Your Kung Fu is Unreal
The quick twitch gameplay of Unreal is rarely seen now. Some people may view it as an "old school" style of FPS gameplay, when in fact it is a completely different style and it deserves your respect. You tell me that a FPS based on hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes can't compete and I will ask you to find a professional sport that doesn't require both. It is the kind of thing that makes a Video Game a serious spectator activity.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I load up UT3 is "Wow, this engine is used for more than half my game collection." You know why the Unreal engine is popular straight from the main menu. Even on the "less superior" console version of Unreal, there is user-made mod download section. Whether the game is $5.00 or $60.00, you are receiving a game with the development resources of a small country. It is open-source at it's best and the simplicity of the development engine benefits you, the end user. There is even a nifty 2D version of Unreal in the downloads section. If you are really brave and open to risk, you can alter the PS3 game data file on your computer and add Master Chief, Spawn, and other pop figure icons to your character selection screen. Or is that all too "old school" for you? I know that some people would rather spend $60.00 on a game so they can spend another $20.00 on DLC because that is the new school approach. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
Enough of drooling over a mass amount of free DLC. It is time to get down the core of the game. Quick Twitch FPS may not be in your vocabulary. As console gamers, we are used to the tactical style of shooting mechanic that most military shooters use. However, some of you may remember the feeling of playing 8 player LAN in Halo and nailing a run-away Warthog with a rocket and yelling "BOOO-YAH GRANDMA" to your elderly opponent across the way. Even if I am the only person that that played Halo with geriatrics (or remembers old Crash Bandicoot Racing commercials), we all should know that feeling. UT3 is determined on bringing that feeling back. This is a one, two, or a few shot frag fest that forces you to rely on your reflexes. There is a sniper rifle in the game, but good luck using it. The speed of Unreal Tournament does not conform to conventional weaponry, instead calling for a platter of imaginative weapons that push you to aim and shoot on the move. A seasoned UT3 players is a constant highlight reel of frag fury.
The game modes are plentiful in Unreal Tournament and include Single Player Campaign, Online Co-Op Campaign, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and an objective based point control mode called Warfare. The Single Player Campaign is by far the games biggest drawback. Single Player is really a player vs. bot version of the multiplayer modes with a story line, Command and Conquer pick and choose level selection, and a bonus card system that gives you cards to use to give your team an advantage on the battlefield. The CGI cut scenes are beautiful and do add a moderate amount of story to the game, but the Co-Op AI can be frustrating. While the AI does a great job at playing FPS GridIron aka CTF, and killing the opposition it also seems to have broken logic issues when in a vehicle. If you are playing Warfare on a large map, the AI vehicle skills will often end in a loss for your team. Play Co-Op campaign when you can to avoid this issue. The rest of the game is great and everything serves it's purpose when playing intense online games. Level design is smart, the vehicles are fun, and the weapons are unique and balanced for the most part.
While sound is something that usually doesn't make a game, UT3's take on audio stimulation actually makes it stand out among the crowd. From tactical information from your comrades to awesome Mortal Kombat-esque announcers praising every "Ultra Kill" you bag, the sound adds a certain excitement to the game that makes you want to keep playing. Post game audio taunts can be fun and add a communication feature that is an alternative to the sometimes the unsavory headset chatter.
While the age of the game shows in the lack of online players, the gameplay and graphics are still keeping up with games that are younger, and even overtaking some lesser entries. It is still one of my favorite games in my entire library and will continue to be for some time to come. This isn't a bargain bin game, it is an essential game for any gamer that appreciates a finely developed game.
Great Gaming Awaits.
