Axlebolt's Standoff 2 Review: Counter Strike on Mobile and it is Good

Counter Strike changed the world of video gaming when it was introduced in the 2000s. Over the years it has spawned so many AAA gaming titles like PUBG, Valorant, Apex Legends, and so many more. Even though there was a huge base of players on mobile that wanted to get the feel of old school Counter Strike the game was never ported for mobile devices and even now there are so many clones of the game on Android that it is high time we got an official counter strike game but till then we have Axlebolt's Standoff 2. Among the thousands of self-proclaimed clones of counter strike on Android it was only Standoff 2 that actually did it properly. The devs at Axlebolt got the one thing that makes Counter-Strike such a great game and that is a good FPS experience. Standoff 2 is a clone of Counter Strike but the changes that Axlebolt devs made for mobile gaming are nothing short of impressive.

Standoff 2 Review For Android and iOS

Axlebolt released Standoff 2 in 2017 and over the years the devs of the game have made a ton of improvements with timely updates and by listening to the community of players that are in love with the game. What Standoff 2 offers is a no nonsense FPS gaming experience that no other game has even come close to. Take PUBG Mobile, for example, there are team deathmatches in that game as well but even then it is not at the same level as Counter-Strike. This is where standoff 2 excels. In the year where every other game publisher is making some sort of battle royal, Axlebolt's Standoff 2 is like a throwback to the classic style of gaming that many players still prefer.

• Gameplay

  The gameplay of Standoff 2 is pretty straight forward. You install the game and log in. Then you will set your avatar and make your player profile. Once you are done with that then its Team Deathmatch time. In the initial stages of the game, only Team Deathmatch is unlocked. To unlock other modes like Arms Race, Defuse, and Sniper Duel you will need to grind for a little while. A few wins in team deathmatch and all of the game modes will be unlocked. It is actually nothing less than impressive that the devs of Standoff 2 have created the perfect FPS gaming title on mobile. The controls for mobile in their default settings are ok but with a little bit of fine-tuning and claw control we were taking quick scope shots from AWP easily. It should be mentioned that many of them missed but it was our fault and not the game's fault.

• Graphics and Visuals

  The graphics of the Standoff 2 are not something to shout about but they are good enough that you won't care about them. The maps are well made and so is the mechanics of different weapons. All the little animations like reloading a weapon or quick scoping come together beautifully to give players an amazing experience. One of the best things any Counter-Strike inspired game can do is introduce skins and Standoff 2 has them as well. Different weapon skins are available in Standoff 2 so if you miss those days of opening crates in counter-strike and finding rare skins then too Standoff 2 has you covered.

• MatchMaking and Lags

  Matchmaking is simple. Just like in counter strike in Standoff 2 as well you will get an option to choose if you want to be a terrorist or kill a terrorist. After you choose your team the match will begin. One thing that is good about Standoff 2 is that the devs take hacking seriously so hackers are a rare sight in the game. Sadly, can't say the same for counter strike. Lags do happen if you have a terrible connection but the same happens on any mobile game that is a multiplayer game. When we ran the game on Redmi Note 8 Pro we noticed that the game was having a lot of problems and lagging. It could be due to a lack of optimization for the device or maybe Standoff 2 is not meant to run on MediaTek processors.

• Final Thoughts on Standoff 2

  After playing the game for over a week on different devices and emulators we all reached the same conclusion. Standoff 2 is the best counter strike on mobile. The gameplay is just perfect with the little animations making so many users nostalgic. The weapon skins are a welcome addition. Matchmaking is good but could be better. If you want to get the real experience of playing counter strike again on mobile then this is your only option and it is a good one too.