There’s no denying that Valve Software is a household name in video games, though I doubt anyone was going to do it anyway. Despite their dishearteningly slow development process (never heard at Valve: “Hurry up guys, we’ve got a deadline to meet!"), nearly every game they create is considered excellent (oops, I mean pwnsome!) The interesting thing is that most of their games have roots in unlikely sources, usually mods to their own, or to other games. Team Fortress is one such game.

What started as a mod to Quake became a standalone game in its own right once Valve bought the company that created it. That certainly doesn’t sound impressive at all, but what Team Fortress was isn’t what’s important; the important bit is what they’ve done to the game to get Team Fortress 2.

For those who don’t know, the gameplay in Team Fortress involves two components: teams, and fortresses. Most maps involve team-based gameplay either involving command posts (where one team attacks and the other defends,) or flags (you know what CTF is, you just do.) That gameplay hasn’t changed much at all in the sequel, the Valve one, if you will.

What makes TF2 so amazing is how much they have changed between TFC and TF2. The style is even a new one for Valve, and I must say that it’s a hit. Within TF2, they’ve created a first person shooter that doesn’t take itself seriously one bit. One need only look at some screenshots or trailers to see just what kind of look and feel the game has. Hint: think The Incredibles in game form (and it looks good enough to be close to the movie in actual quality.)

The thing I love most about the game is that each class isn’t merely a class, but an individual character. Again, watch one of the “Meet the xxxx” trailers to see what I’m talking about. The best is Meet the Soldier, just saying.

The result? A very fitting addition to Valve’s portfolio, and a strong multiplayer component to The Orange Box.

October 10th can’t come fast enough.