A fast-paced, highly addictive and enjoyable experience.
Like the original, Day of Defeat: Source has the same basic game play. Americans take on the Germans in some of the most intense combat ever found in gaming. There are now at least 9 official maps in circulation, along with several custom player-made maps. There are also now 2 modes of game play, a capture-point based system and a detonation mode.
The capture-point mode consists of a spawn point, and several capture points along the way. In order for your team to win, you must capture all of the points on the map. This mode offers a very balanced gameplay situation, often ending in a near-stalemate.
In detonation mode, your goal is to either destroy or protect an objective, and sometimes to do both. As you can imagine, this can create some very chaotic gameplay. This mode is easier to win or lose because both teams are trying to avoid their enemy. It all seems to come together and create a very fun experience.
There are several player classes on each side, and all have their own specific purpose. It's likely they have one to fit your tastes. There are fewer than the original, and some have been "dumbed down." This may disappoint a few of the senior players, but it really helps beginners to get into the game. Overall, all the classes seem to be balanced.
The graphic's are all up-to-date with the latest technology and hi-res textures. HDR and bloom are built-in to the game, making environments extremely photo-realistic. All of the player models are extremely well animated, so all of the movements seem fluid and life-like. All of the weapon models are very well-done replica's of their real-world counterparts and most have a secondary fire feature.
The audio is also superb. The folks at Valve have blown me away once again, adding a new technology called "depth of sound." This makes a distant gunshot actually echo and sound like it came from far away. All of the weapon's sound are realistic, and the radio commands help make the game feel like a real war zone.
Overall, Day of Defeat: Source is one of the most enjoyable on line experiences for the PC to date. For the low price point and amount of content included, along with the great community, it's definitely a game that should not be missed.