Contracts are better, pubbing is kinda fun now for a bit at least, some bonuses are aids but it's always gonna be like that. War paint doesn't really make sense and I wish it was ACTUALLY paint that applied to your weapons that exist
Main menu/party changes are cool and I feel people overlook this but they're buggy at (not being able to focus windows, message spamming)
YOU CAN JOIN FRIENDS IN CASUAL, but a lot of the UI for parties doesn't really make sense
Balance changes are cool I guess but they don't really affect comp at all. Few interesting points
- they don't realise that a class is as strong as it's strongest set of unlocks. Sure, they nerfed some BS scout weapons but then did the pocket pistol which is pretty damn good. Scout is now basically stronger since the nerfed unlocks are banned in comp and rarely used in pubs except for tryhard matchmaking
- They very much still balance for pubs. See the new unlocks and balance changes
- when valve, who made a class shooter with damage surfing, intricate explosive jumping mechanics and air control then make contrived awkward clunky PRESS SPACE TO MOVE IN AN ADVANCED WAY shit like the jetpack which is straight from overwatch I don't have high hopes for finding a good arena shooter that isn't a dead quake clone again
- Airblast changes and flame particles are good (mostly) but pyro is still the same trundling ball of stun and denial that he was before. Not really a fundamental update and the new weapons don't really add a role. New weapon with higher DPS for slightly less less range, more mobility KIND OF, weird kind of temporary soft choke denial I guess and some funny but pointless melee
- I guess valve has finished optimising for now
- TF2 development is VERY slow now for some reason. I know there's stuff they've worked on that isn't in the update but maybe they iterate too much, more understaffed than before or the technology is just a big ball of aids to work with.