Team Fortress Classic

"An excellent, fun translation from the original"

Back in the day where gameplay meant more than graphics, FPS cheaters were few and far between (and were considered comical), and gamers were less main-stream, a game called Team Fortress was created for the Quake 1 engine. This game was incredibly fun and developed over time to suit the wants of the players. Surprisingly, a fairly good balance was struck between all the classes and this, combined with the sheer fun of the game is what spawned Team Fortress Classic for the Half-Life engine.

Background

Generally, Team Fortress Classic is a game of Capture the Flag where instead of a slew of weapons, ammo and health pickups, there are different classes that have different inherent weapons and abilities. Snipers can kill any character with 1 shot if charged (and with a headshot against a HWguy), and engineers can build a turret to help in defense. There are other gameplay modes as well, such as Hunted, where one group attempts to assassinate a VIP, while another attempts to guard him. This game is multiplayer only, so don’t try it out if you are looking for a good single player experience.

Graphics: 7/10

The graphics in the game are blocky and generally poor. Still, the lack of graphics don’t detract from the gameplay in any way. Valve released a set of newer character models after the old ones, which are better detailed, however the problem with graphics isn’t with the characters, only with the weapon effects and actual environment.

Sound: 7/10

Sound is extremely important in an FPS, and knowing where enemy footsteps are coming from, and what weapon they are using is extremely helpful in all situations. TFC allows this, but the actual quality of the sound effects is rather dull. There is no music in the game, however, it would probably detract from the more competitive experience.

Gameplay: 9/10

TFC has a total of 10 different classes (9 are usually playable), and somehow, the creators have managed to maintain an almost perfect balance between all of them. Certain characters have special grenades, weapons or abilities that can only be used by that character, which make them more powerful or versatile than others in the field. Some classes are better on offense, while other are more suited to defense, however, there are no hard and fast rules. You can play how you like and so long as you help your team out, you’ve done your job.

The only real gripe I have with the gameplay is that I feel the Soldier is too powerful. Their high health and armour, excellent nail-grenade for taking out defensive turrets, combined with the ability to rocket jump and juggle enemies in the air with rockets makes them almost unstoppable in the right hands. Of the best players in TFC, most play as Soldiers, and I feel the Soldier class needs toning down.

Replayability: 9/10

This game has lasted for quite a few years, and I hope it lasts quite a few more. I have had a lot of fun playing various games with many different people, and even on the same maps the game continues to be fresh. The game has always stayed fun, and has a diverse enough set of official maps to keep most happy for a while (with thousands of third party maps created)

Conclusion: 9/10

This is an excellent, free mod for Half-life, which you should already have installed if you’re playing Half-life on-line. I highly suggest you give it a try if you haven’t done so already, and I hope you find the experience as worthwhile as I did.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/31/03, Updated 07/31/03