Always There For You To Play

There’s something odd about Team Fortress 2. There’s something about it that kinda draws me back, but also doesn’t actually mind if I don’t play. Somehow, Team Fortress 2 is just always there, sitting in the background, waiting to be played, no matter what.

Okay, let me try to explain.

Team Fortress 2 exists in some sort of stasis. You can drop Team Fortress 2, stop playing it completely, for years, only to come back and still be able to jump back in and play again. Sure, things aren’t exactly the same as they used to be. After all, there’s got to be a little change after all these years, but the base game is exactly as it was. There might be a few new weapons you don’t recognize, and a lot of new cosmetics and maps, but the game is essentially the same. Exactly as you remember it. Well, almost.

The other day, I played the map Viaduct for the first time in at least a couple of years. A classic King of the Hill map. Yet it played exactly how I used to remember playing it. Snipers on the cliffs, Engineers in the corners near the large ammo packs. You find yourself fighting a little bit up hill towards the control point, but there is some cover on the point itself. If anything, playing Viaduct almost took me back to the days where I tried playing competitive TF2. While I didn’t really enjoy the original competitive experience, it was fun playing with some competent team mates on the map in the present.

As I played though, there were a few things I was reminded of. Like the fact that all Medi Guns let you catch up to Scouts now. Back when I was actively playing, that speed boost only applied to the Quick Fix. I also learned that being on fire reduces the Medi Gun’s effectiveness, and I didn’t really like that. But these were mostly minor changes that didn’t completely change how I played. All I had to do was heal people more if they were on fire. I easily adapted to these changes. The same way I adapted to the Liberty Launcher having 5 rockets in it, which is pretty cool.

Team Fortress 2 also excels in another way. It doesn’t force you to grind in any way. Sure, you have both competitive and casual level badges, but you don’t need to actively grind them, or have any fear of missing out. Play at your leisure, and you will earn ranks gradually. The only thing I miss out on are crates and hats. But those are completely cosmetic. They’re also kinda premium, since the only real way to get cosmetics is sheer luck on hat drops, or by opening crates. Most new stuff is inaccessible and requires a special key from the Mann Co. store to open. Doesn’t matter to me though, since my loadout has always been incredibly simple. I just wear the Party Hat.

Really, I can understand why Team Fortress 2 has survived all these years. While games like Overwatch constantly change and add new features, Team Fortress 2 just gets new hats and maps. The base gameplay is a solid foundation that doesn’t need to constantly change, because it’s good as it is. And the game is always there for you to play whenever you feel like it. There’s no fear of missing out. Which is a pleasant thing compared to most other games these days…