1) Level design looks derivative:
From looking at a screenshot of the game (I don't remember the URL--finding content on a search engine is pretty difficult), it looked almost just like TF2. Lots of solid colors, industrial arenas, team-based territorial colors, very sparse arenas. Now, that's not enough to make me scream "RIP-OFF," but it made me wonder for a second if I was looking at H.A.V.E. or TF2's Granary level.
Oh, and soupy gibs. All you need are the bits of limbs, and you have TF2's gibs.
2) Music style is VERY similar:
Bold, brassy, like an old spy action movie theme. Compare to the TF2 theme song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7laxF8se_so. Similar music style, except HAVE's is way, way more like a hyperactive thirteen-year old girl that can't sit still.
3) Character design:
Honestly. The characters they were showing in the trailer looked very similar to the TF2 classes, except... well, less goofy and likable. One-eyed black Demoman; helmeted, rocket-wielding Soldier, speedy Scout. No, that's not enough to make me scream "TF2 RIP-OFF", and they're fairly generic character types, but it makes me raise an eyebrow and think that they're trying to attempt what Valve accomplished... but failing miserably.
Because, I think we can all agree, sometimes you can't help but laugh at what's happening in TF2 when things get exciting: people are screaming exaggeratedly in pain, calling each other names that would make a preacher pale in horror (Five words: "Ya great lactating wet-nurse!", Engineers holding a hoe-down as their turrets mow down people that inched out just a bit too far... and then you have some idiot W+M1 Pyro running into the fray, shouting "HUDDA HUDDA HUH!"
But, adding that all together, either they're attempting to design a game that is highly derivative of TF2, or... they picked the worst possible way to promote their new game.
On that note, it's been quite a while since I've played TF2. I think I know what I'm doing when I get home.
