This review will probably trigger butthurts because it's going to focus on the positive things I have to say about the game, you have been warned. Global Offensive (CSGO) is the latest addition to the Counter-Strike franchise and it's also the best-selling one so far. I believe that there are four reasons for it's main success.

The first reason is primarily because it greats new players well to an environment already filled with veterans. A great example is the games matchmaking system for competitive players which places you with others that are the same skill level. It seems to work very well from my experience, but it's definitely more comfortable to play with friends (just like any other team-based multiplayer game).

The second reason is how well they managed to implement new weapons and features to the game without destroying it's original charm. It's still the same game from 1999 but with slightly more diversity and variation which enhances the experience. The physics of the game adds more depth overall and allows you to throw coordinated smokes and other grenades which adds another layer of gameplay.

The third reason is that watching professional teams and matches is engaging and fun. The built-in tools for spectating like for example x-ray makes it very easy to understand, even for someone that doesn't play the game. And yes, you will often find e-sport fans that prefer watching rather than playing because of the viewer satisfaction you get.

The fourth reason (and this is a big one) is the ability to customize your items appearance, thanks to a community driven workshop and marketplace. A vast majority of the community is busy buying and selling skins and other cosmetics because it can actually become profitable in the long-run, and uses real money.

You will get weekly or monthly updates which usually add, change or fix features, and sometimes an operation which introduces items and maps made partly by the developers, but more importantly by the community. Even if the game is heavily criticized by most, I still see it's charm for being what it is and I recommend this to anyone that likes team-based shooters.

TL;DR

Game matches your skill with others, it has new weapons and features compare to the older releases while still retaining it's originial charm, watching a proffesional match is fun and there's a marketplace with virtual items that you can buy/sell/trade for real money.