S
ince the last Unreal Tournament game was released four years ago, no wor-
thy contender has managed to dethrone the now-classic shooter as the best
game for online deathmatches. With the much-delayed Unreal Tournament 3, we
get the uneasy feeling that Epic Games has grown a bit complacent with its mul-
tiplayer crown. The game’s brand-new graphics engine and glut of maps mask
some very familiar weapons and gameplay mechanics. And while we appreciate
that the developers haven’t broken from a proven design formula, we’re disap-
pointed by the lack of innovation in this long-awaited sequel.
What truly stands out in this visceral fragfest are the gorgeous new
maps and the arsenal of new vehicles. UT3 is packed with more than 40 maps
split among its five modes (deathmatch, duel, CTF, vehicle CTF, and warfare),
each oozing with a memorable style and design gimmick. For example, the
Deimos map awed us with its zero-gravity tubes and mesmerizing space
backdrop, while the Gateway map kept us on our toes by warping us to three
distinct battlegrounds. Learning how to apply our acrobatic fragging skills to
the new maps was an exciting challenge, which is why we also appreciate the
bot-driven single-player campaign.
Sixteen new vehicles gave us fresh and faster ways to slaughter
our foes. From the elevated Necris Darkwalker to the massive five-seat
Leviathan battle tank, the mechanical transports here are daunting death
dealers that can’t be taken out alone. We especially liked using the fly-
ing Fury vehicle to zip across maps while our teammates latched on with
grapples and flew behind us.
The only new gameplay mode included is warfare, which is a mix of the
CTF and onslaught modes. By including a gameplay device called the orb (which
allows players to instantly capture control-point nodes), this team-based mode
ensures that rounds are fast paced but balanced enough to avoid lopsided victo-
ries. Still, it’s no replacement for the omitted assault and bombing-run modes.
We’re not sure if the relatively sparse amount of new content in UT3
will be enough to convince the existing Unreal community to upgrade. Until
more players make the transition, $50 is a steep price to pay for
updated visuals at the cost of
a vibrant community.
—NormaN ChaNUnreal Tournament 3
Let’s get ready to gib!
reviews TesTed. Reviewed. veRdicTized
8
unreal tournament 3
$50, http://www.unrealtournament3
.com, ESRB: MLike Samus aran, the Necris Scavenger can morph into an orb
and barrel through enemies.