I downloaded Counter-Strike 2 and said, “This time I’m gonna play seriously.” First round: I throw a flash… the only person blinded is me. My teammate asks, “Why did you flash yourself?” I said it’s strategy. He goes, “Psychological?” He might be right.

The game is very realistic. For example, you hear footsteps… but figuring out where they’re coming from requires you to be Sherlock Holmes. Every time I hear a sound, I spin 360 degrees. Result: I get dizzy and die anyway.

The smokes are new technology and all. Nice, cool… but when I walk into a smoke, I feel like I’m lost on a foggy village road in the morning. Someone comes out of it, they see me, I don’t see them. Apparently, the smoke doesn’t work for me.

The economy system is amazing too. Lose two rounds and it’s instantly “let’s eco.” When we eco, the enemy team looks like they’re playing with a NASA budget. We’ve got Glocks and hope; they’ve got full gear and confidence.

Aim is a whole different story. My crosshair is right on the guy’s head, I click… nothing happens. Then he turns around and one-taps me. There’s a hidden feature in this game: “luck.” I don’t have that DLC.

But no matter what, you can’t quit the game. You get tilted, you say “that’s enough”… and two minutes later you’re back in queue. CS2 isn’t just a game, it’s a lifestyle. A bit of pain, a bit of chaos, and a lot of “one last match.”