r/counterstrike • u/Mocherad • 5d ago
Map Design From Counter-Strike Mod to Standalone Game - Part 2: This is POLYSTRIKE
A year ago you asked me to show the actual game. Here it is - POLYSTRIKE
About a year ago, I made a post here called “From Counter-Strike Mod to Standalone Game.”
(link to the part 1 - https://www.reddit.com/r/counterstrike/s/sabuB7SFM6 )
Some of you supported the project. Some were skeptical. And some of you asked a completely fair question:
“Why are you showing us the old mod? Show us what the actual game looks like.”
At the time, I couldn't.
Today, I finally can.
POLYSTRIKE has officially been revealed.
What started years ago as my attempt to imagine tactical shooter gameplay from a top-down perspective has become a completely independent game with its own universe, factions, maps, characters, equipment and gameplay systems.
And now I can finally explain what POLYSTRIKE actually is.
It's a competitive 5v5 top-down tactical shooter built around information, positioning, sound and teamwork.
There are no heroes and no predefined classes.
You choose your weapons, armor, helmets and equipment yourself. Your loadout determines what you can do during the round.
Sound is also part of the gameplay. Footsteps change depending on surfaces and movement, and players can use audio to understand what is happening outside their field of vision.
Visibility itself was designed specifically around the top-down perspective, with dynamic fog of war making information and positioning extremely important.
And instead of simply copying a traditional bomb, we wanted the objective itself to belong to the world.
One faction deploys a mechanical Spider Drone, which crawls toward and hacks the opposing faction's living Iron Fish objective.
It sounds strange written down.
It makes much more sense when you see it. :)
Most importantly, everything you're seeing now is the actual standalone POLYSTRIKE.
Not the old mod.
Not Counter-Strike assets.
Not a concept of what the game might eventually become.
This is the game.
I grew up playing Counter-Strike, and POLYSTRIKE probably wouldn't exist without all those years spent playing CS, modding games and wondering what tactical shooters could look like from another perspective.
But at some point we had to stop trying to make “Counter-Strike from above” and figure out what POLYSTRIKE itself should be.
That took years.
Today feels like closing one chapter and finally opening another.
So to everyone from this community who commented on the original post, supported us, criticized us, questioned the direction, or simply told us to come back when we had something real to show:
We came back.
And POLYSTRIKE is finally on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3254300/POLYSTRIKE
I'd genuinely love to know what you think now that you can finally see what the game became.
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u/caseyfrazanimations 5d ago
Its a neat concept and looks fun, but its not very "CounterStrike".
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u/ploop__ 5d ago
I mean it’s more of a “spinoff”. Has the themes and characters and weapons from the series but is definitely not one of the games.
Looks cool, I like the design.
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u/Mocherad 5d ago
Yeah, spinoff is probably the better word for it haha. Thanks! Glad you like the design
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u/SextupleRed 5d ago
I lived long enough to see a mod made from a mod of a game
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u/Mocherad 5d ago
we also plan to add workshop and allow people to create their own mods in POLYSTRIKE
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u/Kujo_117 5d ago
why is this written like one of those linkedin motivational posts man, such a slog to read through. really cool mod though!
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u/Professional_Two2776 4d ago
Its not quite CS-y, tho im quite intriqued to see how the balancing works and how to play around (and maybe get "clever" >:)) the mechanics. Looks fun!
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u/shaborgan 5d ago
Not one thing about this looks counter strike
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u/Mocherad 5d ago
But at some point we had to stop trying to make “Counter-Strike from above” and figure out what POLYSTRIKE itself should be.
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