Team Fortress 2

"Multiplayer for the selfless"

The original Team Fortress was originally released as an alternative to the unplayable pile of you know what that was Half-Life Death Match. Well, the sequel is here and as part of the Orange Box. It is essentially the same TF you know and love, with a few minor additions.

The most obvious difference is the graphics. I wasn't sure how well the Source Engine would portray the Cell Shaded style. The engine does a fantastic job. The game really pulls of the unique style. It looks a little silly, but thats fitting. This game is designed to be far more over the top than a game like, say, Counter Strike Source. The environments are the same as it would be in any old source powered game. The character models are the main difference. Also, the maps all look terrific. The blood is extremely gory and unrealistic, but it's fun to look at.

The sound is great. It gets most of this from the hilarity of the characters. Every class has it's own little saying and it's is extremely fun to listen to. The gunshots sound terrific, as do any other weapon noises like the flamethrower, needle gun, and any explosive weaponry. The only annoying part of the sound is the female narrator. Her voice is so frequent and annoying that it really wore on my nerves on a while. I understand that that's kind of nit-picky, but it will certainly annoy you as well. You'll see.

As this is multiplayer game there is no story, so I get to skip this section. I'm terrible at explaining plots.

Anyway, the core game play is the same as every online shooter you've ever played. It's ridiculously fast paced and in no way portrays an actual gunfight, just like all online shooters. There are a few key differences though. First, is the class mechanic. Unlike in the original TF, you can't win by just stacking your team with heavys and snipers. The classes have been perfectly modified so that they have strengths and weaknesses. Of course, you do have to have a balance team. You won't win a single round with a team full of medics. Second, this game feels extremely team oriented. Most online games (I'm looking at you Counter Strike Source) promote personal achievements and accomplishments. Who can get the most kills and stuff like this. While TF2 does keep track of your stats, the game promotes the accomplishment of team goals. Teamwork is key in this game. The game does a great job of portraying this and making you want to work together, which I attribute to the class mechanic. However, selfish players caring only about personal stats may be put off. There is a good list of maps, but not much variety in terms of game types. There's Capture the Flag, and Control Point. Thats it.

So, TF2 is definitely a quality online shooter. While it has a lack of games and may not appeal to everyone, most people will find this game very addictive and fun to play.

I give it 8 "aww why do I have to be the medic"...out of 10.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/26/08, Updated 02/27/08