Steam Workshop Map Recommendation: Retro Gaming Experience csQuake (Quake)
There are all kinds of maps on the Steam Workshop, and not all of them stick to CS’s classic shooting gameplay. Some of them recreate completely different kinds of game modes inside CS, and most of those still have you playing as CS characters, whether it’s parkour, gliding, and more... Seriously, what is this—playing other games inside CS?!
The creator's promo video:
There is barely anything from CS in this game. You will not see the classic Lieutenant Commander Ricksaw | NSWC SEAL or the default knife here; instead, it feels almost entirely like playing a different game. Community creator deana has brought the ancient classic Quake into CS. What kind of game is Quake?
Quake is a dark-fantasy first-person shooter (FPS) developed by id Software and released in 1996, and is widely regarded as a milestone in video game history. Players move between dimensions, clearing levels by finding keys, solving puzzles, and taking down monsters. Its level design emphasizes vertical exploration and hides a huge number of secrets. As Valve has added more and more Workshop commands, creators can now build more features and more content into the game. Once you load in, you’re greeted by a full game interface; if it weren’t for the classic CS logo, it would almost look like you had launched a completely different game. After opening this map, you can see the same kinds of functions you’d expect from another game’s interface—New Game Load Game Options Controls Achievements Exit
This Workshop map even has its own achievement system! And based on testing, your saves/achievements are retained and won’t be reset when you close the game.
When you start the game, you can even choose the difficulty level:
Wait for the game to load. The loading screen includes a gameplay tutorial:
As soon as you drop into the game, you’re greeted by classic retro pixel-style visuals. It’s still a first-person shooter, with you spawning in armed and starting out with a hand axe and a shotgun. At the bottom of the screen, you can see your character stats, including health and ammo. This shotgun does not need to be reloaded.
Use the F-key wheel to switch to different weapons.
The number below the crosshair shows your speed, and you can see it change as you move.
The first area teaches you the basic controls and lets you pick up a piece of armor. Once you’ve learned the basics, you can leave this area. The retro-styled environment feels like stepping back into the era of playing CS 1.6 around the turn of the millennium.
In the bottom-left corner, you can see the time, kill count, and other stats. As you push through the game's linear progression, you'll run into all kinds of enemies, and the map is packed with various pickups. Enemies also drop supplies when you kill them, letting you restock as you go. As you progress, you can also unlock additional weapons throughout the map.
As you push forward, the enemies get tougher, the level layout grows more complex, and the puzzles become harder and harder.
The creator even added a bloom effect underwater. Even though the game is old, it looks better and better with the help of a modern engine.
But that’s not all the game has to offer—this is only part of the first level. The rest is waiting for you to experience for yourself!
Some of the monsters and environments in the game:
Different puzzle stages:
Retro-styled monsters:
If you want to experience this retro game in CS, you can click the map portal below to subscribe and try it out!