Cry Some More!!!

Credit goes to Valve for the creation of this epic picture.

 Anyone who has at least heard of Valve will have also heard of Team Fortress 2, a class-based online first-person shooter for the PC, Mac, and Xbox 360. Putting a huge emphasis on team-based gameplay, Team Fortress 2 (which shall be referred to as "TF2" for the remainder of this post) pits two teams against each other in all sorts of intense battles, where the prize is usually bragging rights and reducing whats left of the losing side to bits. Every member of both teams can select from one of nine different classes, each with his (or her?) unique style of play; from the ultra fast Scout to the bullet spitting tank that is the Heavy. While each of these classes bring something new to the table, they all have their weaknesses that can be exploited by good players. The Heavy for example, has the health and size of an NFL football player with a truck-load of firepower to match, but he also has the running speed of a turtle and is a big target due to his massive size. The strengths and weaknesses of all of the classes, along with other less noticeable nuances, make for the basis of a fair game.

 The game-types for TF2 include the ever familiar "Capture the Flag" (ctf), "Control Point" (cp), and a few others as well. Capture the Flag is easy to figure out; steal the enemy team's flag while defend yours. However, TF2's take on the classic game-type is a bit different, in the sense that you are capturing briefcases that are loaded with intelligence, instead of the usual flags. Control Point is also not too hard to learn, for your team simply has to capture points that are scattered through out a level until you have them, whilst making sure that the other team does do the same to you. There are different variants of this mode, such as one where one team attacks the control points while the other tries to prevent their capture, so its always good to keep on an eye out for things like that. Other game-types include "Payload" (pl), where you have to push a bomb cart from checkpoint to checkpoint while the enemy team tries to stop you, and "Arena", which is basically team deathmatch without the constant respawning.

 The interesting thing about the game-types is that they are adjacent to the maps that have the initials next to their names (for example: ctf_2Fort), meaning that if you want to play ctf, you will have to find the map that its tied to. This tends to be good thing, since the only maps that one could play a specific game-type on are the ones that are made specifically for it, which goes a long way in keeping every game from being unfair. The maps themselves have varying appearances; rocky deserts, industrial complexes, mining facilities, and many other kinds of regions can found in this game.

 Just like with Red Alert: A Path Beyond from my previous post, teamwork is highly recommended in TF2. This is especially prevalent to me in Payload, where I've seen almost the entire offensive team surround the bomb cart so that they push it faster and defend it more effectively, with impressive results when performed correctly. you could play a game of TF2 lone wolf style if you really wanted to, but unless you are particularly skillful at this game, expect to die in record times until you decide to suck it up and find a partner or two to help you out. For instance, when you are Heavy and you see a large of group of enemies heading your way in a close formation, it is a very grand idea to at least warn your teammates of the impending attack so that they can provide assistance. The downside to this is that, just like with APB, you will find at least one jerk on your team who will out right refuse to be a team player of any kind whatsoever, sometimes going so far as to cuss up a storm for no legitimate reason: you have been warned!

 Other than that, I believe you will find something to like about Team Fortress 2; whether it be hitting people with a baseball bat as the Scout, fooling the enemy team with your clever disguise as the Spy (then stabbing them in the back just to mess with their heads), or just rocketing players to kingdom come with Soldier. If you can't seem to enjoy this game, then you are missing out on one of the best team-based PC games to hit the commercial market, and I would feel bad for you because of it. For more information regarding TF2, including on how to purchase it, visit this link. It should be noted that you will need the "Steam" online gaming program/service installed onto your computer if you wish to play this game (don't worry though, Steam is no where near as problematic as it used to be, from my experience at least). Before I go, allow me to end this post off with one of my favorite TF2 videos on the internet: