Customer Reviews:

• A extremely complicated game that is incredibly well designed.
  First thing that I simply MUST say is not to judge this game without experiencing every aspect of it. It takes about 20 hours to get an overall understanding of most of the game and the maps, but even then it's hard to fully appreciate how well it's made. Every class is extremely unique, but at the same time, they are all very balanced when taken as a whole .
  
  For example: The Heavy class has the most health, is extremely durable with a medic, and can dish out an insane amount of damage. This makes the Heavy hard to using direct, close combat tactics. However, the sniper with a fully charged shot can do 450 to the head, the exact amount of health that a fully overhealed heavy has, and is capable of killing him instantly. This forces the heavy to avoid open areas and depend on his teammates to take care of any snipers nearby. The sniper, although powerful, is slow to charge and weak compared to most other classes, making him vulnerable to almost any class at close range. This forces the sniper to find places with good cover and depend on his teammates to watch his back.
  
  Simply said, this is a TEAM game. I cannot possibly emphasize this enough. Those of you who rate it poorly because you choose a random team and die time after time are simply not understanding this concept. If you are a scout, you have to avoid direct combat and use hit-and-run techniques. If you are a soldier, you can't move quite as fast but can use your rocket launcher to propel enemies helplessly in the air and juggle them. As a medic, you will usually depend on your teammates to keep you alive, but you can use an "ubercharge" to make yourself and one teammates invincible for 10 seconds, or whip out your syringe gun and try to finish the enemy off.
  
  I've only discussed about 1/50th of the interesting features in this game, and when combined together, the possibilities are infinite. I would understand people disliking this game because of the lack of teamwork and seemingly random deaths, but I would encourage them to try and discover the depth of the game, and especially to play with friends and a microphone, because the game is much more interesting that way. ...more info
• Couldn't get it to connect to any server
  O.k. - technically, I shouldn't rate this game on how much "fun" it is - because I was never able to connect to a server to actually play at.
  
  For some reason, the "Steam" portal - which is created by the same company - works fine, I could connect, download updates, all that fun stuff.
  
  But anytime I tried connecting to a server to play Team Fortress 2 - it would never connect.
  
  I'm not a network engineer, or a programmer - but would somebody please explain to me how the same company can create one program that is able to connect through the internet, but another program (that runs at the same time as the first) isn't able to?
  
  To me that's just bad programming.
  
  After spending several hours trying to get this game working, I just threw it in the trash - a waste of $14.
  
  It will also make me think twice about purchasing ANY game form Valve, Half Life, Counter Strike, Portal - whatever.
  
  I've played several other games which have been able to connect through the internet without any effort, or reconfiguration on my part. Why should I have to put in all the hassle to try and play this game?
  
  I don't think that I should have to turn off my firewall, or delete other programs - just so I can play this one.
  
  Sorry Valve - you lost a customer....more info
• The worst LAN game ever!
  If you are planning like me to play OFFLINE and on a LAN network, dont get this game, it sucks for that, there is a LAN terminal area but no way to set up a LAN game network, everything has to run online and it says its DSL compatable but dont believe it, you need cable to run this bloody thing online anyhow! I have yet to play a game as the DSL speeds are too slow to connect and I have no way to play a LAN game like I do with Battlefront series of games, whats the use of 4 computers in my house if I cant do a networked game, this game is a waste of money, I am highly pissed off on this companies bull&^$&!
  
  The law needs to be changed on opened software purchase returns and allot of these companies would get the idea to finish a game and make it playable by all before releasing garbage and taking my money, I am on a fixed income now and cant afford these software bastards stealing my cash with crap that wont run!...more info
• I was worried, but it's actually really great.
  I thought this was going to be more of a mod of the Half Life game than an actual game on it's own. I was way off, everything is very different,from the other games Valve made. The game is very stylized and very unique for what it is. Each character class has it's own weapons, health levels, speed, and abilities that are very well balanced.
  If you want a good online game, this is one to grab, it's great fun....more info
• Well-balanced Gameplay for All Skill Levels
  If you're like me and are tired of all the hardcore FPS gamers dominating Unreal Tournament III and Counter-Strike servers, then this game is for you. If you're also tired of the MMORPG monthly fees and "guild wars," then this game is also for you. Team Fortress 2 may as well be called Team Fortress: Source, because it's not a sequel to anything, so don't let that discourage you.
  
  TF2 is probably the best FPS multiplayer experience, hands down, bar none, of this generation. It offers fast-paced, well-balanced gameplay that doesn't rely on the user's knowledge of exploits to get ahead (*cough* Unreal Tournament). There are a variety of classes to choose from, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and personalities which offer hours and hours of fun gameplay. Whether you're familiar with FPS games or whether you're used to WoW, it doesn't matter - this game is for everyone, and that's where it succeeds.
  
  A variety of maps, everything from Capture the Flag to Control Point to Payload maps, provides the gamer with a gameplay experience unlike any other. And some of these maps actually force people to work together, hence the name TEAM Fortress. Of course, there are tricks to learn in this game, and some classes require more skill than others, but overall TF2 provides the most entertaining online FPS gaming experience to date....more info
• Don't pass up this game just from a couple bad reviews on this page
  That would be a tragedy. I came across this page while looking for a video review of the game because someone was looking for game recommendations for her 13 year old niece. I was surprised to see that this game had only 20 reviews and some were negative. But of course, most people have probably posted their reviews under "The Orange Box". That's the special collection of games Valve offered and TF2 is the main attraction. Go check out reviews for that before you take this game off your list.
  
  Now, without being over exaggerative, Team Fortress 2 the best multi-player team-based shooter in the history of mankind. I'm the type of gamer who enjoys infinite replayability multiplayer games. Counter-strike 1.6 and Call of Duty 4 are two other titles I hold in high regard. If you're the type of person who enjoys Bioshock, Fallout 3, Left 4 Dead, TF2 may not interest you. But of course that's because you lack social skills, can't aim, and have no reflexes. I'm only half joking, but hey if you enjoy those games, by all means.
  
  One reason why some don't enjoy this game is the particularly high system requirements. This game requires a very capable system. I'd recommend at least 3GHz dual core, 2GB DDR 800 RAM, and 8800GT 512mb, for XP. That's only if you're using a LCD Monitor. For 100hz, 120hz, CRT gamers, you'll have to step it up a bit more.
  
  Just be sure to check out as many places as you can before making your decision to not buy this game. It's quite literally the best rated game on PC of all time(orange box).
  
  Valve isn't as divine as some make them out to be, in fact sometimes they're just awful(see L4D), but they did Team Fortress 2 in an absolute brilliant fashion. The sheer diversity in classes and weapons and gameplay mechanics, it's unlike any shooter you've ever play and yet the balance is kept. Valve also continually updates the game. You've got new maps, new game modes, new weapons and achievements, updates to current maps and features, etc.
  
  Team Fortress 2 is like the Starcraft of First-Person Shooters.
  
  If anyone happens to read this within 3 hours of me posting, the game is just $10 from STEAM directly tonight.
  
  Good luck, have fun....more info
• The fps that never stops giving.
  The game has nine classes to choose from, and they are all unique from their appearance, personality, gameplay to their strategies. One could honestly spend months honing his skills for one class and still have yet eight other classes to perfect.
  
  If there's one thing that can be said about TF2, it's that you'll get your money's worth. When the game was first released there were 8 maps, 3 weapons for each class, and 3 different game types. As of now, there's 14 maps, 5 game types and 3 of the 9 classes have 6 weapons to choose from and more content is always on the way. On top of this, since Valve always provides the community with all the MOD tools for all of its products, tons of user created content is out there as well.
  
  I could go on praising the game, but I'll provide some common complaints people have.
  
  First off, the art style and the conception of "casual" gameplay. Personally, I think the 1920's art style is very cool and defines the game well amongst the vast FPS market. Some people say it makes the game cartoony and casual. I don't know what the art direction of a game has to do with how casual or hardcore a game is, but the casual complaint bugs me and is really based off context. Almost anything can be played casually OR hardcore as long as there's a learning curve. Baseball, PacMan (yes, there are PacMan competitions or... were anyway), Poker, I don't know, antything, just as long as there's some hint of a learning curve. TF2 has a significant learning curve for each class, so of course some people will be better than others, and some people will be A LOT better than others just like any video game. The game can be casual or hardcore, it all depends on who you play with. If you play with people that sit in starbucks drinking their coffee while fragging, then it's probably going to be casual, whereas on the other hand you play with some guy who has the surround sound set up while sitting in his gaming chair staring at his 70 inch monitor barking orders on the mic like some internet commander, then, well, you get the point.
  
  The second biggest complaint is that the game can favor certain classes more than others and this mainly comes from the fact that game usually gets a huge update ever 2 or 3 months and provides one class with 3 more weapons to chose from. Valve plans to do all nine classes eventually, so far they've only done the medic (not pictured on the cover), pyro (the guy with the gas mask on the cover) and heavy (guy with the minigun on the cover), but when they do update a class, there's a huge shift of people suddenly playing that class because obviously they want to try out the new gear. While this is happening people will complain that one of the new weapons makes class X underpowered and makes class Y overpowered or something. It's mainly just a bunch of people whining and it's really not a huge concern.
  
  There's no demo (not the character) for this game, but every few months or so, in coordination with the class updates, you can play during a weekend for free. There's no strings attached, you can play the full game in it's entirety for three days. But at just 20 dollars (they dropped the price a while ago), I'd say just go for it.
  
  ...more info
• Simply put: one of the best team oriented games ever created.
  After playing multiplayer games (in the first person shooter genre) ranging from class based to normal frag games, I would have to say that in my 7 years of gaming experience that this is one of the best team games I have ever played online.
  
  This is also one of the most balanced games I have ever played.
  
  Basically, there are 9 different classes, all with different weapons, abilities, speed, health, and some now with upgrades.
  
  Take for example 2 classes: One is a sniper, one is a medic. The sniper has a sniper rifle, has lower end health, the deadliest weapon at long range, and is pretty fast moving. The medic basically heals people, is a fast class, has regenerating health, and has a weak shooting weapon.
  
  Teams must work together to win matches, ranging from a simple capture the flag type game play to control points.
  
  The game is only online, but you need to work together with people to achieve goals and victories. It is very hard to make a huge impact as an individual, it takes time and work to get good at a single class and make a huge impact on a team of 9+ players (usually games are 12v12).
  
  Every class is so unique it takes hours to master each class. The experience is great for an individual in this game but with a mic and a decent team, team earned victories are so fulfilling.
  
  Coming from team fortress classic, grenades were missed, and everything felt so simple. After a while you realize grenades are not needed, and the simplicity pushed team play, while mastery is harder to gain for a class.
  
  My only gripes are limited maps and no offline play whatsoever. Updates have been added to counter the map issue.
  
  Visual and sound are amazing, the art direction adds a lot of fun to the game.
  
  Give it a try, give it at least 5 or so hours and you are guaranteed to be hooked. This is simply one of the most fun and addicting multiplayer games created in a long time....more info
• The worst lan game, EVER!
  This game is the worst thing I've ever played. CS= AWESOME! The original Half-life= AWESOME! The original team fortress (or whatever it was called) AWESOME! All those games had extreme depth to them. This game has NO DEPTH what so ever. I just don't understand how valve could have lost their minds and made this junk? This game just lacks any kind of strategy. You run out and shoot then die. Wait 22 seconds and repeat. It's just as stupid as that. ...more info
• Next...
  **If you enjoy sniping someone in the head only to have them turn around and kill you..then get this game.
  
  **They say there is a lag box in this game, which is about the most ridiculous thing you will ever come across. You are outside and see a sniper. Smart people say hey, let me get indoors where there's walls and protect myself from this sniper. In this game you head inside and run about 10 feet down the hall and then you drop dead from a "supposed" sniper shot hit that occured while you were outside. This happens with 40 pings in the server. The first time this happens you might not even notice. By the 100th or so time you are beyond ready to uninstall...
  
  ** Demolition vs Engineers ... The genius developers made the Demolition way too powerful. As an Engineer you build a sentry,dispenser, and teleporter only to have a Demolition guy come along and destroy your entire built base in under 5 seconds.
  
  **Consistency. I'm a gamer and I have been able to grasp and continually get better at games to elite levels. In past games, I'm use to picking say a sniper and learning it to the extreme. The result would be a one man army. This is all true except for this game. You'd think that you were getting the hang of this game until some random new player who just installed the game 2 minutes ago comes in and dominates you. When it comes to fps, I'm use to a + b =c.. When I shoot a high caliber sniper rifle bullet into the cranium of another player, I expect a kill, NOT some sign that flashes saying critical hit while the player runs off to find health. I expect a kill. That's not the case in this game... ...more info
• Fight as one
  Wow. Thats generally the sentence used to sum up Team Fortress 2. This not only topped the list of my favorite "Online Multiplayer Games," but it also raised the standard for class based Online games.
  
  Now the classes. They make the game. Each class has their own strengths and weaknesses. This makes Team Work essential. Allow me to elaborate: If your entire team is compiled of scouts (Which is the weakest, but the fastest class) then you will score quickly, but at the same time have a very weak defence. Team Work is key to winning matches, and the game is formed around that aspect. If you have major heavy hitters who top 100 kills on your team, well thats all well and good, but if you weren't there to defend that final Capture point, too bad, you still lose.
  
  The points are divided into multiple categories: Kills, Assists, and Objective based points. This is good, because players who want to focus more on killing (While not the BEST option) can do so. On the flip side, someone who doesen't have the greatest aim but is good at manuevering the environment can still place #1 by the end of the match.
  
  The sound design is very comical. Sadly there is none while in-game. But luckily all of the weapons sounds great, and the screams of your allies mixed with distant gunfire in the distance does a great job of setting the mood.
  
  This game has recieved alot of Graphical changes over the course of it's development. The final art style is the greatest yet. Its alot like a Pixar movie, but much bloodier. Each of the characters also look really good. To accompany this, is multiple taunts. In the middle of battle, there is nothing like giving your fallen foe's freezecam a nice, not so helpful pick-me-up.
  
  Is this the the greatest online game ever? Probably not. But is this a very fun online game? You can put your money on that. While your at it, use that money to buy TF2. You won't regret it.
  
  ...more info
• Get it cheaper here.
  Want to get TF2 or Orange Box for PC? Its probably going to be more expensive buying it directly from Steam, so just get it here. Best PC FPS ever....more info
• Fun, unique style
  Good game, decent people online to rip with. There's the occasional fool but where don't you fine one online right? lol...more info
• Best thing Valve has made, ever! Most addicting game (guess) ever!!!!!!!!!
  This is THE online game, the people at Valve outdid themselves in making this game. I can't stop playing it, the multiple classes change the entire way you play a match, so it always feels fresh and never boring. In playing this, teamwork cannot be stressed enough, because players have to utilize each others' abilities and perks to win. The all too common issue of single people determining the way a game ends because of a good gun or individual skills is gone from experiencing this game, teamwork is the way you have to play. A team of moderately skilled players, working together and communicating and solving issues as a whole, will dominate any group of skilled players who care about individual glory. Great fun, even if you are new to video games, you learn quickly and master each class with ease. For players who've been playing games for a while, this will be a refreshing new way to enjoy online gaming....more info
• Decently Fun
  easy and fun, go in and go out, good change of pace from World of Warcraft....more info