Counter-Strike 2 has received a new mode that turns familiar matches into shorter and much more intense firefights. But the biggest surprise in the new Rush Hour update is not the new competitive mechanic at all. Valve has added a pet system to the shooter, allowing players to raise their own chickens.
Egg or chicken
To get their first pet, players will have to wait for a weekly reward containing a chicken egg. The developers have prepared 34 different chicken varieties in total. Between matches, players can take care of their pets and feed them special food.
Over time, a pet grows into an adult bird — either a hen or a rooster. The birds players obtain can be collected in a separate album, turning the familiar in-game collection system into something resembling a virtual pet collection.
Matches lasting up to 40 seconds
The second major part of the update is called Rush. The new mode is designed for teams of three and has a significantly faster pace than standard Counter-Strike 2 matches.
Each round lasts just 40 seconds. Players also do not know in advance which map they will play next, as locations are selected randomly.
The objective is also different from the usual gameplay. Teams must fight for control of seven separate areas of the map, with victory going to the team that first secures all the required locations.
Valve also changes familiar gameplay mechanics
In addition to the two main features, Rush Hour introduces several changes to the core game.
Premier’s map selection system has been reworked, while weapons can now be reloaded silently. Valve has also changed the visual effects of firefights: bullet impact marks on walls are now larger, while blood splatter is more noticeable.
Players can also add a clan tag to their in-game name.
A hint at Cobblestone
Another set of changes has attracted attention, although they are not yet officially part of the newly announced features. References to a possible Cobblestone remake have been discovered in the files of the new update.
The map is well known to fans of the series from previous versions of Counter-Strike, but Valve has not yet announced its return as an official part of the update.
Overall, Rush Hour is an unusual combination: Valve has simultaneously accelerated the familiar firefights and added a virtual pet mechanic to its competitive shooter. Players now have to do more than watch the score and control the map — they also have to decide which of the 34 virtual chickens to add to their collection.
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