I completley agree with Sonic here. I haven't had much time to play, but the game is just amazing. The AI is just unbeleivable with some of the tactics they'll use against you... and the hostages in CS:S aren't retarded either! My textures look amazing, as well as the rest of the game. It also runs extremely well on my computer, which is a pleasant suprise. The physics are not a novelty either, yes they do make me scream like a little girl when I shoot a barrel in a field of barrels and watch them disperse everywhere causing a feild of destruction to overwhelm everything in sight. Or when I shoot an enemy and he falls in the water, sinks a bit and floats back up, but it plays an important role in the game. I don't see how I'd ever get tired of the physics in that game, I;ve been having wet dreams about CS:S for months just becuase of those physics. It should be a standard by now, and I'd love to see it more often. The animations are beautiful too, sometimes I just look around watching the npc's do what they do. I loved how smoothly DOG would run around in the yard, and throw those large objects around. It's just great.
As for the story, it's very mysterious right now, but that doesn't mean it's not there. Some of the best storylines keep you confused or wondering what the hell is going on, until the very end, or some inevitable mind-boggling twist. This is without a doubt the best shooter I've played ever, and CS:S comes in a close second.