Going through a Counter-Strike phase is a rite of passage for any PC gamer. And with the latest installment hopefully hitting Steam this September (after some summer delays), there’s no better time to reignite your passion for this iconic first-person shooter.

So, here are 5 mods to make your gaming experience feel even more unique.

1. Get creative with skins

The skin economy catapulted Counter-Strike to fame after disappointment marred much of the game’s early release. And while skins are undoubtedly cool, they can also be expensive. Some can go for thousands online, and the incredibly rare Karambit Blue Gem costs over USD 1.5 million.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to sell your house and car to upgrade your weapons inventory. With these mods, you can turn your knife into a fork or use a Heinekein can as a grenade:

Just remember to proceed with caution, as downloading content from third-party websites could land you with nasty viruses.

2. Play your favourite Halo maps

What is this? A crossover episode? Maybe you’ve been secretly hoping for a Halo/Counter-Strike collaboration for years. Thankfully, with this mod, fans of both franchises don’t have to cross their fingers and wait for the developers to make friends.

Enabling this mod allows you to explore 4 different Halo: Combat Evolved maps within CS:GO, including favourites like Lockout and The Pit. But it’s not just maps that have been given an overhaul. Weapon models, characters, and sounds have all been modified and graphically enhanced to provide you with the most accurate Halo playthrough experience, all while keeping the classic features that make CS:GO unique.

3. What came first? The egg or the chicken farm mod?

Ever fantasized giving up your guns and settling down to live the simple life of a chicken farmer? Well, with this CS:GO mod you can do exactly that (sort of).

Spread across this modified map, you’ll find hundreds of chickens. Clicking on them will make them lay eggs faster, and combining them moves them up a level. Expand your chicken empire by buying more hen houses and upgrading your farm, until you’re living the virtual life you dream of.

4. Noclip into the Backrooms

Inspired by Kane Pixel’s iconic horror video series, this CS:GO mod transports you to the creepy fluorescent world of the Backrooms. If you’re unfamiliar with this urban myth, the Backrooms are a place you could land if you put a foot wrong in reality. But with this mod, at least you won’t get to the Backrooms unprepared.

5. Play the GOAT FPS

Another map mod for CS:GO transports you to the world of Half-Life. For gaming history buffs, it’s more than just a simple map mod. Half-Life was actually Valve’s debut game that helped to make the first-person shooter genre what it is today.

While this mod is certainly a great chance to explore classic maps like Lockdown Hotrap, Crossfire, and Overwatch, it also pays homage to FPS games of old and new.

Special mention…

We couldn’t finish this list without mentioning Garry’s Mod. While not expressly a Counter-Strike mod, Garry’s Mod is a 2006 sandbox game that uses many Counter-Strike assets to transport players to a world with no set objectives and infamous game modes, like Trouble in Terrorist Town and Prop Hunt.

Mod your way with Fasthosts

Whatever mod you choose to enable, be sure to do it on your own private server to make your gaming experience even more unique.

Starting from just £5 per month, Fasthosts Game Server Hosting lets you play your way – whether you're fighting the enemy in CoD4 or spawning 100s of chickens in Minecraft. Plus, our support team is on hand 24/7 to help you get your VPS, cloud server, or dedicated server up and running. Just give us a call on 0333 0142 700 or message us via live chat.