Vertigo is one of the most polarizing maps among the competitive Counter-Strike community, and one of Global Offensive‘s best players thinks the map is even worse in CS2. Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, star Rifler for G2, had some strong words to say about the map.
It would be one thing if this was simply a complaint from just a few upper tier players. But a very important person agrees: Piotr “nawrot” Nawrocki, who is the head coach of the best CS:GO Vertigo team, 9ine.
Vertigo is hated by competitive Counter-Strike fans and players for a variety of reasons. For starters, the map is frustratingly small, and its vertical design gives the CTs so much information on what the Ts are doing, virtually for free. It’s nearly impossible to run on any part of the map without a CT hearing you and knowing exactly where you’re going, sometimes up to ten or 15 seconds before you get there.
The size of the map also bottlenecks the Ts at the B Site, making an A Ramp push far and away the best option. As a result, Vertigo is derided as being an “A Ramp Simulator,” and victories are often decided by which team can hold or push the ramp the best. So much action and importance is placed on one area of the map, which is dull for hardcore fans who want to see a wide range of strategies and executes.
While the map does have some redeeming qualities, like the goofy little worksite accident counter that increases in number when players fall off the map, it might not be enough to keep such a boring competitive pool map around in CS2. Unfortunately for now, the only map that could feasibly replace Vertigo is Dust II, the two-decade old CS mainstay that everyone is tired of playing.
There’s one clear solution here: Valve, bring back Train as soon as humanly possible, so no one has to suffer Vertigo ever again.
