I have around 30 hours in the game, so I feel like I've seen enough to give a fair opinion.
(FYI: I haven't actively followed the Counter-Strike esports scene since around COVID-19, so some of my feedback comes from a casual CS fan rather than a competitive expert.)
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The Short version.
The idea behind the game is fantastic. If you're a fan of Football Manager and Counter-Strike, this sounds like a dream game. Unfortunately, the execution isn't there yet.
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The GOOD thins.
The sound design, maps and UI are clean and enjoyable.
The overall concept of an esports management game is excellent.
The game is genuinely addictive, in the same way Football Manager is, which is a compliment.
I like the sponsor system.
I also like the different player roles such as IGL, AWPer, 2nd AWPer, Lurker and Support. I'd actually love to see even more specialized roles in the future.
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Now on to the many BAD things.
No Manual Save / Load;
Releasing a management game without manual save and load is honestly unacceptable. This should have been in the game from day one.
The AI needs a massive overhaul;
This is probably the biggest problem.
Players often, Stand on top of each other.
Rarely use cover or play off-angles.
Make bizarre rotations, I've had my lurker gain complete control of one bombsite, only for the team to suddenly rotate to the other site that is clearly stacked by the CTs.
Sometimes they run around like headless chickens.
I've also seen players, Ignore someone planting or defusing the bomb.
Hide instead of taking obvious fights.
As Terrorists, wait for the Counter-Terrorists to rotate onto the bombsite before actually committing to the attack, which makes no sense.
The AI simply doesn't behave like a team that understands Counter-Strike.
Transfers & Contracts;
Negotiations feel unfinished.
Teams never make counter offers, and players don't negotiate salaries.
You're just left guessing what anyone actually wants.
Tactical Freedom;
One thing I was looking forward to was creating fun or meme strategies.
Things like, Tec-9 rushes, Negevs in Palace and Full-auto sniper doors hold on Dust2.
Sadly, the tactical system doesn't really allow for this kind of creativity.
Economy Management;
Managing your finances feels more frustrating than interesting. It could definitely use another pass.
Female teams signing male players, seeing teams called things like MIBR Female signing male players completely breaks immersion, either prevent that from happening or remove the "Female" team branding.
Sponsor Search;
Why can't I filter sponsors? I'd like to search specifically for: Hardware, Automotive, Energy drinks, Clothing, etc.
Map Picks & Training;
You also can't easily see your team's training percentage on each map during map picks.
Map training itself needs a complete overhaul or some changes because keeping track of your map pool simply isn't fun.
Attributes and Morales;
I don't like that player morale directly changes player attributes.
Confidence affecting performance makes sense.
Changing actual stats does not.
No Community Strategy Sharing;
There is no built-in place to share or download tactics, I shouldn't have to join Discord just to find strategies made by other players.
Maybe Steam Workshop or an in-game tactic sharing system would be a huge improvement.
Weapon Purchasing Logic;
The buying AI is frustrating.
For example, If I create a tactic with two AWPers, then switch to a standard tactic with only one AWPer, my second AWPer simply drops his AWP instead of keeping it for future rounds.
If my team survives an eco round with FAMAS rifles and the next round is a full buy, they'll often buy M4A1s immediately instead of keeping the FAMAS and saving money.
The purchasing logic needs to be much smarter.
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Final Thoughts.
Right now, I cannot recommend this game.
If this had been released as a free Alpha or Demo, I'd say it shows a lot of promise.
But as a paid full release, it simply isn't worth the money in its current state.
That said, I genuinely hope the developers keep working on it because the foundation is there. Fix the AI, add manual save/load, improve the management systems, and polish the game, and I could absolutely see myself changing this review to a positive one in the future.
