Team Fortress 2

"Underneath the silly exterior is the cleverest FPS game you've ever played."

Introduction

I'm just going to say it outright: this is the best multiplayer FPS to date. I really wanted to avoid dramatic review clichés, but I couldn't figure out a way to get my point across another way, so there you have it: I haven't had this much fun playing a shooter since Goldeneye came out for the N64. And that's the key word here: fun.

Now if you're anything like me, you'll probably feel unimpressed with the word 'fun'. In the standard videogame lexicon, 'fun' generally translates to something like 'shallow and gimmicky, something to laugh over and forget about'. Not something for us serious gamers, eh chaps? After all, they said Wii Sports was 'fun'. Well it was...for about five minutes. And it's easy to take one look at Team Fortress 2 and think that people are just getting far too carried away with a bit of cell shading.

But don't be frightened boys and girls - fun has a totally different explanation in Team Fortress 2. This is smart gaming without the convoluted pretentiousness that commonly alienates casual gamers from seasoned ones. It's simple gaming without being one-dimensional and easy. Beginners can join in without feeling like they're shooting BB-pellets at freight trains, and veterans won't feel that their carefully-honed skills are wasted on a game that caters to idiots. TF2 is so superbly balanced that it gives everyone a chance to play without sacrificing the potential to be really good at it.

But it's not just a demonstration of balance: TF2 is innovative in a way that simply makes sense. Enough said for now, let's break it down:

Overview

Before explaining the individual features of the game, I suppose it's necessary to give a general idea of what TF2 is. So here goes: Online Multiplayer team-battle Shooter set in a 1950's Pixar universe not unlike that of The Incredibles...ish. That's how I'd describe this game. The gameplay adopts some traditional gameplay goals, such as 'capture the flag', but also adds a few of its own. Ultimately though, the game revolves around team play. More on this in the Gameplay section.

Graphics: 10/10 - "All o' ya are dandies, prancin' about with your heads full of eyeballs!"

This is the most instantly recognisable trait of TF2, so I thought I'd get it out the way first. Instead of the traditional formula taken by most - i.e. improving textures of 'realistic' art styles - Valve has taken a huge risk and opted for a styiistic, 'cartoon' approach. The characters look like caricatures pulled straight out of 1950's poster advertisements, the weapons resemble musical instruments made out of scrap metal, and the environments are bouncy and slightly absurd. In short, the game is absolutely stunning to look at. Colours are bright and simple, shapes are chunky, detail is subtle.

However, instead of an overwhelming visual diarrhea of flourescent colours and crude shapes that you might expect from my description, Valve has managed this risky approach with a great deal of forethought. For example, you can tell simply by the size and shape of your opponent what you're dealing with: bigger characters have more health, but are slower. This does away with the need for health bars and arbitrary numbers that clutter the screen.

The overall impression is just of total class. It's tastefully done and with an excellent sense of humour. What's more is you wont need a horribly expensive computer to run this game.

Gameplay: 10/10 - "You are so small! It's funny to me!"

The mechanics of TF2 is so unique that's it's amazing alone that they managed to balance it at all. The secret to the way this game allows hardcore gamers and newbies to play alongside is the limited abilities of the different classes. There is no be-all-end-all option in this game. You can be the world's greatest scout but you're still going to resemble a cheesegrater if you try and take on a sentry gun. A Heavy's head is just as soft as any other, and easy prey for even the most amateur of Snipers. And you can be James freakin' Bond but if you get in the way of a Pyro's flamethrower then your last disguise will be Guy Fawkes.

It's probably worth explaining the classes a little before I go any further. There are 9 different "types" of character in the game: Scout, Spy, Demoman, Sniper, Heavy, Medic, Engineer, Soldier, and Pyro. Each has his own unique weapons, health and speed, and each is very easy to identify both physically and characteristically.

The point here is that every class has very obvious strengths and weaknesses, and clear roles to play. Some classes are better suited for defense or support roles, whilst others are at home on the front lines. Some classes are harder to master than others, whilst some are easy to use from the get-go.

The result is that when it comes to victory, you're only as good as your team. At the same time, even if you have some hopeless idiots playing for your side, all is not lost. It doesn't take a degree in theoretical mathematics to be a Medic or a Pyro, for example.

Two very unique classes specifically worth mentioning are the Spy and Engineer. I doubt you'll ever have played an FPS quite like you will with these two classes. Being a Spy means infiltrating enemy lines and posing as their team members. It means using your brain rather than quick reactions, and it's arguably the hardest class to use. It's also very satisfying: nothing like stabbing someone in the back for an instant death, or destroying an Engineer's sentry gun that's been hassling your team members.

The Engineer is relatively slow, quite weak and has poor weaponry. He makes up for all of this with his ability to create buildings. The engineer is the backbone of the team, providing a makeshift fortress where you can get supplies, restock your health, teleport into battle or seek safety behind his terrifying sentry gun. Nothing quite like watching a scout leap into your midst before the sentry gun calmly plucks him out of the sky.

The stress on team play in this game encourages player interaction, and makes for a fun, interactive experience. You'll often hear people organising strategies over their microphones or otherwise screaming warnings of spies and incoming assaults.

Something quickly worth mentioning is the sneaky way that Valve has implemented freeze-cam shots of whoever last killed you, along with the "nemesis/dominating" status of anyone who's either killed you several times in a row or vice versa. This allows you to remember the more important targets, and form rivalries with certain players. There are few things more satisfying that getting revenge on someone who killed you five times in a row (the game will point this out too).

Sound: 10/10 - "Here's something you shoulda built: a not dyin' machine."

No complaints here: Fantastic voice acting, 'chunky' sound effects. A great part of this game is how many different lines you'll hear depending on the situation. The quote on the subtitle is what a Scout may say if he kills an Engineer, for example. Aside from being funny and well-acted, they add a wealth of character to each class, not to mention a level of immersion often left out in multiplayer games. In TF2 you won't feel like the only human being surrounded by animated corpses or mutes, because you'll always hear your team members screaming appropriate responses to the situation. It also helps you understand what's going on. Spy sappin mah sentry!

Character: 10/10 - "I'm going to gut you like a Cornish game hen."

Not a category you'd usually find in a game review, but this one deserves it. There's an unmistakable charm about TF2. It's all so ridiculously over-the-top that you can't help but smile at it. The dialogue is often hilarious, the combat is a riot, the characters are distinct and interesting. You'll have never played a game quite like it.

Valve: 10/10 - "Entire team is babies!"

Another category you wouldn't often find in a games review, but all the same - Valve deserves a standing ovation for its attention to customer feedback, as well as its sense of humour. Great to see a company that actually listens to and acts on customer advice rather than telling us what we want to see. I'm looking at you, Bethesda. >:|

Point is, if there's a problem with this game, Valve will fix it. So even though there are a few small issues (not everyone is satisfied with the current system of collecting special weapons, for example), you can bet that Valve are paying close attention.

Final Comments

For a game this good to have a sense of humour about itself is really special. Somehow you never get the impression that Valve take themselves very seriously. But they take their games seriously, and they've created a brilliant one. Team Fortress 2 provides an incredibly dynamic and engaging multiplayer experience, complete with a refreshing art style and plenty of bad-taste humour. And If you're wondering why I gave this a 9 rather than a 10, it's only because Valve haven't yet included an update that provides a back massage from an Australian bikini model. Watch this space.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/26/09

Game Release: Team Fortress 2 (US, 10/09/07)