Team Fortress 2
[ All ] [ Linux ] [ Macintosh ] [ Windows ]
Critic Reviews 90% add missing review
GameSpy ( )
Not since the 2002 release of Battlefield 1942 has a multiplayer game stormed the GameSpy offices like Team Fortress 2. Maybe it's the new cartoon-like art style, or the tight maps that keep the action humming along, or maybe it's just been too long since we've had a proper successor to Team Fortress Classic. Whatever the case, Team Fortress 2 has a near-perfect blend of fast action combined with depth and variety that will keep it in heavy rotation around here for a long time to come.
Oct 10th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewGaming since 198x (5 out of 5)
Malgré un manque évident en maps, force est de constater que le fun est bel et bien présent et que le jeu est agréable à l'oeil. Si certaines classes demandent un apprentissage un peu plus long que d'autres, aucune n'exige d'y passer douze heures avant de commencer à en saisir toutes les subtilités. Le gameplay sans faille, l'humour omniprésent et la mécanique bien rodée permettent au joueur occasionnel comme au hardcore de s'éclater, et c'est bien là l'essentiel. Si vous préférez les titres plus techniques au gameplay riche et élaboré, vous regarderez probablement plus du côté de Quake Wars, mais il serait dommage de bouder une bonne grosse partie de Team Fortress 2 de temps à autres tellement il est difficile de s'y ennuyer. Surtout à ce prix...
Dec 28th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewCheat Code Central (4.8 out of 5)
The controls are excellent, regardless of which character you are controlling. They are tight, accurate, and context sensitive. The voiceovers are extremely well done, bringing each character's quirkiness to life. There isn't a lot of in-game music, but there's so much action and sound effects going off you won't miss it. When it does kick it, it just sounds that much better. Team Fortress 2 is a must-buy. It's the most fun you'll have being shot at in a long time.
Apr 2008 · Windows · read reviewYouGamers (96 out of 100)
When the biggest flaw of the game is that it gets a bit repetitive after the first hundred or so hours of play, you know you have something special. Definitely a classic, at least among those who just want mindless fun instead of the more skill-intensive action provided by something like Counter-Strike: Source.
Oct 11th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewV2.fi (93 out of 100)
Kokonaisuutena Team Fortress 2 on kiinnostavin verkkomoninpeli pitkään aikaan. Se on harkittu, tyylikäs ja hallitussa kaaoksessaan tuottaa tilanteita, jotka aidosti pakottavat nauramaan. Aiemmin mainitun yksinkertaistuksen lisäksi pientä kritiikkiä voi kohdistaa kalma-ajastimeen (spawn timer), joka hidastaa välillä harmillisesti pelin virtausta. Nämä ovat kuitenkin varsin pieniä varjoja paratiisissa. Team Fortress 2:n odotusaika on ollut pitkä, mutta lopputuloksen valossa kehityskaari on ollut oikeutettu. TF2 on lähes loputon lähde kertomuksille yllättävistä tapahtumasarjoista, nurin kääntyneestä sotaonnesta ja puhtaasta pitelemättömästä sekasorrosta. Kun näillä kertomuksilla haluaa piinata asiasta mitään tietämättömiä kanssaihmisiään, on selvää, että pelissä on tehty jotain oikein.
Oct 17th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewGameZone (9.2 out of 10)
In the end, Team Fortress 2 is a highly polished work of art with so many unique characteristics that it’s easy for it to stand out as one of the best available. From the maps, to the weapons, to the characters it shines like a bright gem. If you love multiplayer gameplay, go get this game; if you love simgleplayer as well then go buy the Orange Box which includes 3 full games for the same price as one.
Jun 2nd, 2008 · Windows · read reviewGameStar (Germany) (92 out of 100)
(Checkup) In der jetzigen Form dürfte Team Fortress 2 in etwa dreimal so umfangreich sein wie noch bei der Erstveröffentlichung vor knapp vier Jahren. Dass der Titel inzwischen kostenlos über Steam zu beziehen ist, tut meiner Begeisterung überdies keinen Abbruch. Im Gegenteil: mehr Teilnehmer gleich mehr Server gleich mehr Auswahl gleich mehr Spaß. Selbst wenn Sie nichts kaufen, gefundene Gegenstände ignorieren und nicht craften, sondern einfach nur wie ich spielen wollen.
Jul 11th, 2011 · Windows · read reviewGameStar (Germany) (91 out of 100)
(Checkup) Notiz an mich: unbedingt einen Hut kaufen, damit ich ihn vor Valve ziehen kann! Die bisherigen Neuerungen für Team Fortress 2 sind nämlich allesamt großartig und machen ein fantastisches Spiel noch fantastischer. Die neuen Waffen fügen sich prima ein und motivieren, Jagd auf die Errungenschaften zu machen. Der Arena-Modus spielt sich ungeheuer fetzig. Jetzt fehlen nur noch mehr Karten für den CTF-Modus und neue Waffen für meinen Soldier, dann hat das Spiel für mich die Perfektion erreicht.
May 2009 · WindowsGameplay (Benelux) (91 out of 100)
Het is even wachten, maar dan heb je ook wat. Volop variatie en soepele gameplay in een geweldig gestileerd jasje.
Oct 25th, 2007 · WindowsPlayDevil ( )
"Team Fortress 2" is a wonderful achievement from Valve. It may be short on content, but the promise of new, regular, free maps is excellent, and the gameplay and visual style is just so fantastic that the whole game is a joy to play, and is frankly a surprise hit as part of the 'Orange Box'. TF2 probably won't be the first game you try in the Orange Box, but it may well be the best game in there!
Jan 11th, 2008 · Windows · read reviewAvid Gamer (9 out of 10)
Even if team based FPS’s aren’t your thing, Team Fortress 2 is still worth the look. For fans on the original it may not be the game it was, but its extravagance is extremely difficult to ignore. If you’re into multiplayer games then this is a highly recommended title. Being an online title it can only get better which is fantastic news for a brilliant game.
Dec 14th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewEurogamer.net (UK) (9 out of 10)
In contrast with other, less accessible team-based FPS games, TF2's clever concoction of classes, artistic choices and relationship trackers help you establish effective attack and defence routines almost without the need for voice communication (although it, and finger-bending voice-command menus, are present). The good thing about that instinctive adaptation is that it allows you to slot onto public servers without feeling self-conscious, but the further you progress the more likely you are to experiment with tougher classes, and the more strategic depth you uncover. The victor, in every situation, is simply the team who adapted best first. Where we perhaps expected baffling complexity, instead we've got a game that rewards mental agility, but doesn't struggle to cultivate it.
Oct 10th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewGameDaily (9 out of 10)
Despite a few rough edges, the crazy style and fast paced action are more than enough to keep the fun and excitement going. Despite its flaws, Team Fortress 2 is one of the best multiplayer games around.
Oct 12th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewGameStar (Germany) (90 out of 100)
Team Fortress 2 ist so fantastisch, dass ich stets vor Freude doppelspringen möchte, wenn ich darüber erzähle. Es ist witzig, wo andere Multiplayer-Spiele bierernst sind, es ist überzeichnet, wo andere Multiplayer-Spiele grau, grün und militärisch sind. Und es ist so verflixt schlau! Die Klassen sind schlau designt, die Level sind es. Und die Spieler sind es woeiso. Team Fortress 2 ist nicht nur ein würdiger Nachfolger meines Lieblings TFC, Team Fortress 2 macht die Online-Shooter-Welt zu einer besseren, weil bunteren.
Oct 31st, 2007 · WindowsUOL Jogos ( )
Ao lado da modalidade multiplayer de "Halo 3", "Team Fortress 2" é a melhor opção para os amantes de jogos de tiro online da temporada. Sua nova roupagem cartunizada prova que o gênero não precisa se limitar ao realismo e à temática militar para impressionar. A diversão é praticamente ilimitada, mesmo que o jogo não disponha de muitas modalidades. Os cenários bem elaborados aliados às diferentes classes de personagens permitem que você descubra novas táticas de combate a cada rodada. Não tenha dúvidas, "Team Fortress 2" é o remédio ideal para matar o tédio.
Oct 26th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewGame Kudos (9 out of 10)
If you have a PC, then there's no excuse; you need this game. Everything works together incredibly well, creating a package that trumpets fun and creativity over the beige, boring shooters of gaming's modern age. It's simple, yet ingeniosly so: you're given a gun and some ammunition, and you're off. Everything seems to melt together, combining super smooth visuals with hillarious audio and incredibly entertaining gameplay to create a package that is just about as near to perfection as you can get. If you're jonesing for some multiplayer action, then look no further, because you've found the best on offer.
May 14th, 2010 · Windows · read reviewCanardPC (9 out of 10)
Beau sans être gourmand, varié et tactique sans être compliqué, Team Fortress 2 est une réussite totale, qui plus est à prix réduit. Certes, ce n'est qu'un shoot réseau avec un gameplay classique, mais tout est tellement bien pensé et peaufiné qu'il y a de quoi s'amuser des heures à explorer toutes les techniques vicelardes offertes par neuf classes très différentes et bien équilibrées. Pendant que les autres shoots 3D se lancent dans la surenchère de polygones, d’armes et de véhicules, les développeurs de TF2 se sont concentrés sur le plaisir brut du frag et la profondeur de jeu. Ça paye.
Oct 1st, 2007 · Windows · read reviewGames TM (9 out of 10)
[Online review] That Team Fortress 2 is gorgeously presented, incredibly witty and already in possession of a dedicated (not to mention mod-obsessed) community, only adds to the game's central charms. As with every other title in The Orange Box, Team Fortress 2 is an absolute delight - a reminder that not all software companies exist solely to make a quick buck. The irony is, of course, that as a result of putting so much time, love and care into this project, Valve will reap far greater rewards than the majority of money-grabbing publishers could ever hope for.
Nov 29th, 2007 · WindowsGamernode (9 out of 10)
The "finished" TF2 is finally in our hands and it definitely held up to its years of development. The action is fast-paced and furious, the game's presentation is hilarious and exciting and the gameplay is very easily approachable. Experiment with a few classes or stick with one, but do anything to get your hands on TF2. It'll be an online experience you won't forget.
Oct 16th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewPelit (89 out of 100)
Team Fortress 2 on komea, turbovauhdilla jytäävä tiimiräiskintä, jossa siniset ja punaiset taistelevat ja kuolevat abstraktien päämäärien puolesta.
Nov 2007 · WindowsGamigo (8.9 out of 10)
Team Fortress 2 ist ein richtig guter Multiplayer-Shooter. Die Klassenauswahl samt ihrer Fähigkeiten, die coole Grafik und der Humor machen Team Fortress 2 einzigartig im Bereich der Multiplayer-Action. Allerdings hat das Spiel auch einen kleinen Haken. Denn nicht nur das es nur sechs Maps gibt, die man nach ein oder zwei Abenden alle gut kennt, sind auch die Spielmodi ein wenig eingeschränkt. Hier kann man nur hoffen, dass bald die kreativen Fans neues Futter heranschaffen. Ein Wort noch zur Zensur. Natürlich hat diese auch hier gegriffen, im Gegensatz zum Hauptprogramm fällt sie hier aber wirklich nicht ins Gewicht. Die übertriebenen Blutfontänen passen eigentlich gar nicht zu dem "putzigen" Spielgeschehen. In der deutschen Version fliegen Sprungfedern und andere metallische Gegenstände vom sterbenden Charakter. Klar, angenehmer wäre es, wenn man als erwachsener Zocker auch hier die Wahl hätte, im Gegensatz zu Episode 2 kann man hier aber locker mit dieser Art der Zensur leben.
Oct 14th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewIGN (8.9 out of 10)
Team Fortress 2 is finally available, and it's one hell of a game. With its powerful artistic style and blazingly quick, yet accessible gameplay, it's enough to melt the icy cynicism imprisoning the hearts of even the most jaded among us. That being said, it's not the most complex shooter out there, and lacks bot support for now. Still, the game's got enough to it to last for a long while, and there's a statistics system built into Steam to help keep track of everything. Buy it, load it up and let loose. It's near-impossible to be disappointed.
Oct 9th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewPC Action (Germany) (88 out of 100)
Dieser bemerkenswerte Titel ist nicht nur quietschbunt, sondern auch schräg – und darauf stehe ich total. Was mich weniger antörnt: das dünne Kartenpaket und dass die von der Klassenvielfalt suggerierte Spieltiefe gerade auf öffentlichen Servern kaum spürbar ist. Immerhin finden sich so auch Einsteiger schnell zurecht. Das farbenfrohe Spektakel wird mich mit Sicherheit noch monatelang an den Bildschirm fesseln – vor allem, weil die Fangemeinde derzeit schon fleißig Kartennachschub produziert.
Nov 2007 · Windows4Players.de (88 out of 100)
Als Team Fortress 2 damals im Comic-Stil angekündigt wurde, runzelte man die Stirn und frage sich: „Kann das gehen?“. Oh ja! Und wie! Die schnellen und kompromisslos auf die Stärken und Schwächen der Klassen ausgelegten Matches, machen im überzeichneten Cartoon-Look eine erstaunlich gute Figur und versprühen Charme wie lange kein Shooter mehr. Zuerst ist die Optik ungewohnt und gewagt, schon allein da sie ab und an zum Schmunzeln anregt und sich selbst nicht ernst nimmt. Gekämpft wird derweil auf sechs gut gestalteten Karten in drei Spielmodi, wobei die Kartenzahl recht mager ist. Dafür entschädigen zumindest die reichhaltigen Einsatzmöglichkeiten der Protagonisten, da jede Klasse irgendwie sinnvoll ist, wenn auch die Selbstschussanlagen für meinen Geschmack etwas zu stark sind, ansonsten ist die Balance vorbildlich. Der Einstieg fällt ebenfalls viel leichter als bei den Genre-Kollegen und dies obwohl Teamplay gefragt, gefördert und belohnt wird.
Oct 15th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewGameSpot (8.5 out of 10)
Valve has done a fantastic job creating and balancing the maps, classes, and other game elements that are within their control. Still, Team Fortress 2 is a purely multiplayer game and, as such, lives and dies by the team. Most of the time you'll find yourself well matched, but the inherent uncertainty of the game can make for some vexing sessions. Your best move is to seek out friends and servers that are least likely to yield such sessions, and then enjoy the fertile battlegrounds that Team Fortress 2 so expertly cultivates. You'd be remiss not to reap this harvest.
May 2nd, 2008 · Windows · read reviewPC Games (Germany) (84 out of 100)
Counter-Strike hab ich so verbissen gespielt, bis man mich von Servern bannte - in dem Glauben, ich würde cheaten. Klingt arrogant, stimmt aber. Und damit klingt's noch arroganter. Ich hör jetzt auf. Bei Team Fortress 2 wird mir das jedenfalls nicht passieren. Erstens bin ich nicht gut genug und zweitens das Spiel auch nicht. Aber es reißt mich gerade so stark mit, dass ich viele Monate in der chaotischen Zeichentrickwelt herumballern werde - zu schön das Level-Design, die Atmospähre, die Spielbarkeit. Bloß der Umfang stimmt mich sauer: Sechs Karten sind mager, seien sie noch so ausgefeilt. Auf der Gegenseite immerhin eine Vielfalt an Charakterklassen und daraus resultierenden Taktiken. Die Zeit wird's richten, Modder stehen bestimmt schon mit dem Software-Entwicklungskit bereit.
Oct 31st, 2007 · WindowsGamekult (8 out of 10)
Quoi qu'il en soit, Team Fortress 2 reste une très agréable bouffée d'air frais dans un milieu envahi par des titres qui se prennent tous plus au sérieux les uns que les autres. Comme quoi, éclater d'un rire franc après s'être fait déchiqueter par un adversaire, c'est encore possible.
Oct 11th, 2007 · Windows · read reviewGames Finder (8 out of 10)
The ability to switch characters at any time combined with the huge number of game modes has given Team Fortress 2 an amazing longevity and is still popular over 5 years after its release (and it’s easy to see why).
Nov 13th, 2014 · Windows · read reviewMana Pool (7.8 out of 10)
After many hours playing, Team Fortress’ delightful satire of war is always a joy. The free content keeps being released and Valve have no plans to stop. The community is strong and empowered. They make maps, submit items, have dedicated servers with all sorts of support, from stat tracking and clans. There’s enough balance for professional players and a smooth enough learning curve for noobs like me. Whether you consider yourself a serious gamer or just like to have a laugh and have never played an online FPS, I would recommend TF2 to you. The community is far more mature than most console online offerings and far less elitist than games like Counterstrike, but with that comes the expectation that you will be a team player and communicate well, or just play a sniper.
Sep 25th, 2010 · Windows · read reviewSo what do I think of Team Fortress 2? Well, I think that describing something that lurches in as many directions as Team Fortress 2 is genuinely problematic. It's a well-made, class-driven shooter. But it's also now a game set up for fans to make money, and a tool for machinima, and an avant garde exercise in storytelling and game design. It's an experiment. A laboratory and a shop at the same time.
Jul 9th, 2012 · Windows · read reviewPlayer Reviews
Gaming at its finest
by Chris Wright (102)
The Good
After years of waiting, Valve has finally unleashed this marvellous creation upon the world. It has been nine years in development, but the wait is finally over, and the good folks from Bellevue have met or exceeded every possible expectation.
Featuring a colorful cel-shaded 1950's-inspired art style, TF2 bursts at the seams with fun and excitement. The basic premise of the game is that two teams (Red and Blue) are in perpetual conflict over various construction sites, bases, military installations, and in one map, briefcases. A typical game will feature twelve players against twelve, and each player may select one of nine different classes. Now, the class system is where TF2 really stands out. Although the Sniper, Soldier, and Heavy Weapons classes could be thought of as rather mundane, an experienced player knows that all nine classes present great potential for fun.
The Pyro wields a devastating flame-thrower that can easily light up half a dozen enemies. Ignited players will burn for about 10 seconds and up to half their health, making them a class to instill fear and confusion. However, the Pyro is largely ineffective at any distance, meaning a good player will have to use stealth and cunning in order to get close enough for ignition.
The Scout is incredibly fast and nimble, and all but impossible to hit. When faced with numerous opponents, however, the Scout dies exceedingly quickly, so he must be played cautiously. The Scout can also double-jump, which gives him access to advantageous positions and shorter routes.
The Engineer builds things, namely an upgradeable Sentry Gun, Teleporter Entrances and Exits, and a multi-purpose Dispenser giving health, ammunition, and metal. Metal is used by Engineers to build and repair structures, and must be managed intelligently. The Engineer is unable to seriously compete in face-to-face combat, but can dish out considerable damage from the side with his pistol or shotgun.
The Spy is the nemesis of the Engineer. When your team is unable to penetrate an air-tight defense, the Spy gets it done. He can use his invisibility cloak to slip past enemies, disguise as any class on either team, and place an electronic sapper on Engineer structures. The sapper disables a structure and damages it over time until it either destroys the structure, or it is knocked off by an Engineer. The Spy can also instantly kill anyone in the game with his butterfly knife, if it is aimed at the back, side, or scalp of an enemy.
The Heavy Weapons guy wields a massive minigun affectionately named Sasha. It offers unparalleled damage at medium range, but is ineffective at both long and short range (unless a player can perform fast and precise turns). The Heavy is incredibly tough, but slow, and moves even slower when firing his minigun.
The Medic is the Heavy's best friend. The Medic heals people with his lock-on, short-range Medigun, and after doing enough healing, can 'Ubercharge' a player for 10 seconds. This confers invulnerability, although a savvy player with explosive weaponry can bounce the Medic away from his target, breaking the power link and causing both to drop back to down to mortal status. The Medic is also armed with a tricky-to-use but powerful Syringe gun, and an extremely powerful Bonesaw for up-close operations.
The Soldier is the bread-and-butter class of TF2. This is a slow, powerful class armed with a Rocket Launcher. Although it fires rockets that both decrease in power and are easy to dodge at medium- to long-range, a Soldier can devastate an opponent who either isn't looking at him, or who is caught unawares while turning a corner. All else being equal, a team with two or three good Soldiers will dominate a team without any. They are difficult to kill, intimidating, and indispensable in any situation.
The Demoman is a bit of a wild-card. He carries no guns, but rather two different types of Grenade Launchers. The first type shoots bouncing grenades that explode after a few seconds, or upon striking an opponent mid-air. The second launcher fires sticky grenades, that explode at the click of a button. A Demoman caught by surprise can be easily dispatched by any other class, but if they are careful about protecting themselves with Sticky grenades, they are a formidable adversary.
Lastly, the Sniper carries the most deadly long-range weapon in the game, a scoped rifle. Without using the scope it has limited usefulness, but when zoomed it has a charged shot that reaches maximum deadliness after about five seconds. Headshots count at about triple damage, and are usually one-shot kills. The Sniper also carries a modestly-powered submachine gun, and a hunting knife. In most situations at medium- to short-range however, the Sniper is outgunned.
The Bad
There is not a single flaw in Team Fortress 2 to my knowledge. There have been many complaints on the official TF2 forums about certain classes being unbalanced, but the consensus among knowledgeable players seems to be that everything is, in fact, exceptionally well-balanced.
The Bottom Line
This is a very fun 24-player online game that is probably the most significant release on the PC since DOOM . It holds endless potential for fun, due to its bright, colorful, stylized graphics, interesting and varied classes, well-designed maps, strong player base, and excellent voice-acting. I expect that it will be played by tens of thousands of people for at least the next five years. Essentially, it replaces Counter-Strike: Source as the most complete and compelling team-based first-person shooter on the market. It's also downloadable off Steam, a mere $30, and runs well on modest hardware.
May 20th, 2012 · Windows
Theoretically solid, technically flawed.
by Asinine (1003)
The Good
The graphics are just great, I really loved this animated style mixed with the insane chaos, it was like you were watching a cartoon on drugs. The graphics fit perfectly with the silly humor in this game; all the character are stereotypes, the taunts are very retarded and some of the power-ups are objects the animanics would come-up with. A random situation I ran into was when I played as a fat Russian (voiced by an American who tried to sound Russian), firing a turret I was carrying the same way somebody would carry a shotgun when suddenly my friend shows-up and jumps over me after drinking cola. Makes sense?, no, that's why I love it.
I already mentioned that this game in incredibly chaotic and I actually really like that. Nobody is playing to win the game, they are just playing to fire at enemies and mess around. The goal is to either capture areas or capture the flag, but while the area-capturing is alright, nobody captures the flag (or intel as this game calls it) unless they are grieving. Yes, you are grieving in this game when you are sticking to the rules. Most of the time it's just shooting, shooting and more shooting.
Most of the classes are really fun to play as and require a different approach than others. The Pyro for example carries a flamethrower, but lacking a long-range weapon forces him to stay in close quarters and surprise his foes. On the other side we have the Engineer which can set up mini-bases for the team to move forward with. There is a class for everybody in this game and you'll never find yourself stuck with a character you really don't want to play as.
The large amount of achievements may make this game a little too large to do a 100% on, but it does make sure you are occasionally rewarded for playing. Achievements vary from simple tasks, to grinding kills and all the way to insane accomplishments. This meant that when I started playing I was able to get all the easy ones, as I grew better I would start getting the grinding achievements because of the time I had put into the game and now that I am quite skilled I can start getting the tough-as-nails achievements.
The Bad
Lately the game has gone free-to-play and personally I am quite happy about that. However, I do feel that when you make the switch to F2P, you should properly reward the people that paid for it and that's where Valve fell short. The only reward you get for paying for the game is a hat, one of the million hats that are in the game already. Call me a whiner if you please, but when I am given a hat that I instantly lose in my inventory filled other clothes, then I am not awfully thankful.
Like most other games Valve also opened up a store in which you can buy items with real-life cash. I would be okay with a store where you can buy even more cosmetic items, but Valve also decided to put in ALL the weapons you can find in the game and this has genuinely affected gameplay. Let me be very clear: I will never buy items from in-game stores with real money, I think it's cheap and lazy. This decision however gives me a disadvantage compared to the hundreds of people who do not care and got all the best weapons the game has to offer. To challenge me even more, the game constantly gives you chests which you need to BUY keys for in order to open.
Let's put the switch to F2P behind us for now and talk about the core gameplay. I have always disliked the way servers work in Valve games, they never have any official servers hosted by the company itself, so we are left at the mercy of the individuals hosting these servers. I have no problem with connecting to a server to evaluate the settings they went with, this has occasionally led me to some downright awesome servers that I have played on for years, but what I do have problems with is that any server can automatically download files to your computer. When you connect, the server sends all its music files, documents and game files to your computer and we can assume you are not always aware of this.
Talking about files, the game has become quite bloated by now. What started out as a pretty fun FPS that come with the Orange Box has become a 11GB giant that is filled with insane amounts of needless content. The constant patches that bring new cosmetic items to the game may be fun for some people, but whenever I have to re-install the game, I lose several hours of my time. For some reason I can't access my favorite servers anymore either, because they are using older versions of the game and this makes me incompatible.
Those who paid attention probably noticed that I said "most classes" are fun to play as, that's because not all classes are like this. The spy may seem like a good addition to your team, but the learning curve is a dozen times steeper than those of all other classes. The spy can disguise himself as the enemy team, become invisible, instant-kill enemies with a backstab or sap enemy buildings to disable them. Invisibility may sound cool, but even with the best invisibility watches in the game, your invisibility meter will drain insanely fast, so you will always become visible again in the middle of the field. Disguises also rarely work because all players are hardwired to check everybody for been a spy, so even when everything seems okay, you will still get burned. Backstabs also automatically make your disguise go away, so when you stab an engineer his turrets will kill you before you can do anything back and if you sap the sentries, the engineer will pummel you to death.
The Demoman is also useless for everything aside from spamming. All his weapons have timed detonations that, while been rather strong, leave him without a direct attack. Even the Heavy and Engineer have a shotgun to help them when their class-specific roles can't be fulfilled.
The Bottom Line
A few days ago I saw a new review on this website for this game, the person who reviewed it was clearly a big fan and I am glad he's having so much fun with a genuinely entertaining game. However, I do think his review was to biased, as he claimed it the game was perfect while it technically isn't (though theoretically you could say it's flawless). While it seems like I am mostly complaining, I do really love this title and it's one of my most played games of all time.
If you are looking for a high-quality F2P game, then this should definitely be your first (and perhaps only) stop. Fans of the FPS genre should also look towards this gem. If you prefer a more structured kind of game though, then I am sorry to inform you that TF2 is most certainly not what you are looking for.
Jun 12th, 2012 · Windows
Headless Chicken at its Finest
by Sean Johanson (15)
The Good
First and foremost the graphics of this game were superb. Instead of realistic they went for cartoon like, which works. In addition elements of the game were funny. The user interface was easy and findings games is a breeze.
The Bad
This game is a worse headless chicken deathmatch than the original Quake. "Headless Chicken" is an old first person shooter term for when you run around in a game shooting everything you can, like you are blind headless chicken, until you die. No thought is required. That describes this game perfectly.
The original Quake TF had huge open maps that forced players to THINK before running out in the open. Sniper could pick you off, bombers could catch you, or sentry guns would mow you down.
But in TF2 the player is actively ENCOURAGED to throw away lives like it is the Battle of the Somme. Just run into a room and blast away because you are bound to do some damage, spawn quickly and then continue damaging the enemy. This is done intentionally by the developers, and it is a major headache for many players.
In addition the maps are so small that NO ONE can hold ground. Once again this is intentional! You just spawn and die non stop until LUCK wins the match for one team or another. Very little skill is actually applicable in this game. Thus it is difficult to actually GET GOOD at this game beyond simple twitch skill.
The Bottom Line
This game is about running around and blasting away aimlessly for hours and hours. The funny elements of the game wear off rather quickly since they are repeated constantly. The maps are so small, the player speed so fast, and the possible paths so numerous that defense is just about impossible. So the experience degrades into a contest of luck and twitch skill instead of a GAME of strategy and team work.
Basically this is a game that is in many ways far simpler than the original Team Fortress that was released almost 10 years prior. They took all of the good elements of Team Fortress and dumbed them down for 2007. While a beautiful looking game, it is a failure in execution and a step major backwards for the genre as a whole.
Apr 8th, 2011 · Windows
Contributors to this Entry
Critic reviews added by PCGamer77, Alsy, Wizo, CalaisianMindthief, Picard, Patrick Bregger, Tim Janssen, Jeanne, Scaryfun, chirinea, Cavalary, Daedolon, jaXen, vicrabb, Jess T.