Team Fortress 2 is a phenomenon that largely flew under my radar, then snuck up from behind and walloped me with some hilarious promo videos.

The game itself is a very straightforward FPS released in 2007, born out of a mod that was developed many years prior for Quake. In the last few years Team Fortress 2 has been released on a widening number of platforms, and even updated with a Free-To-Play version available via Steam.

In a genre though so often defined by realistic graphics and war torn landscapes, often even based after historic battles, Team Fortress 2 instead chooses to go the other route. Instead of being Nitty or Gritty it’s really more Nutty. Outrageous character designs, humorous dialogue, and all around farcical themes make this one of the most light-hearted shoot-em-up FPS games out there.

No where is this more prevalent than in the Promotional videos that Valve released to market the game. A series of 1 to 5 minute shorts were animated to not only introduce players to the various classes in the game, but also to help set the tone for the gaming experience.

The most detailed (and in my opinion the most humorous) of these videos is the “Meet The Medic”. Perhaps I just have a soft spot for Mad Scientists, but I feel this video short really captures the sheer mania inherent within the game itself.

There are many other videos, and of course the game itself deserves a far more detailed write up. Hopefully at some point in the future I or someone else (nudge nudge wink wink hint hint) will have the time to post a more appropriate article. Until then, enjoy the Maniacal Misadventure of the Medic 🙂