Fortunately, the whole package ends on a high note, with Team Fortress 2, the sequel we've waited more than a decade to play. After so much anticipation, so many expected releases, it'd be hard for the title to live up to its hype, let alone live up to the legacy it bears as the sequel to one of the most influential multiplayer games in history. TF2 pulls it off.
To be sure, it's not what everyone was expecting – the grenades are gone and the medic no longer infects, and those are just two of the alterations to the classic formula. So, no, it's not the same thing you played in 1996, or in 1999. Not exactly. The same light-hearted spirit that infuses Portal is evident here, in spades, along with the same black humor. Full of callbacks to classic WWII and spy thrillers, and rendered like a Leyendecker poster come to life, the game pulls you in immediately, and the fast paced action keeps you there. With nine different classes and a variety of maps, the game can become much deeper than the cartoony surface would lead you to believe. Valve has gone to pains to avoid the kind of defensive stalemates that could occur when two skilled teams fought in Team Fortress or Team Fortress Classic, and in doing so have made the core gameplay more compelling. There's not a lot that's genuinely new to the basic play of Team Fortress 2, but the polish and presentation prevent it from feeling stale.
The Orange Box may not restore the reputation of the bargain box, but it is a bargain, and it is worth your time. The three titles may vary in quality, but a fan of the franchise can probably overlook the flaws in Episode 2, and everyone, without exception, needs to experience Portal.
