Summary
Every Halloween,Team Fortress 2treats its fans with a hugebundle of seasonal mapsfrom years gone by. Recently, thanks to its ambitious and incredibly talented fans, even more content is available this year, and that includes a hefty selection of fresh levels as well.
So, which are the best maps to play during this spooky season, be they returning classics or fresh inclusions created by the fans? And, perhaps more importantly, which of its new fan-made levels are going to be well worth an avid hat-hunter’s time? It’s going to be a close call, as there are plenty of great picks that involve utilizing magic, fighting zombies, collecting blood for Count Dracula, and playing twisted carnival games.
8Mann Manor
This horrifying twist on the already-excellent Attack/Defend map ‘Mountain Lab’ is one of Valve’s earliest attempts at a themed re-skin, only they threw a very nasty boss into the fray. The map itself is mostly the same as before, with some high but narrow passages for BLU to get through in order to capture the first two points, not to mention an exposed upper floor cruelly positioned above the final capture point.
However, things really start to kick off when the Horseless Headless Horsemann storms in, axe-in-hand. Scaring nearby foes stiff, he seamlessly can chop heads like timber. Everyone mustteam up against himto put him down for good, and there remains some awesome loot for those who can land a killing blow with a melee strike. This one is an all-time classic.
7Slime
A possible reference to theSplatoonseries’ Salmon Run mode, ugly, demonic Salmann fish are running amok andneed to be avoided or blastedin this spin on King Of The Hill. Lots of passageways under and around the capture point allow both the monsters and players to slink around in their tight corridors, while the not-so-high rooftops give skilled Engineers an advantage with their Sentry placements.
The egg sacs across the map add a new twist. Rather than simply exploding, they do less damage but coat nearby victims in slime that leaves them Marked-For-Death and thus susceptible to increased damage. Even the dreaded Salmann can vomit this goo on people, too. Mix in some spell books, and what’s left is a damn fine map.
6Sandcastle
There have been some fantastic additions this year, but no one expected a quirky re-skin of ‘Degroot Keep.’ ‘Sandcastle’ carries over the rules of Medieval mode, limiting players to melee weapons,bows, and the like - but definitely no guns. With two capture points that open the castle gates and unlock the final point in RED territory, games have always been hectic and challenging.
However, in this fresh twist on an old classic, the mercenaries are fighting over a castle in a sandbox in a backyard! With the inclusion of a passage to the underworld (or, in this case, across a workstation, dominoes, and food on a lit barbeque) for a chance to earn more magical attacks, ‘Sandcastle’ shakes up the beloved formula with brilliant visual and gameplay twists.
5Helltower
Hightower was always a popular map for Payload Race, as it offers a lot of verticality for Soldiers andDemomenwho favor using blast jumps to get around. Here, it’s even more exciting with the addition of magic and a temporary opportunity to run across a ghostly bridge to gain a health buff and a rare spell. Pushing the cart through the enemy base has always been invigorating stuff, and it’s twice as fun on Halloween.
Depending on which side has successfully capped, everyone is sent to Hell, where the new objective is to get to the Bombinomicon alive on behalf of one’s team. The exposed, lava-ridden area leaves little hiding places for players on the approach, and there’s no respawning here until the match is done. It’s a final push for victory and an incredibly dangerous and fun one at that.
4Mannsylvania
Dracula is hungry, and the mercenaries must feed him! This Player Destruction map is one of the newest additions, and it is a corker. Plenty of stairs and corners in ‘Mannsylvania’ offer ample opportunities to flank enemies to collect their blood, and spell books are occasionally available to mix up the combat.
Once the portals open, players can finally rush to Dracula’s mansion and dispense the vials into his nearby coffin to score points. Doing so offers temporary buffs to those who are successful. Having to rack up the body count and keep ahold of the blood vials before heading through the portal is exciting and demanding stuff, as the vampire’s home offers enough room to brawl in as a last-ditch effort to stop other enemies from scoring. Ultimately, it’swell worth revisiting and replaying’Mannsylvania' over and over again.
3Carnival Of Carnage
It’s always a joy whenMerasmus the magician appearsto shake up a multiplayer game. In ‘Carnival Of Carnage,’ he’s tasked the mercenaries with a game of Special Delivery on a spookier version of the map ‘Doomsday.’ At first, the objective seems normal enough: carry the briefcase of tickets to the giant strongman game and ride the elevator with it.
Aside from the magician casting mischievous spells on everyone, what really sets it apart is the carnival games that play afterward. Collecting ducks, playing football, avoiding falling platforms - everyone gets to play them in slippery bumper cars, and the exclusive spells that come with these mini-games that ultimately decide the round victor is a unique and entertaining spin on things.
2Crasher
In this nifty twist onCapture The Flag, at the request of two rival scientists, both sides must deliver three bombs to destroy the opposing doctor’s laboratory’s gates. To do so, one player at a time must carry a bomb after being zapped with a growth ray, turning them huge.
The bridge in the center and some of the passageways limit a giant’s path. The grown players are given a massive health pool and 100% critical hits, which is frightening to go up against! Nevertheless, there’s ample space to provide cover fire, and the moat below the bridge may offer a chance to break the line of sight against a fully charged foe. ‘Crasher’ is brilliant stuff, with a design that encourages frequent encounters with enemies to encourage teams to stick together to escort the bomb carrier.
1Murky
VScript has allowed modders to create new game modes forTeam Fortress 2with custom rules. ‘Murky’ is one of the new additions that supports the recently added Infected mode. While the concept isn’t anything new, it’s truly wonderful to play. Since dead players are constantly respawning as zombies, it means there’s never a dull moment here.
What makes ‘Murky’ the best of the Infected mode maps is the bayou setting. Tall grass makes it easier for zombies to hide and ambush, while the numerous tiny cabins offer plenty of areas for the survivors to camp out in. The undead have their own class-specific abilities and buffs, which can help flush out unsuspecting players, however, so there’s never a fool-proof place to stay. Hopping around from the rooftops and clamoring across its many platforms isessential for survival, not to mention exceptionally enjoyable.
