Team Fortress 2 (TF2) is a team-based first-person-shooter game released by Valve in 2007. On Steam, a popular digital distribution platform, TF2 is still one of the most played games, despite lower player numbers. To what does it owe its longevity? As someone with over 2,200 hours clocked in the game, I hope to articulate what makes TF2 so enduring.

The first of two main factors is charm — TF2 is rich in personality. From the production design to the voice acting, the characters (or classes) are easy to become invested in. Take, for example, the Scout: a loud, obnoxious narcissist with a heavy Bostonian accent, or the soft-spoken, amiable Engineer from Texas. These personalities are augmented by not only the cartoonish style of the game, but by in-game taunts and customizable cosmetic loadouts, as well as miscellaneous lines of dialogue spoken throughout rounds.

Of course, personality couldn’t carry TF2 for ten years if the gameplay itself wasn’t solid. Each class has its own arsenal, but there is a common element throughout most of their primary weapons: they are powerful and single-fire, rather than automatic with each bullet doing little damage. This means that every shot fired is hit-or-miss, and consistently landing these shots rewards the player with high damage per shot. Coupled with the sound design, these weapons are extremely satisfying to use, and make players want to improve their aim so they can feel more of that satisfaction.

Since being hit by anything will most likely reduce a big chunk of your health, an important technique to abuse utilize is movement. The ability to dodge effectively is overpowered in TF2, despite the simplicity of the mechanics, using only the letter keys and Space Bar. If you stand still in TF2, you will be backstabbed, headshotted, or suffer any other number of quick deaths. Movement is key to survival in this game; strafing combined with careful mouse movement can result in unpredictable movements, making one a harder target to hit.

One class that benefits significantly from movement is the Spy. The Spy has low health and a decent primary weapon, but his distinguishing factor is a knife which, when attacking an enemy’s back, instantly kills him. As a Spy main myself, I cannot stress how crucial it is to properly move when playing the class. In a technique called the Matador, the player strafes in one direction when an enemy is approaching, then quickly switch directions and stab, fooling him into looking away and exposing his back to the knife. 

I hope this article helps you understand why a game so old is still enjoyed to this day.