A classic game that forms part of the hugely successful Orange Box collection, Team Fortress 2 is a relentless fast-paced FPS that adopts a similar model to games like Unreal Tournament.
Boasting as many as 14 game modes(3 on release, 11 later added), it still remains a popular PC game today even a whopping 12 years after its release. The game even reached its highest number of active players as recently as December 2018.
So what is so special about Team Fortress 2? And what keeps bringing people back to this game?
Well aside from the amazing execution, it’s got to be the all-star cast responsible for a lot of the game’s success.
So with that said let’s dive into this list ranking all of the classes in the game and see how they stack up.
9. Pyro
Ok, while the Pyro is undoubtedly a fun class to mess around with, the lack of a real ability to affect the outcome of a game holds it back greatly.
The pyro falls into the offensive category meaning its main role is to push back the opposition and be the vanguard in most scenarios.
Compared to the other two in the same field – the soldier and the scout – the pyro certainly lacks mobility. But also, and perhaps more importantly, it lacks firepower.
Of course, when you find yourself in close-quarters with a pyro it’s not good news. However the pyro is so slow and languid that it is highly susceptible to being taken out before it can have any real impact on things.
With average health and damage output(unless at close range) a pyro only really excels if you catch the opposition off guard and can outmaneuver them, which can prove to be difficult when you’re up against highly mobile scouts or the next class on this list – the defensively-minded engineer.
8. Engineer
The engineer is an interesting class to choose.
With the ability to construct turrets, teleporters, and ammo/health dispensers, there are many ways to use this class to good effect.
The main drawback with the engineer is his low health leaving him completely vulnerable when constructing buildings. And the fact that as a supportive class, you won’t be able to impact the battle unless you’re prepared to stay out of the action for a good portion of it.
Unlike the medic class, as an engineer you probably won’t feel like you are able to directly help your teammates as much. Unless you have put the time into mastering the class and his abilities.
Definitely not a class for a beginner, as an engineer you will be hoping that your team can protect you and that your buildings are not destroyed, otherwise you’re going to have a tough time justifying your choice.
7. Spy
The spy is that class that – like the engineer – provides a totally unique FPS experience which isn’t reliant on traditional shooting mechanics.
With the spy you will need to make use of your stealth abilities and covertly sabotage the enemy, taking them out one at a time while avoiding detection.
The trouble with this approach stems from the fact that this class has very low health compared to the rest, and once discovered(you are revealed once you strike) the spy is ultimately at the mercy of the opposition.
If you have put a serious amount of time into getting to grips with this covert class, sticking to the shadows and striking only when absolutely necessary, then you can certainly be successful.
The question is whether the spy’s slow dispatching of the opposition one-by-one is an effectual approach in the grander scheme of things.
6. Heavy
The largest defensive class in the game(as the name suggests), the heavy is definitely an entertaining class when it comes to taking out the opposition in their droves.
The heavy is defined by his huge health bar and ability to take a lot of damage, while dishing out a fair amount himself in retaliation.
This is a class that the team will tend to rally around as if it were a tank. The heavy can be like a terminator walking into enemy fire and emerging victorious if played well.
Now the downside to the heavy is his super slow movement, which means that he is highly vulnerable to a sneaky spy from behind or even from the pesky sniper headshot.
His lack of speed also means that when entering the field of battle, there is usually no retreating.
This means lots of last stand situations unless you happen to be on a medic’s good side.
5. Soldier
The second class that falls into the offensive bracket, the soldier often fares much better in battle than his comrade the pyro.
While slightly slower than some of the other classes, the soldier has the second largest health bar(bested only by the heavy) and packs plenty of firepower to help his teammates to victory.
A fantastic all-round class, the soldier is a great choice for the beginners or even the advanced player who knows how to run this game every way till Tuesday.
Using a rocket launcher as his primary weapon, the soldier is capable of dealing with several opposition players at once in explosive fashion.
Combine this with his ability to rocket jump seriously high into the sky and you have a solid class to take into battle.
Adding another dimension to your team’s attack(from above), the soldier is a solid team player.
But as the saying goes: a soldier is essentially a jack of all trades, master of none.
4. Sniper
Whatever the game, a sniper is always a popular choice due to their fun headshot-hunting gameplay and ability to one-shot enemies.
The sniper in TF2 is no different and is hugely satisfying to play with. Provided you know how to track a fast-moving target across the map and seek out that elusive headshot.
With the ability to throw jarate(a glass bottle of the sniper’s pee) or whip out the deadly Kubrick sword for close-quarters combat, the sniper isn’t entirely limited to his rifle.
However if you want to get the most out of this class, you will want to sit back and take out the enemy medics and heavys, thus crippling the opposition.
The trouble with playing as the sniper is – like with any game – you will be immobile and if you’re not careful you will be very vulnerable.
3. Medic
A crucial class to have on any team, the medic is one that will make sure you are able to sustain the pressure on the enemy without having to constantly respawn in inconvenient locations.
A team-player in every sense of the term, the medic shouldn’t be your first choice if you’re looking to get in on the frenetic action.
Rather, the medic should be chosen if you want the opportunity to play as the most useful support class in the game and be the unsung hero.
Running around healing all of your teammates before they reach critically low health is not super fun and it’s not something you care about until you need it.
The medic is capable of single-handedly keeping his time alive and in the fight – which can definitely turn the tides of the battle.
Put it this way: while the medic certainly doesn’t qualify as one of the most fun classes to play, without one on your team, you are going to struggle against a team that does have one. This is how much they can affect gameplay.
2. Scout
Here’s an easy class to play but a very difficult class to master.
The scout can be of the most entertaining and effectual classes in the game. While it will certainly take some practice to get the most out of the scout’s abilities, it is definitely worthwhile.
The scout is the fastest in the game and darts around the map causing chaos and running behind enemy lines before they even know what hit them.
What’s great about this fast-paced class is that most others in the game at one point or another will be locked in combat, or focused on something(a la sniper). This means you will have free reign to pull off hit-and-run maneuvers where you take out key targets from the enemy team.
Dodging gunfire and excelling in 1-on-1 duels, the well-played scout is usually a huge asset to any team and perhaps even indispensable like the medic.
1. Demoman
Maybe a controversial choice for the top spot, but the demoman is for some an excellent class capable of dealing serious damage and disrupting the opposition significantly. For others this is a tough to use class which isn’t as effective as, say, the scout.
Perhaps his reliance on teammates when dealing with close-quarters combat is his biggest drawback, but other than this, the demoman is an incredibly powerful class with fantastic damage output and a serious ability to hamstring the opposition’s advance.
Once you have mastered the demoman’s highly effective grenade launcher you will easily be able to take care of clusters of players and set traps with sticky bombs. This type of strategy can affect a game heavily just by creating a necessary choke point.
If you want some more tips on how to play the demoman check out this video offering some great tips on the subject.
Moving from England to Spain at the age of 22, Sam is a keen language learner and sports enthusiast. You can usually find him either playing a high-paced game of squash or chilling with a book outside.
