Team Fortress 2

There are some games that transcend their original purpose. They start as a simple diversion, but they become something so much more. They jump into the mainstream, become memetic, and eventually become such an ingrained part of the gaming landscape that people forget that the game was ever there. Team Fortress 2 is one such game, a free to play shooter that has become the prototypical class-based shooter as well as the argument for (and against) having a strongly player-driven economy. This game is both a great shooter and a strange hat buying simulator, all rolled into one. It's something truly special.

Team Fortress is, at its heart, a class-based player versus player shooter. The game itself is relatively simple. Players are either on a red or blue team, and they attempt to eliminate the other team. Players can choose one of several classes, including Soldier, Heavy, Scout, Pyro, Medic, Engineer, Sniper, and Spy. Each class has its own special weapons and special abilities, which players must use in conjunction with their team in order to win the game. It is perhaps the most successful class-based shooter ever made, and it is responsible for inspiring games like Overwatch, Paladins, and Battleborn.

Team Fortress is also one of the earliest (and perhaps best) of a free to play game. It doesn't cost a dime to play Team Fortress. All of the classes and levels are open by default. You can play the game for years at a time without spending money. The only things locked by currency are cosmetic items and weapons. Even those items can eventually be found or crafted in the game, albeit with a great deal of time spent on the process. For some, this is the perfect example of how free to play really ought to work.

Of course, Team Fortress 2 has become as much about its economy as it has about the game itself. Players who play the game can sell their items to one another for real cash. This means that there is a thriving marketplace for certain items, some of which can sell for hundreds of dollars. Even rare items like certain hats are traded back and forth much like commodities in a real world market. It's not unusual to hear that players have spent - or made - thousands of dollar on items that can be found in the game world.

Team Fortress is a fantastic game. There's absolutely no reason to avoid playing it, especially if you enjoy shooters. There is a tremendous learning curve for the game, especially at this point. Don't expect to go in and win, and don't expect to be treated kindly by some of the players. If you put in the work, though, you'll find this game to be one of the best ever made. It helped to create and define a genre. Just stay away from the hats - unless you're incredibly rich, your wallet just can't handle that kind of stress. Stick to something safer, like the stock market.