedicated user-base and replay value. As of April 2020, the game housed 857,000 players, a large portion of which enjoy the title for its competitive multiplayer aspect. However, fans might wonder - just how different is CS: GO today compared to the first versions of Counter-Strike?

10 New: Competitive Play Separates Wolves From The Prey

CS: GO introduced ranked play to Counter-Strike players, and it's this game mode that set CS: GO apart from its previous iterations. Players can enjoy endless bouts of Team Deathmatches from old Counter-Strike versions. However, CS: GO added player ranks to raise the stakes for FPS fans and enthusiasts.

Ranked play features 18 ranks, which new players can reach through casual matches. They first start play ranked as Private Rank 2. Players then have to fight their way to be a part of the Global Elite. These ranks don't necessarily define a player's "expertise" as an FPS player, but they do indicate their level of skill when it comes to playing CS: GO.

9 Same: Team Selection Remains Simple

CS: GO mostly retains the same theme as its classic counterpart, which focuses on two factions fighting each other. Counter-Strike matches offer two playable factions to players - the Counter-Terrorists and the Terrorists. Faction choice affects gameplay mode objectives, as well as the available weapons and accessories that players can purchase in Buy Menu.

Eagle-eyed players will notice how the Terrorist faction offers cheaper and more powerful weapons to players, while Counter-Terrorists provide better tactical options. These differences might be subtle, but the game uses this system to force players into constantly adjusting their playstyle in every match.

8 New: Matchmaking Has Never Been This Easy

Others might argue a multiplayer FPS game is only just as good as its matchmaking. This perspective might explain why CS: GO remains quite a popular title amongst FPS fans. Unlike previous Counter-Strike versions, CS: GO taps into Valve's capabilities of connecting players worldwide. This networking process allows Valve (and therefore CS: GO) to connect interested players in matches.

Despite imperfections with the game's matchmaking system, players can still expect to get matched with actual Counter-Strike fans in the game. This matchmaking system is a godsend compared to previous Counter-Strike iterations. Matches made from within older Counter-Strike entries generally pair players of different playstyles and backgrounds. Others have to rely on IRC and "private" chat groups to find skilled players for challenging matches. Thanks to CS: GO's matchmaking system, playing exciting games has become more accessible.

7 Same: The Buy Menu Still Needs Quick Fingers

A lot of FPS fans get quick fingers thanks to Counter-Strike. Players acquire these "finger skills" not just from maneuvering the battlefield, but also from the intuitive Buy Menu that's become Counter-Strike staple ever since it's released. The Buy Menu allows players to spend in-match credits to purchase new weapons and armaments to aid them in the match. Thanks to this feature, players continuously get to experiment with playstyles - and this might explain why Counter-Strike has become appealing to a lot of fans.

RELATED: Rainbow Six Siege: Every Weapon Attachment, Explained

CS: GO retains the classic Buy Menu, this time making weapon types and accessories more recognizable and more accessible. Players can see hotkeys on all items, forcing them to memorize their favorite combinations quickly or get left behind on a match.

6 New: Graphics Completely Transform The Game

One can't deny just how impressive gameplay feels, thanks to the Source engine. Crisp sounds make reloading intense, and more accurate physics make angles matter more for projectiles such as grenades. While CS: GO lifted much of its material from classic Counter-Strike content, the game applying a new graphical take on these assets has been such a fresh sight for veterans and a delight for newcomers.

FPS fans might say CS: GO's graphics aren't "on par" with more recent FPS titles, but Counter-Strike's graphics retain that lightweight feel that makes combat seem straight out of explosive action titles.

5 Same: Dust II And Other Maps Remain Just As Exciting

Gamers get modernized fun when classic assets get that much-needed graphical spin. Counter-Strike shows players that classics never die when Dust II feels just as exciting due to CS: GO and the Source engine. Veterans of the game will likely get a nostalgia trip whenever they play in Dust II, as the game map didn't change since Counter-Strike 1.6. Moreover, fans might say CS: GO's faithfulness to original Counter-Strike material makes it such an appealing game to fans and FPS enthusiasts.

As such, older veterans will notice that CS: GO retains much of the original maps from the game. Aside from mainstays, such as the Buy Menu, this feature makes CS: GO feel like "same old Counter-Strike" with updated graphics for modern users.

4 New: Ranked Matches Adds A Lot More Value To Weapon Stats

Casual FPS players typically won't give that much value to weapon stats. After all, a weapon should only matter if it works with a playstyle, right? In any game, players that pay extra attention to numbers get considered as extra nerdy. However, being successful in CS: GO's ranked play demands an in-depth understanding of weapon mechanics in the game. Other players might consider this overkill, but CS: GO fans enjoy the thrill this provides.

Weapons in CS: GO work similarly to their older counterparts, so fans of the earlier series will likely be familiar with how some of the guns work in CS: GO matches. For ranked play and eSports, players pay attention to other weapon properties besides ammunition, rate of fire, and recoil. These include hitscan (the in-game calculation of hits), aimpunch (reflex when certain body parts get hit), or tagging (slowing down after being hit).

3 Same: Familiar Weapons Make Playstyles Flexible

Thanks to the accessibility of the Buy Menu, players of CS: GO have easy access to a slate of 34 weapons across different varieties. These include pistols, shotguns, SMGs, rifles, sniper rifles, machine guns, and knives. While most FPS titles will have similar weapon variants, CS: GO retained all of its franchise staples since the 1996 release. Moreover, the Source engine upgrade has given these weapons a "heavier" feel, adding a lot of realism to the game.

RELATED: The 10 Most Powerful FPS Weapons Of All Time, Ranked

Of course, players still debate whether these graphical and physics updates have made the game better or worse from a gamer's perspective. However, featuring this classic roster of weapons did wonders for both newcomers and old players. For the former, having these familiar weapons from other FPS titles can make CS: GO more accessible. Meanwhile, the latter will find it easier to test their playstyles as they're using the same weapons, albeit modernized.

2 New: Characters And Weapons Become Personal

CS: GO players today probably love the fact that they're not just free to customize how their characters look, but also the appearances of their weapons. After all, it feels terrific landing those kills with that much-desired weapon skin. Moreover, older players love how this customization system takes its cues from Counter-Strike's much-beloved modding community.

Unlike mods, CS: GO makes its customization system accessible and easy-to-use. Players can easily purchase clothing and accessories to give their characters and weapons a unique look. This option means that  Counter-Strike may consist of short matches, but the experience becomes personal if players know they tinkered with their characters' looks.

1 Same: Modders Still Make Excellent Content

Fans of old-school Counter-Strike will remember unique mods that customize a lot of gameplay and appearance options in the game. Other more creative-minded modders may have "converted" famous landmarks and locations into Counter-Strike maps. Some with a penchant for crazy may have "transformed" classic weapons into wackier versions. Combining these can have players have both exciting and memorable matches.

For instance, players can opt for a good Team Deathmatch in world-famous locations, instead of settling for Dust II. Moreover, fans will delight in the fact that Counter-Strike's modding community is still alive today! Players can head to ModDB to see new weapon designs and maps from both new and old modders.

NEXT: FPS: 10 Dormant Shooter Franchises We Want To See Revived On Next Generation Consoles