Team Fortress 2

About

Team Fortress 2 is a team-based multiplayer online first-person shooter game featuring distinct character classes. Players must work together to complete objectives such as capturing points or escorting a payload. With numerous cosmetic items and hats, customization is abundant, allowing players to express their personality while securing victory. Engage in fierce competition, strategic gameplay, and a vibrant community in this enduring classic.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 692,835 reviews

gameplay8.2k positive mentions

monetization433 negative mentions

Team Fortress 2 is celebrated for its humor, quirky characters, and lighthearted atmosphere, making matches entertaining and enjoyable.
The game's unique, cartoonish art style has aged well, contributing to its charm and accessibility on lower-end hardware.
TF2 offers exceptional replayability with its diverse cast of classes, extensive customization options, and community-driven content, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.

The game suffers from significant issues with bots and cheaters, which detract from the overall experience and enjoyment of gameplay.
Many players express frustration over the game's aging graphics and performance problems, particularly on modern hardware, leading to a perception of neglect from the developers.
The monetization model, including microtransactions, has drawn criticism, with some players feeling it reflects a lack of care from Valve amidst ongoing issues with the game.

gameplay
17,264 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
3%
The gameplay of Team Fortress 2 (TF2) is widely praised for its fast-paced, chaotic, and engaging nature, offering a unique blend of humor and strategic depth through its diverse cast of nine classes, each with distinct abilities and playstyles. Players appreciate the game's accessibility for newcomers while also recognizing the high skill ceiling that allows for mastery of complex mechanics, such as rocket jumping and class synergies. However, many reviews express frustration with the current state of the game, particularly due to the prevalence of bots and cheaters, which detracts from the overall experience and enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “Expect hilarity, nonsense, solid gameplay, and a community that still loves and plays this game even 18 years later.”
- “A timeless multiplayer classic with unique characters, fast-paced gameplay, and endless fun.”
- “Its unique blend of humor, class-based gameplay, and strategic depth has created a dedicated community that still enjoys the game today.”
- “The gameplay in Team Fortress 2, while once praised for its balance and variety, now feels stale and unbalanced.”
- “The gameplay is largely the same, but take warning if you play today; people may not assume the best of you.”
- “The gameplay can be infuriating at times, but you'll still have fun if you beware of cheaters.”
humor
15,769 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
Team Fortress 2 (TF2) is widely praised for its humor, which is a core aspect of its identity. Players appreciate the game's quirky characters, witty dialogue, and absurd situations that create a lighthearted atmosphere, making every match entertaining. The community contributes to the humor with funny interactions, memes, and a mix of friendly and chaotic gameplay, ensuring that players often find themselves laughing, even amidst the competitive action.
- “The game is over 15 years old and I think it's about time the plug is pulled on it so that I no longer have to see unfunny TF2 posts everywhere.”
- “This game is plagued by unfunny source memes; just let it die already...”
- “The community is filled with losers, unfunny people, furries, unfunny racists, pedophiles, and people laughing at the same old jokes over and over again.”
graphics
8,916 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
48%
5%
The graphics of Team Fortress 2 (TF2) are characterized by a unique, cartoonish art style that has aged remarkably well since its release in 2007. While some players note that the visuals can feel dated compared to modern titles, many appreciate the game's vibrant colors and whimsical design, which contribute to its charm and accessibility on lower-end hardware. Overall, the graphics are often described as timeless, with a strong emphasis on character and humor that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “Its cartoonish, vibrant art style makes TF2 visually appealing and timeless, helping it age better than many of its contemporaries.”
- “The game's colorful, cartoonish art style remains timeless, helping it age better than many of its contemporaries.”
- “The graphics are charming, and the maps are memorable and interesting.”
- “Aging graphics: while the game's graphics were impressive when it was first released, they now look somewhat dated compared to more modern titles.”
- “The graphics are terrible, the gameplay is ridiculously bad, and the maps are just minimal effort structures.”
- “The graphics have not aged well, the jokes from the characters are not funny (unless used with garry's mod), animations and aiming are both slow and sluggish, and the navigations menus and textures are just plain and generic background/navy colors.”
story
3,255 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
73%
6%
The story aspect of Team Fortress 2 is primarily conveyed through external comics and animated shorts rather than in-game narratives, leading to mixed reviews. Many players appreciate the rich backstories and unique personalities of the nine mercenaries, which add depth and humor to the gameplay, while others note the lack of a traditional story mode as a drawback. Overall, the game's charm lies in its character-driven humor and community-driven lore, making it a beloved classic despite its minimal in-game storytelling.
- “Amazing game, amazing characters, amazing story. Go read the comics, they're awesome.”
- “After playing this game for more than 10 years through multiple accounts, and reading the final comic, we finally have closure and an amazing one that fits an amazing story.”
- “The story in the game is quite simple; there are two organizations, red and blue, that wage incessant wars for the possession of territories.”
- “The story is so heartfelt and genuine, but the gameplay is immersive.”
- “The story was developed, limited-time events continued, new features were added, and to this day the game is still actively updated with new content!”
monetization
1,737 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
69%
25%
The monetization model of Team Fortress 2 has drawn significant criticism, with many players expressing frustration over the prevalence of microtransactions and the game's shift to a free-to-play model. While some appreciate that the in-game purchases are primarily cosmetic and do not impact gameplay, others feel that the constant addition of microtransactions, particularly in the face of ongoing bot issues, reflects a lack of care from Valve. Overall, the community is divided, with many advocating for a boycott of microtransactions until the game's core issues are addressed.
- “The game's shift to a free-to-play model opened the doors for even more players to experience the fun, while the addition of microtransactions, skins, and community-created content kept things interesting and allowed players to further personalize their experience.”
- “Despite the free-to-play model, the game’s community remains largely free from the predatory practices that plague many other titles, with cosmetic items being the primary in-game purchase.”
- “While the game has a ton of microtransactions, none of it is required and one can retrieve items without it.”
- “The game pushes endless microtransactions, with overpriced cosmetics and loot boxes that are a slap in the face to any player looking for a fair experience.”
- “Valve has done nothing to resolve the situation for years - valve even profits off the bots making premium accounts to spam slurs, self-advertisements, and defamatory statements in stolen voices, and steam gets a cut off every trade made on the steam marketplace - including the tens of thousands of trading bots, which sell items received and crafted from the free item drop system by idle bots.”
- “Valve continues to actively monetize tf2, adding in new (community created) content to be used for a lootbox-based monetization system.”
music
1,713 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
66%
7%
The music in Team Fortress 2 is widely praised for its catchy and memorable soundtrack, which complements the game's whimsical and chaotic atmosphere. Players appreciate the unique character themes and orchestral compositions, often highlighting the music's ability to evoke nostalgia and enhance the overall gaming experience. However, the enjoyment of the soundtrack is frequently marred by the presence of disruptive bots that spam loud and inappropriate music in voice chat, detracting from the game's charm.
- “The soundtrack, composed by Mike Morasky and John Patrick Lowrie, is equally impressive, with catchy and humorous theme songs for each class.”
- “The music is equally delightful—it’s all Christmas-themed, of course, but it’s done in a way that doesn’t feel cheesy or overbearing.”
- “Timeless and classic game with a soundtrack that not only works wonderfully for the time period the game was based in but also nowadays for immersive feels; wherever you go, listening to the soundtrack feels like you get to play the game by just listening to it.”
- “The current casual experience is to join a server, get your eardrums ruptured by 6 different bots spamming mic with either loud music, or ai recreations of bigger names in the tf2 community saying the most vile racist things imaginable, and for the text channels to be filled with more n-words than a 2009 cod lobby.”
- “Every game i've played, some asshole is playing ear rape/broken record music, or name-stealing and spamming the chat with hack websites.”
- “It's been difficult to just play a match since the uprise of bots, taking over servers, spamming music or slurs or whatever nonsense they do- including kicking other players out from matches.”
stability
916 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
1%
93%
The stability of Team Fortress 2 is a significant concern among players, with many reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various glitches that can disrupt gameplay. While some users find the bugs amusing and part of the game's charm, others express frustration over the lack of updates and fixes from the developers, leading to a perception of neglect. Overall, the game is described as fun but plagued by stability issues that can hinder the experience, especially for new players.
- “Despite the game being old enough to buy a gun, it still runs great (even on my potato PC).”
- “It runs great even if you have less powerful specs; I have a potato computer but haven't experienced many frame drops through my time playing this, and it's on PC as well as OSX (Mac)!”
- “This game runs great on lower-end PCs too, so you can play this on a potato.”
- “Very buggy, force closing the game crashes my PC.”
- “The game is incredibly buggy and inconsistent at times, having weird issues caused by programming errors that can tend to appear, or odd happenings as the result of constantly trying to update a game that's running on an engine from 2004 causes some issues.”
- “The game is good but the buggy bot script is definitely the most thing that I hate on this game.”
replayability
914 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
50%
3%
Team Fortress 2 is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, attributed to its diverse cast of nine classes, extensive customization options, and a variety of game modes. Players appreciate the game's ability to remain fresh and engaging through community-driven content and regular updates, even after many years since its release. Despite some concerns about bot issues and matchmaking, the overall consensus is that TF2 offers an almost infinite replay value, making it a beloved choice for both new and veteran players.
- “With its charming cartoonish art style and nine unique classes, the game offers endless variety and replayability.”
- “The game's unique characters, diverse gameplay modes, and the endless replayability make it a must-play for anyone who loves multiplayer shooters.”
- “The regular community-driven updates and custom servers add endless replayability, ensuring that no two matches feel the same.”
- “The game has no replay value, cringe!”
- “I can't imagine anyone dumping more than 30 minutes into this un-replayable piece of shit and if they do they deserve to get the fuck kicked out of them.”
- “Despite its charm and replayability, tf2's potential was hindered by neglect.”
optimization
871 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
52%
24%
The optimization of Team Fortress 2 has been a contentious issue among players, with many citing significant performance problems, particularly on modern hardware. While some users report that the game runs smoothly on lower-end systems with the right configurations, others experience severe frame drops and stuttering, often requiring community-made mods to achieve playable performance. Overall, the game's aging engine and the increasing bloat from cosmetics have led to a consensus that it is poorly optimized, with calls for Valve to address these long-standing issues.
- “The game runs smoothly without needing an expensive computer, and it has a friendly community.”
- “Tf2 is well optimized, allowing players on a wide range of hardware configurations to enjoy the game.”
- “Despite its age, tf2 still looks fantastic and runs smoothly on modern hardware.”
- “Awesome game, one of the best from Valve, but god awful optimization. I can't blame Valve though; it's more than a decade-old game, the coding must be hell.”
- “The game is extremely unoptimized and requires you to download a script to fix it, which is crazy for a game from 2007.”
- “The performance is terrible. Even if you have a decent PC, it's still likely that TF2 will have performance issues, if not low FPS, it will be stuttering, input lag, or whatever else the game feels like.”
emotional
833 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of Team Fortress 2 (TF2) is characterized by a deep sense of nostalgia and attachment among players, who often express feelings of joy, sadness, and heartbreak regarding the game's current state. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to foster a wholesome community filled with memorable interactions, while simultaneously lamenting the neglect and decline caused by issues like bot infestations and lack of updates from Valve. Overall, TF2 evokes a powerful emotional response, making it a cherished part of many players' lives, despite its challenges.
- “It's heartbreaking to see a beloved game neglected to the point where the community must protest.”
- “This game has made me feel more emotions than anything before.”
- “I have a deep emotional connection to this game because of the fond memories that are connected to it.”
grinding
815 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
43%
57%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized, with many players feeling that it requires an excessive time investment, often likening it to needing "a second life" to achieve meaningful progress. The presence of numerous bots, particularly those farming items, exacerbates the grind, making it tedious and frustrating for genuine players. While some enjoy the grind as part of the experience, the overwhelming sentiment is that it detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “One long, tedious grind.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game has become a tedious slog to find a game that isn't filled to the brim with bots farming items.”
- “It's disappointing and tedious to see a game that was once enjoyable now plagued by bots and a lack of meaningful updates.”
- “The sheer number of bots farming items has turned the game into a frustrating experience, making it hard to find real players.”
atmosphere
328 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
56%
2%
The atmosphere of Team Fortress 2 is characterized by its vibrant, cartoonish visuals and humorous tone, creating a lighthearted and engaging environment that encourages player interaction and camaraderie. While many players appreciate the game's unique charm and the fun, chaotic atmosphere it fosters, concerns about toxicity and changes in community dynamics have emerged, impacting the overall experience. Despite these challenges, the game's whimsical character designs, memorable soundtracks, and playful interactions continue to draw players back, making it a standout title in the multiplayer shooter genre.
- “The background music is a mix of classic Christmas tunes and original compositions, all of which add to the cozy atmosphere.”
- “The game's witty writing, memorable characters, and humorous interactions contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere that makes every match enjoyable.”
- “The colorful and exaggerated character designs not only add to the game's visual appeal but also contribute to its lighthearted and humorous atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is unlike anything I have ever seen, and it's really easy to get into.”
- “The whole atmosphere of the game changed, and I stopped enjoying playing TF2.”
- “The game's atmosphere isn't the same anymore since Valve is letting the bots ruin our game for 30% of its lifetime.”
character development
281 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
46%
2%
Character development in Team Fortress 2 is widely praised for its imaginative and humorous character designs, which are both visually striking and rich in personality. Each class is distinct, with exaggerated features and unique abilities that enhance gameplay and contribute to the game's lighthearted atmosphere. The combination of vibrant art style, witty voice lines, and engaging lore creates a memorable experience that resonates with players, making the character design a cornerstone of the game's enduring appeal.
- “The character designs are a marriage of imagination and humor, with each of the nine distinct classes being instantly recognizable.”
- “The vibrant colors and exaggerated character designs help players easily identify different classes and their roles in the game, enhancing both the visual appeal and gameplay clarity.”
- “The character design is both visually appealing and packed with personality, contributing to the game's distinctive and lighthearted atmosphere.”
- “Unoriginal gameplay with basic AAA character designs; every character plays the same and there is little variety in maps.”
- “It has almost no character development and the story is lacking.”
- “Pretty bad game, bad graphics, bad character design, no updates; where's the last comic, buff spy, sniper is overpowered.”