Team Fortress 2 is the highly anticipated multiplayer shooter than has been in development since 1998. So was it worth the wait?
Team Fortress 2 is the multiplayer component of Valves Orange Box, as its name suggests it's a team based shooter but it doesn't involve any fort building! (Slightly ... Read review
warfare on the map. Named Best Multiplayer Game of the Year by Gamespy.com, Team Fortress delivers new game types, a signature art style, persistent player statistics and more!- Offers a wild variety of classes to play. From Medic to Pyro to Spy, each class offers a unique gameplay experience.- Advanced graphics provide some of the most original environments and characters ever seen in a game.- From the makers of Counter-Strike, TF2 includes new game modes, support for voice chat and statistics.
Team Fortress 2 is the highly anticipated multiplayer shooter than has been in development since 1998. So was it worth the wait?
Team Fortress 2 is the multiplayer component of Valves Orange Box, as its name suggests it's a team based shooter but it doesn't involve any fort building! (Slightly off topic but for an awesome fort building game check out SourceForts). Once you load up the game you are greeted with the main menu, from here you can access the server browser which is how you will get into games. The game is immensely popular on the PC and there are currently a whopping 1988 servers to choose from. You can also access all the usual things like video settings and controls but new to PC are achievements, as any Xbox360 owner will know achievements are a fun way of extending the life of your games by giving you challenges to complete.
Once you have made it into the game, you will realise there are relatively few maps and modes to choose from. The maps are Dustbowl, Granary, Gravelpit, 2Fort, Well and Badlands, the maps are nicely varied and feature environments from mine shafts to high tech enemy bases. There are only two modes to play Control Point, in this mode one team starts with all the control points and must defend them while the opposing team must capture. The next mode is CTF where each team has intelligence deep in their bases and both teams must attempt to bring the enemy intel back to their own base to score. The main feature of Team Fortress 2 is the unique character classes, there are three offensive classes, three defensive and three support.
The first offensive class player is the Scout, he is fast and will capture control points twice as fast as any other player, he also has a double jump ability so he can get away from enemies quickly and rush back to base with the intel quickly. He is equipped with a super shotgun which is very powerful at close range as well as a pistol and a baseball bat. Next we have the Soldier, he is the one of the easier classes to start off with, he has more health than most and has a deadly rocket launcher which does major damage as well as splash damage, he is also equipped with a shotgun and a shovel for close range combat. Lastly we have the Pyro, he is quite fast and an excellent player for close range assaults, the closer you get to your enemy the more damage his flamethrower does, he also has a shotgun and an axe for when things get upclose and personal.
The defensive class starts with the demoman, this crazy black Scotsman (lol) is equipped with two grenade launchers, one spike grenade which is great for sticking on a control point and blasting your enemy when he attempts to take the point and one standard grenade launcher which is handy for shooting round corners. The demoman will take damage from his own grenades so when things get close its best to switch to his whisky bottle and smack the enemy. Next up is the Heavy, this mountain of a man has more hitpoints than any other character and carries a deadly chaingun, it's not very accurate at long range but is great at mowing down enemies as they rush to take your control points. The heavy also has a shotgun for when his ammo gargling chaingun runs out. The heavy is very slow so watch out for scouts who will try to melee you with their baseball bats! The last of the defensive classes is the Engineer, he is quite a different class to play as, the focus is more on building than on shooting stuff! As an engineer it is your jobs to construct turrets to defend your base, turrets have 3 levels so make sure you upgrade as soon as you can as it will make your turret more powerful. You can also aid your teammates by building a teleporter which you can place anywhere you want, a good place is outside the spawn room and to near a control point so your offensive players can get straight back in the action. To aid them further you can construct dispensers which will heal your allies and replenish their ammo as well as giving you bolts to upgrade your turrets.
Finally we come to the support classes, here we have the sniper, he is perfect at taking down foes like the heavy with his sniper rifle, over time the power of his shots will increase so make sure your shot is fully charged before firing. The sniper is heavily reliant on cover so don't run into the enemy base as one as you will no doubt die! Although he is primarily a long range class he has a nailgun and a knife for when things get in your face. Next up is the medic, as you would expect he heals your allies, his healing gun has a special function called ubercharge which can turn the medic and the player he is healing invincible for a few seconds, this is often vital to the game as a few seconds is all you need to capture a control point. The medic also has a needle gun and a bonesaw but it's best to rely on the protection of others as they are rather weak. Last up is the spy, experienced players will love playing as this guy. The spy can disguise himself as any enemy class and sneak behind enemy lines sabotaging engineers' equipment and backstabbing everyone else! Once you have backstabbed your disguise will fail but you have a handy gadget to turn you invisible for a few seconds giving you enough time to escape. The spy has a knife for backstabbing as well as a powerful magnum revolver for when you have to fight. Other experienced players may spot you if you're playing a spy as if say you have disguised yourself as a heavy, you will be moving too fast and be suspicious.
The game works best when your team has a member of each class as then you can be prepared for anything, however this is rare so I suggest you play with people you know or frequently visit a certain server so you will get to know some players. When it all comes together you will be communicating on the voice chat, calling for medics, calling for backup and triumphantly cheering as with teamwork you cannot lose!
The graphics in the game are really amazing, the game has been given a Pixar look and on first glance I thought I was playing The Incredibles! Although it has Pixar family friendly looks it is a gory game and enemys (and you) will explode into body parts and gore if you die. The animation is outstanding with each class moving differently, and characters having incredible facial expressions. The game showcases this as whenever you die the camera will zoom in on the person who killed you allowing you to get a close up view. The sound is done well too with nice touches like thanking medics for their aid automatically and roaring as you mow enemies down, there is little in the way of music as there is only a jingle at the end of the round but it's a multiplayer shooter not a single player epic!
Team Fortress 2 is available as part of Valves Orange Box which comes with the Half Life games and Portal for the bargain price of around £30. If you for some reason don't want to play the Half Life games you can purchase it off Valves Steam service for £15 (+ tax). Either way you get it Team Fortress 2 is a multiplayer experience that will keep you coming back with its unique class gameplay and amazing visuals. It's a shame there aren't so many modes but as it's a Team game, a traditional deathmatch wouldn't really suit it. If you have ever played an online shooter you will instantly like what Team Fortress 2 has to offer and I recommend it highly. 5/5
Developer: Valve Publisher: Valve (Steam) Price: £15 (£30 included in The Orange Box) Also available on: Xbox360, PlayStation3
Advantages: Replayability, just plain fun, active community, excellent style, constantly updated Disadvantages: Not everyone's cup of tea, relies on connection speed, no offline gameplay
...get annoyed. In Team Fortress 2, there is no storytelling to be had. This should bother me, but I'll tell you why it does not-- the maps, though small at times, are so detailed and perfectly designed that it's easy to forget they're not part of a bigger world. Periodic propaganda posters, wonderfully decorated interiors and exteriors, and every environment is absolutely unique. On top of that, the playable classes themselves are something to ... ...Now, this game isn't called TEAM Fortress 2 for nothing. If you don't work together, there's a big chance you'll land yourself on the bottom of the scoreboard every single time. That said, this game really isn't about scoring high-- it's about having fun. There is less of a pressure to perform, and more of a feeling that people are playing just to enjoy themselves. It helps, of course, if you keep an eye on your Medic and make sure he doesn't die, ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Ultra intense gameplay, good fun, good community, nice graphics Disadvantages: Not to everyones taste
Team Fortress 2. My new addiction. Was the first to start playing the beta. Oh my how much fun :D
Its completly revamped for a slightly cartoonish feel.
The gameplay is nothing like :)
The spy can dress up as a enemy and take out that dominating sniper turn invisible. (my current favorite)
The heavy gunner can spin his barrells are he walks to avoid having to warm up, his capabilites being able to spray enough lead to make even Iraq take notice.
... ...power. Watch as he tracks and "pops the noggin" with his trusty SMG as backup.
The hardy soldier with his handy rocket launcher provides a good base, inflicting large splash damage.
The scout on his nimble nimble feet. Running around with his shotgun wreaking havok. (till someone gives it to him in the face). Just watch out for his baseball bat :D
This is such a game. Usually I am not so bothered, but within 10mins of playing I now know this is ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Fun, quick, witty Disadvantages: Little variety in maps and gameplay modes
This game came in my 'Orange Box' and at first, I wasn't too keen on the game. But soon after exhausting all the other available resources in the box, I turned to what I found to be an amazing class-based multiplayer game. I have yet to be tired of it.
First Impressions
The controls are standard and intuitive, and communication using the keyboard is easy. The developers decided to abandon the gritty multiplayer visuals so common in games ... ...cartoonish look. It proves to be a nice welcome break from the norm. I was lucky because the first server that I joined had some voice communication in it, and it was pretty easy to suss out what was going on. I was flummoxed by the 9 different classes and decided to be a sniper first off, and as soon as I got into the game, I was impressed.
Learning Curve
The learning curve is steep, but that's mainly because you have to try out each and ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Truly original and completely addictive, great community for all players Disadvantages: No use if you are unable to play online
...opportunities open to you in Team Fortress 2, the Scout is a nimble baseball fan armed with a scattergun and a baseball bat who can run circles around slower enemies until... He runs into range of an engineer's sentry gun built nicely into a corner with its turtle-like maker crouching behind it with glee and replenishing its ammo until... The true master of disguise sneaks up from behind invisible and silently uncloaks behind the engineers' unsuspecting ... ...the labourer and in one movement stabs him in the spine and plants a sapper on his gun rendering it useless if unattended. The engineer watches helpless as the life is drawn from his loving creation until it is destroyed and countless more of his teammates are backstabbed. On your own this game is brilliant to play, but make a few friends and play tactically with them and it is out of this world! Sending one friend forward to spy and take out guns ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Fun, quick to learn, lots of variety Disadvantages: internet required
...i thought wow. A cartoon team fortress this will ruin the game. But as i watched more and more and more previews, i thought this game is gonna be so good. I was correct. There are thousands of dedicated servers for team fortress 2. This game has good graphics, good sound, great game play, longevity, and a great value for money. Once again great investment. 1. Now lets start with game play. There is one noticeably BIG downside to this game. People ... ...IT REQUIRES INTERNET. must i say it again? requires internet. But the game is for the internet and nothing else. i can't imagine a game like this with a single player mode being long and or good. Now with the internet game play there are a few different modes that you can play on. There is capture control points, Capture the intel, and a personal favorite of my escort the bomb. Capture control points is very self explanatory you capture specific ...
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Advantages: Unique gameplay and creepy robots Disadvantages: Outdated graphics and fairly short
...incredibly accurate, for example you can fire a portal on the ceiling and another directly below you and you can end up in a infinite falling loop, using this amazing technology you have to pay attention to its key rules to be able to win and it's always a great feeling when a level you've been stuck on for ages suddenly becomes so simple as you find yourself being fired across the room using the ingenious portal gun.
After completing the levels you finally discover the real motive behind Glados' experiment and find yourself in a desperate struggle for survival and escape.
I really recommend this to any gamer as it is just incredible to play, plus the 360 version of the game is shipped with teamfortress2 and half-life 2 (episodes 1 and 2) for the price of a normal game. The PC versions on the other hand does have more to offer as it has...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Cheap, limitless, good to the eye, uses Steam Disadvantages: May need other Source engine games
...problem with this game - you must have another Source engine game in your computer to launch it. Even better if you have Counter Strike: Source, TeamFortress2, Portal, Half-Life 2 and all of it's episodes, without them (and some files downloadable from www.garrysmod.org) you would only see lots of errors.
Edit: Recently we got achievements for GMod so the price was 50% off, if you didn't buy it when you knew about it - you made the worst decision in your life....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Massive amounts of gameplay variety and fun Disadvantages: TF2 is dissapointing considering what the PC version is like.
...the length of the game, and can really be included as the extension, with the Half Life formula slightly modified and improved
All in all, Half-life 2 and its expansions should be the reason you bought the Orange Box, offering you a good 40+ hours of gameplay.
TeamFortress2:
Don't get me wrong. TF2 Is great on the PC. The graphics are the best I've ever seen in any game, ever. The gameplay is amazingly well balanced offering a place for nearly every player as one of the 9 classes. Take for example you like helping your team by keeping them alive offensively, the Engineer allows you to make turrets to defend bases and prevent attacks on weaker classes. Or defensively, you could go for the Medic, with limited offense but a gun that heals your teammates up to 150% of their health. As for attacking the other players, the Heavy has...
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Action/Adventure - Director: Ron Satloff, Christian I. Nyby, Bruce Kessler, Bernard McEveety, Ron Satlof - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:George Peppard, Mr T, Dirk Benedict, Dwight Schultz
The sound quality is good, so is the recording quality. The look and design are brilliant and so is the durability! It's an extremly good cassette deck with a level meter indication feature as well as noise reduction and dubbing which are just the... more