Critical Ops: Multiplayer FPS

What does our world need apart from a renewable energy source, treatment for incurable diseases, and reliable methods to preserve nature? That’s right: more shooters imitating CS: GO!

Critical Ops pretends to claim the throne of the CS: GO for mobile platforms – a reckless endeavor indeed. So do the authors put their money where their mouths are?

Visuals

To tell the truth, C-Ops graphics are its strongest side. And the weakest at the time (as ridiculous as that).
The visual quality of maps, weaponry, and playable characters in the game is at a decent level, to say the least. Throughout a one-hour session, I’ve been having an unswerving impression that it’s an exotic and slightly cartoonized hybrid of CS Source, CS 1.6, and finally CS: GO.

Unfortunately, the eye-pleasing graphics come at a price, therefore glitches and Fps freezes are a harsh, remorseless reality not just an irksome issue. Add to it unavoidable mobile connection ping, and there you have it – the sweet sound of teeth grinding.
To have some carefree joy while playing this game, you’ll need at least 1GB of RAM and 400 MB of free storage space. Otherwise, prepare to go psychotic.

The Core of the Critical Ops

As I have mentioned before C-Ops is basically a “cousin” of CS: GO, who strives to be as popular and successful as its “kinsman”.

There are two teams – terrorists & counter-terrorists – engaged in a never-ending confrontation. Choose the side you like the most. But don’t be surprised if the FBI comes knocking at your door later.

The game has 4 modes to offer:

• Defuse – it’s self-explanatory. You must deactivate/protect a bomb planted by the terrorists. What’s even better you don’t get any extra-respawns in case you get shot.
• Deathmatch – wipe all of your enemies out.
• Rank game – available only after you get 250 frags.
• Gungame - every single player’s results greatly affect the whole team’s success. The better you do, the better guns you get.

As you can see the gameplay is nothing revolutionary. We’ve seen it all before in other titles from dead serious Counter-Strike to absurd Team Fortress.

What’s really rebellious though is that the game claims to be absolutely honest denying any pay-to-win features. And it looks like the authors do stand by their words: up to this day there are no top-weapons or other valuable perks that can be purchased. You can only spend up to 50 dollars on the in-game currency in case you’ve lost all of it thanks to failed matches.

The only unique gimmick C-Ops has is the customizable weaponry skins. You can bedeck all of your ammunition with glittery Hello Kitty-like elements if you please – only save up enough credits. 
Visit http://criticalstrike.wikia.com/wiki/Skin for more info.

Controls

I don’t want to sound like a grumpy bellyacher, but the controls of both C-Ops and any other mobile shooter are atrocious. Auto-targeting helps a bit, hands down, but manipulating your virtual avatar by tapping on a touchscreen is the epitome of annoyance.

On the left, you have the movement-controller and on the right “jump”, “squat” and other buttons. Ergonomically it’s a torture that’s why if you’re serious about achieving outstanding heights in C-Ops consider buying an analog gamepad for mobile devices. Protect your fingers from early arthritis and your nerves from a breakdown.

The Sentence

With all its flaws C-Ops has the potential to change the mobile shooter industry for good. How? By bringing the element of honest playing, when your own skills are the only thing you can rely upon.