Team Fortress 2 Review

[Hellgawd]

At a Glance

Team Fortress Two (Often referred to, even in this article, as 'TF2') is neither a sleeper-hit blockbuster, but nor is it the Game of the Year. However, it is a top of the line game that YOU need to play.
This game was originally available as a 'Free Addition' to the Orange Box - an idea conceived for the benefit of console gamers that craved Half-Life 2, as well as Episode 1 and 2, in a next generation format for the Xbox 360 and PS3. The Orange Box was also offered to PC gamers as well. The Orange Box's original focus was, again, for the Half-Life 2 series. But, the two additional addon games, Portal and TF2, proved to be the real winners.
Team Fortress Two is a Multiplayer-only online FPS game for PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3.
Featuring nine distinct playable classes (Outlined in a list later in this article.) and 6 playable maps / game modes for the console versions, with more promised by Valve as downloadable content packages, and an unlimited array of custom and official maps and game modes on the PC via the Steam sharing system, this game will never get old. The variety of game modes on the PC is endless, but since the computer version of the game offers so much customizable variable options, we will focus on the console versions of the game simply so we can cover the game in a concise article.

General

Game: Team Fortress Two
Genre: First Person Shooter
Developer: Valve


Pc system requirements

• OS: Windows 2000/XP/ME/98/Vista
• Processor: Any 2.4 GHz Processor
• Memory:
  
  • Minimum: 256 mb RAM
  • Recommended: 512 mb RAM
  • Performance: 2gb RAM
  
  
• Video:
  
  
  • Minimum: DirectX 7 Compatible Graphics Card
    
  • Recommended: 256mb DirectX9 Compatible Graphics Card
  • Performance: Radeon X800 or Geforce 6800
  
  
• Sound: Any DirectX-compatible sound card

Mac system requirements

• Macintosh systems are not compatible with Team Fortress Two as of this date.
  

Also available on:

• Xbox 360 (Reviewed in this Article.)
  
• Playstation 3
  

Ratings






Graphics

If you are using the consoles, you will always experience a great, high definition experience while playing. The textures are perfect, all of the edges are smooth, and explosions are perfect down to the most minuscule flying pebble. However, to replicate this same effect on a PC, you will need a very, VERY powerful computer. Even the 'Performance' specifications outlaid in this article won't recapture the 'perfect' brilliance of Team Fortress Two's graphics. There is one more thing that stands out about TF2's visuals - it's all in a cartoon style! As seen in the Screenshots (look below) TF2 uses a very unique 3d cartoon graphic system, that runs on the Source engine (Also known for games such as Counter Strike Source, or Half Life 2). Although it is cartoonish, the realism in the buildings, the dirt, explosions, and even the fire - it's just shell shocking. These graphics blew me away a year ago when I first purchased the game, and still blow me away now, when I go to play with a few friends.


Sound

Once again, Team Fortress Two gets perfect marks. The sound quality in TF2 is just amazing. If you join a completely empty match, and just sit around on top of a building, you can hear the distant birds chirp, and the quiet swirls of wind echoing throughout the air. In the midst of a hefty fight? You hear the Heavy's minigun rounds clang against the metal capture point, the dusty earth, and the solid wood. Every single angle of contact with every possible object has it's own beautiful sound. The voice acting is another point of excellence. Each class has a 'Taunt' for every weapon. Alongside these taunts come beautifully designed and well performed voice clips, that add to the perfection of the game. From the gas-mask muted Pyro to the French spy, everything comes together in perfect splendor.


Gameplay
The game modes themselves are built into the maps themselves - for example, the '2fort' map is a classic style of Capture the Flag, with a red and a blue base that are exactly symmetrical of each other, offering an equal playing field that mimics the classic style of CTF styled game play.
The other favorite map is known as 'Dustbowl', and is an Attack and Defend map. In total there are 6 Capture Points, divided into 3 phases of 2 points. Set in a classic mining dusty trench, filled with rotten old buildings and crudely dug caves, this map proves to be one of the reasons why this game was such a great hit. The Blue team starts off at the far end of the map, and is tasked with capturing all of the Capture Points to win the game. The Red Team has to defend the Capture Points until the set time limit runs out (A maximum of 20 minutes per Capture Point, leading to a total of 120 minutes MAXIMUM.)
The other game modes of play included are also very unique, but we will only go into them briefly here. 'Territorial Control' is based on small phases much like the Attack/Defend mode, except both teams must attack the enemies control point and capture it while defending their own. The 'Control Points' mode follows along the same step, except there are only 5 control points, and no phases. 2 for blue, 2 for red, and one central. It is a heart thrilling race to capture the central point while still defending your own 2 points to prevent a loss of the game.
The unique character classes included in Team Fortress Two must be some of the best designs and concepts ever created in an FPS - after all, Team Fortress Two was undergoing Balancing tests in the Valve developing laboratories for 11 straight years! Here is a quick rundown on the character classes.

OFFENSIVE CLASSES

• The Scout is a 1.5 speed, half health, mongrel that is armed with a small 'Scattergun', a weak but accurate pistol, and a deadly baseball bat. He also captures control points twice as fast, giving him the unique edge for the talented player.
• The Soldier is a 0.8 speed, 1.5 health, brute that is armed with a deadly rocket launcher. (Rocket jumps are a unique trick, but at the expense of your own health.) He is also equipped with a basic shotgun, and a utility shovel. The shovel is very slow hitting, but one good hit in the back of the head and your enemy is down!
• The Pyro is a standard speed and health class, equipped with a flamethrower as it's primary weapon. He also carries a valuable shotgun as his secondary, and a surprisingly useless and weak axe as his melee. The Pyro 's flames will stick to an enemy, often burning him to death long after you are gone if not removed by a medic.

DEFENSIVE CLASSES

• The Demoman is a highly situational character class. His primary is a pipe bomb launcher, which usually comes in handy in the oddest times. His secondary weapon is the most often used - a sticky bomb launcher, capable of shooting thousands of feet if charged up long enough. The sticky bombs will also stack, allowing you to have up to 8 of them placed at one time. Perfect for traps, flag protection, or capture point protection! The final weapon is a melee weapon, and it is a ... whiskey bottle? This almost never comes in handy, unless it is randomly swinging it hoping to hit a invisible spy.
• The Engineer is a very popular class. The engineer's primary weapon is a very useful shotgun, and his secondary is an accurate pistol, similar to the Scout's. The melee weapon is a wrench, that is not only very strong but also will repair your buildings. Wait. BUILDINGS? Yes, at the cost of metal (Picked up from dead enemies or supply kits laying around maps) you can build upgradeable sentry guns, health and metal dispensers, and even teleportation devices for you and your teammates.
• The Heavy is a half speed, double health goliath. Double the size of an average class, this beast of a character carries around a massive minigun that can unload thousands of ammo within seconds. Equipped secondly with a shotgun and even switches to his own fists in the odd pinch - the Heavy is a very strong class that takes some getting used to, but when used correctly can be very powerful at both defense or offense.

SUPPORTIVE CLASSES

• The Medic is a trenchcoat wearing menace. Equipped primarily with a useless needlegun, this will do almost no damage to your enemies, although even it comes in handy sometimes. The secondary weapon is a Medigun, the main existance of which a medic relies on. This will heal any team mate you use it on, and after a lengthy usage will enable a 'Ubercharge' that makes both the medic and the medic's targeted teammate invincible for around 10 seconds.
• The Spy is a very special class in Team Fortress Two. It's primary weapon is an extremely accurate revolver, and the spies secondary weapon is a butterfly knife. Whenever the spy is located behind an enemy unit, he can use his knife for an instant kill backstab technique. As well, the spy can lay a 'Sapper' on enemy engineered buildings, causing them to malfunction and slowly self - destruct if not repaired by an engineer immediately. The spy also has the ability to disguise himself as an enemy player, and can even go invisible for around 20 - 30 seconds.
• The Sniper is a simple but popular class. Primarily equipped with a sniper rifle (what else?) and secondly equipped with a submachine gun for the close encounters. The Sniper's melee knife is extremely long, and thus is very powerful. Great for randomly swinging, hoping to hit an invisible spy.

Screenshots
(Screenshots Resized To Fit Page)




Complete 'Engineer' chaos near the end of Dustbowl's Phase 2.


The Heavy, The Soldier, and The Medic, lined up for a portrait shot.


The Soldier doing a 'Rocket Jump' on 2fort.


My Decision:

Overall, Team Fortress Two is an excellent game. It has personally held me interest for over a year now, and I still play it DAILY. It's replay ability, even on the consoles that are extremely limited with downloadable content (We still have not recieved any bonus maps, though Valve is still promising!) is amazing. Different tactics and strategies are required on every playthrough. I have to give this game full ratings in every way, and I have to suggest it to you.
Result: 'Must Purchase' Game

[Vindicated]

A tad overrated, I think a 8.5/10 would be a much better rating.

[Hellgawd]

Indeed, but that would be your review.
I gave this game full marks because it has presented itself with great precision and quality 2 years ago, and yet, it still keeps kicking and getting stronger.

[Saaen]

I too believe that this deserves the solid 10, tf2 is a awesome game, when it came out in the orange box, people were mostly looking at Half Life 2, but team fortress 2 proved to be an awesome game full of Win!

[Obama]

TF2. A damn good game.

[Notahax]

In my opinion, the game is very fun at first, but gets very receptivity and boring because the game really lacks content of new maps

[Sonic Waffle]

Fantastic game imo!

[Sprackle]

bleh, s'alright

[Mewhywhy]

Awsome game playing it my self its fun to play when ur drunk or having some lan

[Piersd]

great game! love the graphics, the style and the gameplay. but it does get a little boring after a while (i guess everything does lol)

[Come Undone]

It's an okey game with good sound and graphics, but there are other games that have far more replayability than this FPS.

Take Fallout for example, if you ever played it, you played it more than one time

[ReidE96]

-Graphics are great to look at, and a refreshing change from the usual LOOK, I'M SO REALISTIC! you always get.
-Music is fitting, the taunts can be quite amusing too.
-Multiplayer never gets old, especially when you know others with it and play against folk of your level.
-For such a good game, it's really cheap. And <3 the Free TF2 Weekends

Perfect 10 IMO.

[Opirity1]

****ING EPIC GAME , i would love to have this game on my STEAM ACCOUNT!!!


i love cartoon graphics game ,

[Errage]

I haven't played the game personally, but for the people commenting on the fact that a solid '10' isn't right, he's reviewing the game with his own preferences, of course it's gonna be at least a bit biased.

[Gastricpenguin]

Cartoony graphics aside, this game is very addictive. Hours of fun, for a low cost.