Overpass was first introduced to CS:GO in the game’s Winter Offensive back in 2013, and was the first map in the series’ history to be designed exclusively with the game’s engine. Because of its relatively recent introduction, the map doesn’t quite have the level of stature within the community as the more infamous picks of Mirage, Inferno, or Dust II, however, it is a map that arguably possesses more character and depth than any other in the competitive pool.
Here’s why Overpass is CS:GO’s greatest ever map.
Themes and Visuals
Overpass is set in the middle of an urban canal in Berlin, Germany, with the official game description explaining how the Phoenix Connection Terrorists are attempting to either blow up a military shipment or destroy the overpass over the canal itself.
Because it was designed with a more modern Counter-Strike engine, Overpass looks and is designed with far more ambition in mind. Unlike other picks in the competitive pool, the map has three distinct elevations, each with their visual style. From the grass of Playground, concrete in Toilets, to the murky puddles in Pit, every part of the map feels like a separate part of the city.
The ambition in the map’s design is also mirrored in its scale, with Overpass feeling much larger than most other maps in the pool. Again, this feels like a result of working with a more advanced game engine than anything else, but it nevertheless does help to push Overpass’ skill ceiling up another notch.
Rewarding Skilled Performers
Throughout the history of the Counter-Strike series, traditional maps like Dust II and Mirage have garnered a reputation for being duel-heavy ‘puggy’ sorts of maps. They’re often the most commonly played maps on Deathmatch and Headshot servers (especially with players and orgs from the CIS region) and are the picks in the pool that allow for aggressive duel-taking and daring peaks, be it with AWP or rifle.
However, Overpass is a lot less like those maps and places far more emphasis on strong utility knowledge, time management, and precise strategic movements. Be it the T or CT side, every round on Overpass brings with it the possibility of drawn-out fakes and rotations, highlighting the need for good communication and a proper understanding of map knowledge.
It’s perhaps understandable why Overpass doesn’t have the number of picks as a Dust II or Mirage, however, history has shown that, for those sides who decide to have the map as their specialist pick, the results can be extremely lucrative. The Swedes of Fnatic and Ninjas in Pyjamas averaged a win percentage of over 60% on the map between 2019 and 2020, and Team Vitality are hovering at over 75% throughout their entire history as an org at the time of writing.
The Perfect Competitive Map
Not only is Overpass visually impressive and technically ambitious, but it is also a map that delivers some of the most captivating matches for the community to digest. The skill ceiling is exceptionally high, and the stratbook is still reasonably untapped by most orgs at the top table of the competitive scene. Offering a good balance for either side, it’s high time Overpass got more love from the Counter-Strike community.
