Much like the wait for new Half-Life episodes, the wait for Team Fortress 2 has been almost unbearable. Approaching ten years of development time, the game has seen some radical changes from its inception. Originally set in a modern warfare environment, Valve had designed four different versions of TF2 before settling on a completely revamped the art style, giving the world of TF2 a cartoony, 60s spy look that is gorgeous to behold.
This new look, reminiscent of Pixar's The Incredibles or even No One Lives Forever, may chase away players looking for a complex online shooter. But beneath the cartoon characters lies the same balanced gameplay that made Team Fortress Classic so deserving of the name. The game's six maps are tailored for specific gametypes, perfectly balanced in ways that makes one imagine just how obsessive-compulsive Valve developers must be. All nine original classes from the original have returned, each with distinctive personalities and looks. The classes are balanced, with no one class being more powerful than others in all situations, and many of the classes work together well in certain situations.
Gameplay is fast and furious, rewarding players for learning each map's secrets and working together. The combination of varied classes and perfectly balanced map design results in games that are tense, exciting, and almost never a blowout. The cartoony design also results in some hilarious violence. Players are splattered across the walls and floor, and then shown exactly who took them out in case the player wants to plot vengeance. Team Fortress 2 also makes extensive use of detailed statistics, keeping track of damage inflicted, time spent alive, and letting you know in post-death messages that, even though you're a stain on the ground, you really, truly are improving.
The only thing holding back the 360 version of TF2 is the occasional difficulty finding a lag-free experience. Since there are no dedicated servers, performance is dependent on the host's connection. Valve has released patches that have improved the lag, but it's not uncommon to still run into some badly hosted games.
Aside from the occasional lag, Team Fortress 2 is more than worth the wait players have endured. With the promise of more maps, gamers can expect to be spending large amounts of time comically blowing away their friends. TF2 is easily the most rewarding multiplayer game on the Xbox 360 since Gears of War.
The surprise of this collection, however, comes in the form of Portal. Originally viewed as a side project or bonus to the collection, Portal's brilliant gameplay and tight, effective storytelling steals the show from two other heavy-hitting titles.
Best described as a first-person puzzle game, Portal drops players in the Aperture Science Research Center, being led through a series of chambers that can only be escaped by using interconnecting portals, generated by the only weapon available in the game. Shoot a portal in two different areas, and they are connected, regardless of distance or orientation. The concept works a lot like the portals in Prey, except you have total control over where you go in and where you come out. Using these portals, you'll be able to traverse large gaps, reach extreme heights, and even launch yourself across testing chambers.
It's a game mechanic that at first seems gimmicky, but the novelty never wears off. Each successive level teaches you different ways of using portals to navigate the Aperture Science Center and accomplish goals, all without feeling like an extended tutorial. To say much about the game's story would spoil an amazing experience, but when the game suddenly ramps up towards its climax, you'll feel at once a master of the portal gun and eager to learn more uses for it.
