By Mat Overdeput
Overview

Team Fortress 2 is a first person shooting game that is available for the xBox 360, PC and Mac. The game was released in 2007, shortly after being first previewed in the Orange Box. The game has 5 modes in which players can challenge each other in. These modes are as followed: Payload, Capture the Flag, Arena, King of the Hill, and Capture Point. Additionally, the game also contains 9 different classes that players can choose from. The classes are separated in 3 groups of 3. These groups are: Attack, Defense and Support. Depending on which team you are, how your time is doing and which classes your team chooses depends on how successful your team will be.


Game-play Modes

Payload
Payload is a game mode where the blue team must offensively navigate their bomb inside the red base in order to win. Blue players can push their cart along the tracks by standing near it. The cart will heal adjacent blue teammates. There are check points where if the blue manages to push the cart over, gains additional time. The red team must defend from the opposing team till time runs out. They must stop the blue team from getting near check points and into their base. Spawn locations will be adjusted for the red team based on where the cart is. As stated before, blue team will win if they get their cart into red team’s base and red will win if the time runs out before blue can get their cart into the base or a check point.
There is also a payload game known as Payload Race. Payload race is a game where both teams must move their cart to the finish line before the other team. Each time must work together offensively to slow the opponents and defensively in order to keep moving.
Capture the Flag
Classic game mode. The two teams have a suitcase (which is the flag), placed deep in their base. Each team must work together offensively get the opposing team’s case back to their base while defending their own. First team to 3 captures wins. When the person carrying the opposing team case dies, that team’s case falls to the spot in which the carrier dies and remains there for a while. After a while and the opposing team fails to get the case, the case is returned to the base automatically.
Arena
Arena is a game mode in which the two teams fight each other to the grave. No one can re-spawn. Once you are killed, you’re out. The last player to stand wins the game for their team. This game mode requires the most upmost teamwork than any other game mode
King of the Hill
King of the hill is a game where two teams must capture a point (a top of a hill) and hold that point for 3 minutes. First team to make their timer reach zero wins.
Capture Point
Capture Point is a game where the two teams must capture points scattered throughout the map. There are two forms of capture point game play.
Attack/Defend.
Attack/Defend is a capture point game where the blue team must capture all of red teams points in order to win. Like payload, if blue gets all points, they win. If red has at least one point in control by the time the clock reaches zero, red wins
Capture Point
First team to successfully capture all control points wins. If no team captures all the points by times end, a sudden death will be initiated.
The Team Members
Offense
Scout
The scout is the fastest member of the team. He is also the only one who can double jump. He is given a shotgun, pistol, baseball bat. The scout also captures points twice as fast than other classes. He is primarily good for hit and run players. His shotgun is most lethal when you run up to an opponent at point blank range and shoot. He can get away easily due to his high speed. He unfortunately cannot do much from a distance; also, his HP stat is one of the lowest in the game.
Solider
The solider is one of the average members of the team. He carries a rocket launcher, shotgun and one melee item. The solider can use his rocket launcher to jump to very high places. You can also use his explosion from the rockets to knock opponents off the map on some levels. His shotgun is good for midrange combat if you aim to live and not damage yourself with your rockets. The best strategy for the solider with the rocket launcher is to aim for the feet, as you will still have an easier time hitting the target, and should you miss, the explosion will get them.
Pyro
The pyro is the most offensive member on the team. She carries a flamethrower, shotgun, and melee weapon. The pyro’s flamethrower also features an air compressed blast, which can be used to deflect projectiles, such as rockets. Once someone is hit by your flamethrower, they’re lit on fire for a time being, causing them take damage over time. If you like to hit and run as well, or just run it and deal a lot of damage and die, the pyro is the best, for the fire can burn a lot of opponents to the grave once you died.
Defense
Engineer
The engineer is the most defensive member on the team. Armed with a shotgun, pistol, wrench, building remote and demolish remote. The engineers building remote enables him to build sentries, dispensers and teleporters, all which can get upgrade from level 1 to level 3. Sentries are stationary guns that shoot at any enemy in its sight. Dispensers give health, ammo to all classes and building metal to engineers. Teleporters enable players to telelport around the map, allowing them quick access to places. The engineer’s weapons are typically weak and so is his HP, but, the sentry guns are the most effective at keeping opponents from pushing through a line of defense. Engineers can repair their damage buildings as well. Engineers are good for people who are great for holding out points and don’t mind camping for a long time.
Demo-man
The demo-man is a both defensive and offensive member of the team. His is given a grenade launcher, sticky bomb launcher and a melee weapon. The grenade launcher is good for keeping enemies at bay around corners or control points. They do most damage when they hit directly, but if they bounce and explode, the damage is still very effective. The sticky bombs allow the demo-man to set-up a certain area with bombs in which the demo-man can detonate whenever he would like. This plays a huge advantage into guarding very important areas or corners. The demo-man is good for people who are able to defend corners and areas well. He is also a good offensive and very good at removing clusters of enemies.
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Heavy
The Heavy is the most defensive and/or offensive team member. He has the highest HP amongst everyone else. He carries a mini-gun, shotgun, and melee weapon. The heavy can use his mini-gun to unload on enemies. It is very effective at holding a line, and he is most effective when he marches in first with his teammate’s right behind him. He also combos very nicely with the medic, allowing for a very well defensive wall.
Support
Medic
The medic is the only class capable of healing teammates. He carries a medigun, syringe gun and a melee weapon. The medigun heals teammates over time. When it maxes out, the medic can use its ability to make himself and his ally invincible for a time being. His syringe gun is very weak but fires rapidly. However, the medic cannot heal himself when he does not have a lot of HP left. A good strategy for the medic is to heal and never stand still, keep moving in irregular patterns to stay alive and heal your teammates.
team fortress / 1280x1024 Wallpaper
Sniper
The sniper is what he is, he snipes. He is given a sniper rifle, machine gun and a melee weapon. The sniper rifle has a scope in which you can use to easily snipe your opponents. The longer you’re in your scope; the critical hit gage will go up. Once you fire your shot, you’ll lose your scope then re-enter your scope. The sniper has a poor amount of HP, but is able to keep his distance out of harm’s way while being able to deal damage.
Spy
The spy has the ability to take on the disguise as another player on the opposing team. The spy is equipped with a pistol, knife and disguise watch. You can take on the disguise as any class and fool your opponents and kill them with backstab or pistol shot. You can also turn invisible where opponents will not be able to see you. To play as the spy, it is best to know your environment so you know where to hide to put on your disguise. You lose your disguise if you attack. You must disguise, stab, cloak, run and repeat.
Conclusion

Team Fortress 2 is a fun first person shooter game. It is a cheap buy, and though the game is small and has no story mode, it is a fun game people can join and leave for any amount of time. It’s a good game to burn twenty minutes for you’re just sitting there waiting for a small amount of time to go by. The game also comes with wide variety achievements and unlocks items that can buff your favorite classes, but, my preference is primarily to the original weapons. For those who want a free for all shooting game, this is not the game for you. It is called Team Fortress 2 for a reason. Everything is a team battle, and teams are always auto-balanced to keep up good game play. One side may be dominating for a few rounds, but, with players leaving and joining, it can easily take a hair-pin turn the other direction.  It is an incredible game and I recommend it to anyone looking for a great light weight game.