There's a reason this game still has a player base almost 20 years later. Nine classes that all play completely different from each other, which sounds basic but most shooters still can't get that right. Every class has a real identity to it, and the way they play off each other is what makes the game work. You actually have to think about what your team needs.

The community does more for this game than Valve does at this point. Custom maps, community items, seasonal events, all of that. Valve barely touches it anymore but people still show up every day and it still feels fun, which says a lot about how solid the core gameplay is.

MvM deserves its own mention. The co-op community used to be pretty rough on new players but it's gotten a lot better over time. There's plenty of guides on YouTube and other places if you want to go in prepared, but honestly most people are way more patient now than they used to be. If you ever need someone to run with, feel free to add me.

It's not without its issues though. Bots aren't as bad as they used to be thankfully, but you'll still run into the occasional hacker. Matchmaking can be rough, and some of the older mechanics show their age. But when you're in a good match with people actually playing their roles, nothing else feels like it. TF2 has this energy that other team shooters try to capture but can't quite nail.

It's free. If you like shooters at all, just try it.