Team Fortress 2 – The Original Class-Based Shooter

Are you tired of getting curb stomped in Overwatch and Valorant? Take it back to basics with Team Fortress ....> the game that put class-based FPS games on the map.

Tons of depth thanks to interchangeable weapons

Team Fortress 2 is a free-to-play first-person shooter available on Steam. It's not the first class-based shooter, but it does serve as inspiration for Overwatch. Get back to basics with Team Fortress 2 – which offers tons of depth thanks to interchangeable weapons.

Taking the MOBA Out of FPS

Team Fortress 2 pits teams of mercenaries against one another in an eternal struggle for RED vs. BLU. While the game is class-based, each character has a unique personality.

There are nine classes available, which may seem limiting at first. But each class like Medic, Demoman, and Engineer has hundreds of weapons at their disposal.

Unlike Overwatch, where heroes' abilities do not change, Team Fortress 2 allows players to change weapons. These weapons may drastically change how the class plays – resulting in tons of possibilities. Find yourself overwhelmed by all the guns and equipment available? Learn the base classes and maps on a vanilla server, where items are disabled.

A Return to the 1960's

Team Fortress 2 has some of the most recognizable audio of any FPS game. Each class has fully voiced lines to convey information about the battlefield. Taunts help liven up game-play and give the individual classes their character. For example, the scotch-loving Demoman pulls a swig from his jug in one taunt.

Each level offers a taste of 60's retro music since the game's eternal struggle takes place in 1969. The graphics are dated compared to modern games, but it also means you don't need a powerhouse PC to play Team Fortress 2. Overall, Team Fortress 2 isn't the prettiest game to play, but special attention to character design makes it an enduring classic.

The Sky is the Limit

Team Fortress 2 released in 2007 and received regular updates for much of its life. The addition of weapons added a unique customization layer to how each class plays. The result is the same class may play drastically different, depending on equipment. For example, equipping the Demoman with his knight and shield turns him into a capable melee character.

Team Fortress 2's long history gives it a ton of map variety. Years of updates bring several different game modes to the forefront, too. Capture the Flag, Control Point, King of the Hill, and Payload are some basic game modes any FPS player knows. But Team Fortress 2 also features Mann vs. Machine and Mannpower events – both of which require paid tickets to play.

Lots of customization with in-game drops

Team Fortress 2 is an excellent alternative to Overwatch for anyone bored with the current meta. While it may feature fewer individual characters, those characters are more customization with in-game drops. The best part is Team Fortress 2 still has an active community on Steam, with all game modes available to play.

.....still a compelling team-based shooter, even 13 years after its release.

TL/DR

Team Fortress 2 is a fun class-based FPS game that is entirely free-to-play. All weapons and equipment for the classes are earned through drops in the game. The only two game modes that require payment are Mann vs. Machine and Mannpower. Community mod support keeps the game feeling fresh and worth playing.