Dating back to 1998, the Unreal
series (the single-player campaign at least) began with the self-titled
Unreal on the PC. Back then, Epic Games and Digital Extremes helped evolve
the looks and AI of video games to the point it even surpassed what could be
done in the id Tech 2 engine, the engine which ran Quake II. Now almost
10 years later, and eight games into the series, how does the Unreal
series stack up against next-generation shooters?
Unreal Tournament 3 isn’t
trying to re-invent the wheel or create fire out of thin air. What Epic Games
attempted to provide for gamers was a feeling of home where they can settle in
and get cozy without having to worry about epic changes in the gameplay. If you
have ever played a game in the Unreal series, then you should come to
expect the lightning-fast action that dares you, for one second, not to blink
one single time for your safety of being protected from a death. What Unreal
Tournament 3 does best is provide a graphical overhaul for the series,
intriguing maps to play on, and exceptionally laid out gameplay modes. With
experiencing so many military-based first-person shooters, players should be
overwhelmingly excited to play UT3 for its laser-charged, hyper-active
gameplay.
Beginning with the most
insignificant portion of UT3, the single-player campaign is nothing to
write home for the holidays about. Revolving around a dull storyline, players
are pitted into a series of matches against bots where the only way to advance
is to obtain victory over your adversaries. Instead of being a sport, the Unreal
Tournament is now an all-out war. Leading the way to find Akasha, an evil Necris
woman, you’ll take charge as Reaper, a man bent on revenge for the despicable
deeds she has done to your colony. The campaign will last anywhere from six to
eight hours, which is broken down into chapters for storyline purposes.
The campaign should be primarily
used as a tutorial/training mode to study up on the maps and weapons. If you
approach the single player as such, then you should be ready to go to battle
through the multiplayer modes and compete with human opponents. Back to the
single player though – players are able to join with up to three friends via
online co-op to tackle the single-player missions. The problem here is that you
are still facing A.I. bots. The real reason for bringing your friends into your
single-player campaign is to crank up the difficulty level and try to annihilate
the computer with ease. Just mark it up as practice and you shouldn’t find it
too aggravating to play. But still, I highly doubt hardcore gamers will fully
appreciate the single-player campaign when it’s so weak compared to the
competition in the genre.
Now for the multiplayer – Unreal
Tournament 3 comes packaged with six different multiplayer modes: Team
deathmatch, deathmatch, duel, capture the flag, warfare, and vehicle capture the
flag. The two deathmatches are your typical free-for-all battles that can be
found in any shooter. Meanwhile, duel pits players in one-on-one action where
the other players spectate and wait for their turn to face the winner. The two
CTF matches are what players should have come to expect from the standard CTF
matches from any other shooter. As for warfare, it’s similar to the onslaught
mode of the past where players are asked to capture points on the map to gain
vehicles, spawn points, and other perks. When players finally reach the enemy
based, of course after successfully reaching and capturing the other points
(otherwise known as nodes) on the map, they can take over the enemy base by
linking up the nodes and destroy it for the win.
Returning to the series are many of
the favorite weapons from the past including the bio rifle, flak cannon, rocket
launcher, shock rifle, link gun, tarydium stinger and a few others. If you
haven’t played an Unreal game in the past, then it should be noted that
every gun comes equipped with a secondary fire mode to aide players in a bind.
The Impact Hammer is able to even the odds up by knocking the power-ups out of
enemies. Also, players will start out with a pistol and on top of that, there
the redeemer has been brought back. The redeemer is a super weapon that comes in
the form of a guided missile that is able to take down vehicles. Oddly enough,
after playing through Unreal Tournament 2004 for comparison, the weapons
haven’t been changed up enough to notice a wide enough difference between the
two games.
The biggest change, and the one that
affected me the most, was the removal of the adrenaline counter. I didn’t know
prior to playing UT3 that Epic had removed it, so it came as a big
surprise not to have it included in UT3. In the past, the adrenaline
counter permitted players to build up the meter through the means of kills or
picking up items on the map to gain access to abilities such as invisibility,
but with it removed, it felt like a little part of my soul died. Actually, I am
betting there’ll be many others that’ll be sad to find out there are no longer
special rewards for player to take advantage of.
In terms of vehicles, they can be
broken down by the two factions: the Axon vehicles and the Necris vehicles.
Among the better Axon vehicles, personal favorites included the Paladin (a
smaller support tank with an energy shield) and the Scorpion (an assault buggy
that’s equipped with grenades). On the other side, for the Necris, the more
favorable vehicles ended up being the Nemesis (a tank of sorts that is equipped
with an energy turret) and the Nightshade (a vehicle with capabilities to
cloak). Nonetheless, with the plethora of vehicles at hand, Epic Games provided
enough spice for the gameplay that should excite fans of online games for some
time to come.
Now for the graphics — Unreal
Tournament 3 uses the Unreal Engine 3. If gamers didn’t know this prior,
then they for sure have been living under a rock for the last two years. The
graphics, for the most part, make good use of the UE3 and the power of the PS3.
From gorgeous character models to smooth animations, the graphics are among the
best I have seen on the PlayStation 3 to date. The levels are highly detailed
with crisp textures and so too are the character models to make up a beautiful
game. As for the audio, it’s what I expected with energetic music and loud
explosions to accompany it. For those who want that nostalgic Unreal experience,
UE3 has the announcer returning calling the action as he sees it.
Review Scoring Details for Unreal Tournament 3 |
Gameplay: 8.5
While it has continually been improved, the gameplay hasn’t remarkably
changed over the years. Long-time fans are essentially playing the same game
rebuilt with a new graphics engine. But, do not fret – the gameplay is still
whole-heartedly entertaining. For PS3 fans, the large-scale combat is
particularly the most intriguing part to experience online.
Graphics: 9.6
Beautiful in both motion and at a standstill, the Unreal Engine 3 provides
eye-popping graphics for Unreal Tournament 3. Not having played
Uncharted yet, I’d have to say this is the best game, in terms of graphics,
to be released on the PS3.
Sound: 9.1
The announcer that Epic Games has provided is great to add to the intensity
of the battles.
Difficulty: Medium
While the default settings are easy for the single-player campaign, the
higher settings tend to be insanely hard.
Concept: 8.7
The combat is insane, but it’s basically the same game that has continuously
been improved since 1998. Though, I will give props where props are due and the
style is among the most unique to be released this year.
Multiplayer: 9.7
This is hands-down the best multiplayer game on the PS3 due to the ability
create maps, skins and mods for the PS3 version.
Overall: 8.8
With all that said, the main reason I am captivated by UT3 is because
how much it differs from shooters currently on the next-generation consoles. Too
many shooters are still stuck in World War II or trying to “advance” to modern
combat, while not enough are cranking up the speed and providing thrilling
action to boot. If you have enjoyed the previous installments, then I have no
doubt that Unreal Tournament 3 will be a fine purchase this holiday
season.
