Guide

HOW TO GET BETTER AT CS2

2024-09-16  -  5 min read

By Skinflow

How to improve in CS2

In comparison to other games Counter-Strike has always been the most skill based and strategic first person shooter game out there. Since 1999, during the CS 1.6 era, the game has not changed much when it comes to the basic dynamics of the gameplay.

In this article, we’ll teach you some handy tips on how to improve your Counter Strike 2 skills and overall experience.

Learn the maps

A large portion of Counter Strike 2 consists of its maps. Learning these maps and its specific call-outs, flashes, smokes and nades can massively improve your gameplay.

Improving your knowledge on these maps can help you predict enemy movement, team support and even your aim depending on your positioning.

Personally, I’ve always practiced my maps using the workshop tool by YPRAC. You can find this workshop and all of its guides here:

Improve your movement

Master Strafe Jumping:

Technique:Strafe jumping involves moving in one direction (strafing) and then jumping while quickly changing your strafe direction. This can increase your jump distance and speed, which is crucial for navigating maps quickly or evading enemies.

Practice:Start by practicing in a deathmatch game. Move left, then jump and immediately switch to moving right. This can be tricky at first, but it's about timing your strafe change with the jump.

Improve Your Counter-Strafing:

Technique:Counter-strafing is the act of moving in one direction and then quickly moving in the opposite direction to stop your movement momentum, allowing for more accurate shooting.

Practice:Set up a practice scenario where you move, stop abruptly by counter-strafing, and then shoot at a target. Aim for consistency in stopping your movement before firing.

Learn to Bunny Hop:

Technique:Bunny hopping involves jumping repeatedly without touching the ground to maintain momentum. This is less about speed in CS2 but more about maintaining speed while navigating.

Practice:To improve your bunny hop, you can find several training servers in the Steam workshop.

Improve your aim

The significance of aim: Securing a headshot and winning a gunfight depends on precise aim. In CS2, it may mean the difference between life and death.

Aim Training Programs: You can use workshop maps created specifically for aim training, or you can use the aim training programs that are accessible on Steam, such as Aim Lab, Aimtastic, and Aimtore.

Aim Practice Routine: To improve your abilities, set up a regular aim practice schedule. Invest time on aim training maps, emphasizing control over recoil and accuracy. A good tip is to train your aim on a workshop map for at least fifteen minutes before joining a competitive match.

Gamesense

Gamesense in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) refers to a player's ability to understand and predict game situations, make strategic decisions, and react appropriately without necessarily having direct information. Here's how to develop or understand gamesense in three steps:

In-game coordination

Route Planning: Know multiple routes to objectives and escape routes. This helps in predicting enemy movements and planning your own.

Sound and Visual Cues: Pay attention to sounds like footsteps, bomb planting, defusing, or gunfire. These can give away enemy positions. Use visual cues like smoke patterns, flashes, or the direction of gunfire to infer enemy locations or intentions.

Radar Usage: Constantly check your minimap for teammate positions and movements. This helps in understanding the overall flow of the game, where your team is pushing, or where they might need support.

Understanding Game Flow and Timing

Timing: Learn the timing of common plays, like when to expect a rush, when to rotate, or how long it takes to get from one part of the map to another. This helps in setting up ambushes or avoiding being caught out of position.

Economy Management: Understand when to save or when to buy based on the team's economy. Knowing if the enemy team is likely to eco (buy only pistols and possibly armor) or full buy can influence your positioning and aggression level.

Round Outcome Prediction: Predict how the round might unfold based on the current score, time left, and the state of both teams (health, equipment). This includes knowing when to play passively or aggressively.

Decision Making and Adaptability

Situational Awareness: Always be aware of the current situation. Are you outnumbered? Is the bomb planted? How much time is left? These factors should influence your next move.

Team Coordination: Communicate with your team. Gamesense isn't just about individual play but understanding how your actions fit into the team's strategy. Call out enemy positions, suggest strategies, and adapt based on team feedback.

Learning from Experience: Analyze your games. Think about why you died, what could have been done differently, or what the enemy might have been thinking when they made a particular move. This reflective practice is crucial for improving gamesense.

Learn about utilities

Improving utility usage in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) can significantly enhance your gameplay by providing strategic advantages, controlling space, and securing kills or assists. Here are four steps to improve your utility usage:

Understand Each Utility's Purpose and Mechanics

Grenades

Flashbang: Learn flash timings and angles. Practice throwing flashes that blind enemies without affecting your team. Understand how to use flashes for both offensive pushes and defensive holds.

Smoke Grenade: Master smoke spots for blocking lines of sight, isolating areas, or creating safe paths. Know how to use smokes to cut off angles or to hide your team's movements.

Molotov/Incendiary: Use these to deny areas, force enemies to move, or to block off escape routes. Practice timing throws to catch enemies off guard or to cover your retreat.

HE Grenade: Use to stop a push, breaking enemy positions, or finishing off low-health opponents.

Decoy Grenade: Use to distract, draw fire, or make enemies think you're in a different location.

Now that you know the different types of grenades and their specific purpose, I would suggest you practice different types of throws on the different maps. You can easily find very informational videos on using utility. Besides, you can also find dedicated maps on the Steam workshop to improve your utility usage.

Conclusion

To get better at CS2, you need to work on moving around smoothly, thinking like a pro, and using your grenades and stuff wisely. Practice moving in ways that make it hard for enemies to hit you.

Try to guess what will happen next in the game and be ready for it. Also, learn to throw your grenades in the best spots to help your team. Keep playing and learning from each game. If you keep at it, you'll start winning more and having more fun because you'll be better at everything that matters in the game.

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