Greg Recommends Team Fortress 2

Price: Free!

Website: http://www.teamfortress.com/

Team Fortress 2 is STEAM's Free to Play FPS (first person shooter). The game has been out since 2007 and as of the writing of this post it has undergone over 500 updates. The gameplay is tried, tested, and finely tuned with 9 diverse classes, a brilliant and unobtrusive focus on teamwork, and innovative strategic options. The graphics are stylized to never get old. The STEAM community has thoroughly gone to town making mods and maps and the developers have constantly been adding and tweaking things according to player feedback. With hundreds of hours logged on this gem I highly recommend it as my FPS of choice. It never gets old, and I always have fun.

There are lots of FPS games out there these days. What sets this one apart from the pack is their stylized (cartoony) approach mixed with excellent shooter mechanics that reward skill and teamwork. They also have the greatest free to play model on the internet where all classes are available free and all weapons / items are unlocked by simply playing the game or trading with other players (more on this later).

Some fun stylized graphics. Looked great in 2007, still looks great in 2015.

Team Fortress Stylized Graphics

The graphic style of TF2 gives it an enormous advantage over realistic shooters on several fronts. First of all the colors are bright and both the characters and levels are vibrant and beautiful instead of the drab collage of brown and grey that realistic shooters tend to turn into. Second the cartoony characters make them distinctive and actual characters instead of just a player class. Third it allows for gameplay that is not restricted by realism which leads to lots of fun, strategic options, and some downright hilarious moments. (characters running around on fire, being blown to literal bits, awesome facial expressions, rag-doll mechanics) Third the stylization of TF2 requires very little update once it has been set; it looked great in 2007, it still looks great in 2015, and it will continue to look great no matter what the jump in video card technology. Finally the graphical requirements are fairly low which means most non-gaming computers can run it on modest settings without a problem.

A Blu Soldier just blew a Red Pyro to bits with his rocket launcher at close range... Imagine what the two red players are thinking as they witness this from their perspective...

Team Fortress Gameplay

The gameplay mechanics are as solid as you will find anywhere and specifically focus on diverse class play / counter play, teamwork, and skill based tactics. There are 9 classes to choose from, each of which offers a completely different experience to play as and to play against. Like the graphics each class is itself highly stylized and given specific personality through official TF2 videos and in-game reactions to varying situations. Check them out below.

Heavy

The heavy weapons guy is a large slow moving Russian merc with a giant mini-gun that rapid fire sprays bullets at an alarming rate. He is able to mow down every other class that gets too close and send them scurrying for cover even at a moderate distance. He is particularly well paired with the Medic who can constantly heal the bullet spitting behemoth and uber-charge him to invisibility to wreck well fortified defenses. Heavy is particularly useful against classes that need to get in close to deal damage (Pyros in particular). Heavy's large size and slower movement speed make him a favorite target for snipers and spies.

Scout

The Scout is a quick little bruiser from the streets of Boston. His speed, double jump ability, and shotgun make him an 'in your face' opponent that can deal tons of damage by making some good skill shots. Knowing the map is essential for good scout play as making the wrong move will see you quickly dead. Scout's agility allow him to get into places where other classes cannot and allows him to dodge, jump, and weave around enemies while shooting them to pieces.

Demoman

The DemoMan is a demolitions expert from Scotland. His grenade launcher is ideal for taking out enemy turrets at a distance and bouncing explosives into enemy hiding places. He requires skill at judging distances and the physics of how your launcher will lob explosives. The Demoman also has sticky grenade launcher which is ideal for setting deadly traps. Alternatively once you unlock a few medieval style melee weapons the Demoman can be played as a front-line melee fighter who gains speed and health from enemy kills.

Soldier

The Soldier is a not too bright shooting star who can launch himself into the air by shooting rockets at his feet. His rocket launcher does area of effect damage and will blow enemies to bloody bits on direct hits. The soldier keeps a shotgun in reserve as well as a trusty shovel which I have put away in favor if a sword that will restore all HP upon killing an enemy with the trade off being that I cannot but the sword away again unless an enemy has been killed by it. Being able to utilize Soldier's rocket jump and as well as being able to lead targets with your rockets are essential gameplay skills.

Engineer

The Engineer is a well educated country loving Texan with a penchant for building really big guns to shoot things for him. His main weapon is a shotgun but his ability to construct and upgrade turrets makes him ideal for fortifying an area of the map. A well placed turret will stop a team rush in its tracks and shoot those annoying scouts clean out of the air. The Engineer can also construct and upgrade dispensers which provide health and ammo to your team as well as teleporters which can greatly strengthen a position when the entrance is placed at the respawn point. Watch out for Demomen who attempt to bounce explosives into your nest as well as spies which will attempt to destroy your constructions with electrical sabotage devices.

Spy

The Spy is a skill based melee (double?) agent from France / England. He is able go invisible, take on the appearance of an enemy team member, and instantly kill any character with a lethal backstab as well as finish off wounded characters from a distance with his pistol. The spy also has the ability to place sappers on engineer constructs rendering them inoperable and dealing damage over time unless removed. Playing the spy means playing mind games with the enemy; appearing where they least expect it, being able to 'act' like the character you are impersonating, and eliminating key targets without being seen. If you notice that one of your team members is acting suspicious then fire a few rounds into him to make sure he's not an enemy spy...

Sniper

The sniper is an assassin from Australia who specializes in eliminating high value targets at a distance. The sniper rifle is one of the few weapons that gets bonuses for head shots and a fully charged headshot will instantly kill any character except the heavy at full health. The sniper keeps a sub machine gun and a huge knife as backup weapons with the option of a refillable jar of 'jarate' which covers enemies in bright yellow stink fumes offering mini-crits to anyone who hits them and revealing invisible spies. Quick reflexes are essential for playing sniper because headshots kill characters (and enemy snipers will also be aiming for your head).

Medic

The medic is a brilliant German medical prodigy who is quite possibly insane. His ability to heal allies with friendly radiation streams is complimented by his ability to make them invincible once his medi-gun is fully powered up. While not really a damage dealing class a good medic will frequently top the score boards as kills from the player being healed are also attributed to the player doing the healing. The medic carries a rapid fire syringe gun that, once properly understood, can do lots of damage at moderate / close range and act as effective spy repellent.

Pyro

The origins of the Pyro are a mystery as are much of his / her mannerisms. The Pyro lives in a flame retardant hazard suit and carries a flamethrower, shotgun, and a fireman's ax. Pyro's mask muffles everything said and a lot of the unlockable cosmetic items seem to indicate that the Pyro is insane (plunger hat, a rake as a melee weapon, etc) The Pyro is a close range damage fiend inflicting a substantial damage over time burning effect on characters who were not killed by direct damage and managed to escape. Knowing the map will allow you to set up ambushes for enemy characters and take them down quickly. Pyro also has a back blast function on the flamethrower that will deflect incoming projectiles (like rockets) back to sender as well as send enemy players into the air (and possibly down a cliff).

Emphasis on Team Work

Team Fortress 2 was created around the idea of team work. Each of the 9 classes compliments each other, each bringing a series of strengths and gameplay options that are designed to work together within a group. TF2's game options are all team oriented from straight forward team deathmatches and capture the flag to the more complicated base capture maps. In Some maps one team has to push a bomb cart into the other team's base and in others both teams are racing each other with explosives. In the still recent Man vs Machine update players also have the option to play verses waves of mechanical AI opponents who will try to destroy your base. Whatever the map or gamemode you will be working together with your team in some fast paced and explosively hectic matches. There is no 'free for all'.

The maps were also crafted with team work in mind. Bases are defensible but often have several entrances for cunning enemies to flank engaged defenders. Every map features a variety of battleground conditions ranging from large open areas to confining tunnels or chasms and varying amounts of cover. Every map has multiple paths to reach your goal and makes elevation a factor as well with multiple paths at different elevation levels. The result is that no one class is best suited for every situation but each relies upon the others.

This emphasis on teamwork is an absolute joy to play when you have a good team but also a total drag if you have a dysfunctional team. Thankfully TF2 servers will detect gross imbalances and scramble the teams to balance things out a bit better.

Free to Play

Team Fortress 2 is Free to Play in the best sense of the phrase. All of the classes, all of the unlockable weapons / items, and even all of the cosmetic items (hats) are free. You can access absolutely everything in Team Fortress 2 without ever having to pay anything at all. As you play you will 'find' random items at the end of a match. You are also able to 'craft' every item in the game by either combining specific items together or melting down extras into 'scrap metal' and using it to build something new. This takes time however and so you also have the option to purchase items in game via micro-transactions if you so desire. Where TF2 makes the most money however are in selling ridiculous hats for your characters which are cosmetic use only.

Summary

If you enjoy first person shooter action or if you are in the mood for something new then you would be stupid not to give Team Fortress 2 a try. It's free, it's fun, it has been finely tuned and balanced for the last eight years, it will run on most any computer, and it's a riot to play with your friends. Seriously, go and install Team Fortress 2 right now.

Greg Recommends Tropico 4 + Modern Times Expansion

Price: $16.99

Website: http://store.steampowered.com/app/57690/

Tropico 4 is a smart city builder with a twist; you play as El Presedente, a ridiculous but brilliant (or quite possibly just very lucky) tin pot dictator who must build up a Caribbean island nation while stashing away as much money as possible while also ensuring that the Tropican citizens don't arm themselves and storm the palace. With over 90 hours of game play logged I have played through all of the content in Tropico 4, including the Modern Times expansion and all DLCs. The mechanics are deceptively deep and intricate while also seamless, the graphics show some aging but still offer some beautiful shots, and the humor spread throughout is a blast. This is definitely my city builder of choice.

Special note: Don't bother with Tropico 3 as it is the same game as Tropico 4 except but with less options.

Special note 2: Tropico 5 is a significant revamp of the Tropico series and is worth playing if you enjoy city builders. Tropico 4 is my favorite though and it's cheaper.

Gameplay

Humble beginnings... your lonely palace, a handful of corn
farms, a dock, a construction office, and some shacks.

The general goal of each Tropico game is to take your tiny underdeveloped and poverty stricken island village and turn into a profitable Caribbean paradise. There are many ways to do this and many challenges along the way; the scenarios in the campaigns also tend to mix things up a bit with special objectives and unique challenges.

As already alluded to the mechanics of Tropico 4 are complex and very well integrated. As El Presedente you are responsible for all aspects of your islands' infrastructure, economy, politics, military, and the well being of your citizens. To summarize things very briefly the two main things that lead to success are the happiness of your people and the amount of money you are able to generate. Generally speaking you begin by build up basic industries to export goods which make enough money to build more industries as well as the things that make your citizens happy (real houses, churches, hospitals, entertainment options, etc). As the game progresses you will be able to expand beyond basic raw material exports (crops, metals, lumber etc.) to processed goods (Rum, weapons, furniture etc.) as well as create hotels for tourists to come give you their money, that is, assuming you have the infrastructure to field these things. Where you place buildings matters as a long commute may cost you productivity or citizen happiness and some buildings have area affect bonuses depending on what is around them. Efficient roadways are important and require a measure of planning as they can become clogged and bog down production. There is rarely enough money, time, or resources to make everyone happy until a successful mid - late game and the fun is striking a balance and watching your island nation grow. In terms of the size of your city you are only limited by the size of your island (up to 'very big') and the speed of your processor.

Turns into skyscrapers, factories, shopping malls, tourist
traps, luxury entertainment, and bustling roadways.

Every citizen is procedurally generated with varying importance spread out among several needs (food, housing, job, entertainment, safety, health etc.) and will seek out ways to meet needs that get too low. Your citizens choose which building to live in, where they want to work, and which political faction they support. They interact with your city and react to how you rule them. You can click on any one of them to see their stats and have them fired, arrested, executed, excommunicated, bribed, or arrange an accident... Likewise you can click on specific buildings to adjust the wages they pay, who works there, and how many positions they are allowed to fill. El Presedente's ingame character can even visit specific buildings to increase their 'quality', make construction crews work faster or give speeches from the palace to raise the respect of everyone who attends. You can zoom the camera right in to street level and get up close and personal with your creation and the people who live there. These sorts of micro-management options are especially useful at the beginning of the game when money is tight and high school / college educated citizens are in short supply, but what is even more impressive is the way the game gives you information and control at the meta-level.

Zooming in on a residential sector with a nice little restaurant on the corner.

The 'Almanac' gives El Presedente a bird's eye view of all the important statistics of your island. The happiness of your people (for example) is listed as percentages which can in turn be clicked on for a full breakdown. You can get a birds eye view of your economy, trade, political factions, and the various demographics of your citizens. The almanac is especially useful when an election is called and you want to see where you stand with the various political factions (Capitalists, Communists, Militarists, Religious, Nationalists, Environmentalists, Loyalists). The makeup of these political groups will affect how you approach your island. A Communist majority will have different demands than a Religious majority and appeasing one group may make other groups upset with you. It's an uneven sea-saw and you are in the middle trying not to fall off.

At least the people respect their leader and are eating well... No, you cannot have more liberty!
Here's some blocky soviet tenements and a church to appease you while I bathe in my money.

The foreign superpowers also affect how you will rule your little island paradise. The US and the USSR will provide you with annual financial aid and unique trade options according to how much they like you but will invade if you make them angry. Other foreign powers like the UK, China, and the Middle East will provide lucrative trade options and gifts if appeased. The foreign powers as well as Tropico's political factions will offer minor objectives throughout the game asking you do something they want in return for money, respect, or a trade deal.

Also available to El Presedente are powerful edicts that can be unlocked to change how things are done on the island. Some examples are 'Food for the People' which gives a large boost to food quality at the cost of allowing Tropicans to eat twice as much of your food, 'Martial Law' which cancels all elections and greatly reduces crime at the cost of liberty and tourism ratings, and 'Off to Florida!' which sends all criminals to Miami on a government approved raft-like structure at the cost of US - Tropico relations for the next five years.

Looking over a mid - late game Tropico.

The campaign does a good job of breaking you in slowly as you learn how to build farms to feed your people and set up basic industries to start earning some cash. New concepts (foreign affairs, military, education, and edicts to name a few) are introduced slowly at first and it makes for an enjoyable tutorial as such. There are always strategies for how to run the island as well as a multitude of ways to squeeze extra money out of exports and tourists either into the island's bank account or into El Presedente's retirement fund... some of them are even unsuspiciously legal!

Between the robust mechanics and a multitude of options there is no right or wrong way to rule your island, although some strategies are better suited than others depending on the situation. Keep it simple as a self-sufficient farmer's haven or try for the big bucks by building factories and importing the necessary raw materials. Keep your citizens uneducated and indoctrinate them to become Loyalists Kim Jong-il style or embrace democracy and bring your people all the luxuries and liberties of the western world. Find the play style that works for you and then use your political influence to encourage some factions to grow while discouraging those troublesome nay saying factions. Bribery, coercion, control of the media, prison labor camps (DLC), and good old fashioned execution are all at your disposal. A word of caution though, ensure that your army is big enough (and loyal enough) to handle any explosive consequences that come from aggressive political shaping. A secret police HQ wouldn't go amiss either...

The Tropican Armed Forces intercept a group of rebels intent on storming the palace!

Bright Aesthetics & Humor

The overall tone and atmosphere of Tropico is as bright and silly as a city builder could be. The graphics are of an older generation but they are nonetheless full of vibrant colors, swaying palm trees, busy streets, blocky communist style tenements, glass skyscrapers, and beautiful gardens surrounded by the blue of the Caribbean Sea. The soundtrack is an absurdly happy, catchy, lively and (depending on your tastes) possibly annoying medley of Latin-American inspired musics which set the mood for upbeat fun in the sun. The representatives of Tropico's factions serve as your advisers and each one is a silly caricature that will chime in with helpful advise every once in a while and will occasionally take control of the radio and comment on El Presedente's actions and quite possibly bicker with other faction leaders over the air waves.

The story line of the campaigns starts out normal enough but becomes a wacky over the top concoction of conspiracies, international espionage, outrageous master plans, and crazy vendettas all wrapped up in some excellent humor and lighthearted fun. This is a story where El Presedente begins as a simple tin pot dictator with delusions of grandeur and in his quest to make Tropico the richest most powerful nation on earth he ends up the victim of an elaborate conspiracy (original game) and then in the expansion also single-handedly diffusing World War 3, defeating international terrorism, landing on the moon, warding off the zombie apocalypse, and moving Tropico out of the path of a nuclear missile by building lots of wind turbines. The characters are bright, zany, and varied. El Presedente is obviously corrupt but is so charismatic that he convinces everyone that he's the hero. You're #1 adviser worships you and is utterly incompetent, but his crazy schemes usually end up working in the end. Your environmental adviser, Sunny Flowers, is a tree hugging hippy left wing loon and your military adviser tries to scare off tornadoes to make them retreat while your capitalist adviser tries to sell discount weapons to the rebels over the radio. Everything is a joke in Tropico, everyone is happy in Tropico, everything is corrupt in Tropico, and Tropico is most definitely the best place in the entire world.

A Note on the Modern Times Expansion

The modern times expansion adds new buildings, edicts, and an additional campaign to Tropico 4 that build off the existing mechanics. As time progresses in your games these new buildings and options will be unlocked (makes the decision of when to use certain options more interesting). Older buildings can be replaced by modern day buildings improving efficiency and (maybe) decreasing pollution. Many of the modern buildings have options that affect how they function as well as potential bonuses depending on location. It adds a nice addition to the Tropico experience and makes for a more interesting late game but it's not necessary and I'm not sure I could recommend buying it at full price to new players. Play through some Tropico 4 to see if you enjoy it enough to commit the time required to play a few games through. My recommendation would be to wait for a good Steam sale and pick it and all the DLC up for about $15.

A nice Tropican skyline brought to you by the Modern Times Expansion.

Summary

Tropico 4 is a smart city builder with great style. Robust and seamless building, economy, and political mechanics covered in bright and lively aesthetics wrapped in some of the most humorous writing I've ever encountered in a video game make this a personal all time favorite. The learning curve in the campaigns is gentle enough to ease new players in while also leaving all the options open for more adventurous players to experiment and go wild. Pick this title (and all the addons) up in the next Steam sale for some excellent city building and seriously silly fun in the sun.

Greg Recommends The Lord of the Rings Online (A Reflective Review)

Price: Free

Website: http://www.lotro.com/

Lets start this blog off with one of my favorites. Lord of the Rings Online. I have played this game off and on with my wife for the last three years and we keep coming back to it as our MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online game) of choice. In my opinion, LOTRO is the definitive online experience for all things Lord of the Rings related.

The Lord of the Rings Online is a beautifully crafted game set in the Tolkien fantasy world of Middle Earth. The player is able to choose between one of ten different classes and four different races. The gameplay is instantly akin to World of Warcraft and other popular MMOs and as far as MMOs go LOTRO has solid game mechanics, good balance, an active community, and reasonably paced updates. For those unfamiliar with MMOs it's a game where you create a character in a massive online world full of other players' characters and you team up with your friends (or go alone) to explore the world, complete quests, kill monsters, uncover treasure, and find / earn / create better armor. magical trinkets, and weapons. You can join a fellowship or a raid group to take on instances or gather up rare materials to craft powerful items, or just hang out in Bree chatting with other players, fishing, making music, dressing up, and role playing.

(fellowship defending an outpost in Angmar)

Where LOTRO really shines is in its dedication to the lore and atmosphere of Middle Earth. Your characters' stories take place parallel to Frodo's journey and you really get to explore how the rest of Middle Earth experienced the War of the Ring. I am a sucker for good story telling and LOTRO drags me in every time. Every area is filled with stories and characters that either referenced in Middle Earth lore or are believable in light of it. Some examples of these story arks are thwarting Bill Ferny's rebellion in Bree, aiding the Dunedin Rangers scattered throughout the north, journeying with the Dwarves as they attempt to retake the Mines of Moria, and taking part in a daring plan to stop the swelling forces of evil in Angmar. The different regions are all unique, each with a distinct environment and there is even distinctive variation in the sub-regions which, when viewed on the highest graphics settings, are works of beauty.

(my wife and I touring the Shire)

The other thing that really stands LOTRO out among other MMOs is its monetization system which is the best free to play setup I've seen for this type of game. New players are able to enjoy a generously large chunk of content for free (up to about level 35). Content can be unlocked (in the form of area quest packs, 3 premium classes, cosmetic items, etc) by either getting a subscription or by using up Turbine Points. Here's what makes LOTRO so appealing to me... Turbine Points can be purchased via micro-transactions on your credit card or they can be earned in game by completing area specific deeds and challenges. By the time we had reached the end of our free-to-play content we were already accessing premium content by spending the Turbine Points we had earned simply by playing! Theoretically you could keep making new characters to keep earning more turbine points and unlock all the content for free but we were convinced of the games quality and lovingly crafted detail and we wanted to give them money to support the game we had become invested in. The relative cost of purchasing an area's quest pack (hours of content) is less than you would pay to watch a movie or eat out. (We have purchased every quest pack to date).

(Exploring the Silver Deep Mines of the Blue Mountains)

The community is friendly but also distinctively attached to the world of Middle Earth over and above the power level grinding that most MMOs turn into. Its the atmosphere and the stories of this MMO that draw the community. The instances and raids that you'd expect in a good MMO are still present but the overall attitude of the server is different because the game tends to draw in a different type of player. In the kinships we've joined we have found a surprising number of parents that play the game when their kids go to bed, generally a more laid back and friendly group. Die hard WoW players may find the change of emphasis frustrating but I quite appreciate it. The community enjoys quarterly festivals where new and unique cosmetic gear (robes, dresses, hats, horses, etc) can be earned by betting on Hobbit pie eating races in the Shire, out drinking Dwarves in Thorin's Hall, playing Hobnanigans in Bree fields, fishing, horse racing, digging for treasure, and so much more. The RP server of Landroval is especially lively with role playing kinships and impromptu dance parties with multiple player bands.

(The Bagginses Band on tour on Landroval server)

Theologically I enjoy this game because of the portrayal of good and evil. Tolkien's Middle Earth and the stories therein were greatly influenced by his study of Nordic legend and classical literature but they were also greatly influenced by his the Christian Scriptures and his personal faith. The evil in Lord of the Rings takes on an almost spiritual hue of light verses darkness. This is accomplished in the characters and stories told through the quest chains, the character models for the orcs (and other evils), the game mechanics of 'fear' verses 'hope' and even the environment itself which becomes dark and foreboding as you draw near a particularly evil place or bright and colorful as you draw near a particularly sacred or virtuous place / person. As someone who found Gandalf's charge at Helm's Deep particularly inspiring as a parallel for how Jesus leads the forces of light against the forces of darkness I find LOTROs portrayal of the battle against good and evil to be in full continuity with Middle Earth lore, and pleasingly subtle at times while also being effective at driving the story and making the adventure exciting.

(Goblin infestation in the Midgewater Marshes east of Bree)

Summary

LOTRO is a solid MMO that really focuses on atmosphere and story telling and has an excellent free-to-play model that is honest, unobtrusive, and rewards characters for playing. The mechanics are solid, the community is friendly, the graphics are beautiful, and we keep coming back to it time and time again. If you enjoy MMOs and especially if you love Tolkien's Middle Earth, then grab a buddy and give this one a try.

(the untamed region of Enedwaith)