Unreal Tournament

Released back in 1999, Unreal Tournament from Epic MegaGames and Digital Extremes forever changed the face of multiplayer first-person shooters. This game not only met expectations, but also set new standards of quality and fun that still inspire developers. I remember how cool it was to chat with a friend over the Internet. It was something unimaginable for that time: to play with and against a human, and not with a computer bot.

Unreal Tournament impressed with its incredible graphics, which, at the time of release, was very good. Thanks to the use of the powerful Unreal Engine, the game was amazing with detailed levels and characters, realistic textures and exciting lighting effects (I'm still talking about the time when I played the game). Even more than two decades after its release, the game's visuals retain their charm and aesthetics.

However, the graphics are only part of what makes Unreal Tournament an outstanding game. First of all, it's the gameplay. Fast, dynamic and extremely addictive, it offers a variety of modes such as Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Assault and Domination. Each of them brings their own unique elements and strategies, ensuring that players never get bored. Sometimes you even argue with yourself which match mode to choose.

One of the main advantages of Unreal Tournament is its arsenal. The weapons presented in the game have not only a unique design, but also variable firing modes, which adds depth to combat collisions (the gun was there - you'll swing). Players can choose between powerful railguns, plasma rifles and a variety of grenade launchers, adapting to their tactics and style of play.

Do not forget about the artificial intelligence of bots, which, even by today's standards, impresses with its complexity and adaptability. They act smart, reacting to the player's actions and changing their strategy depending on the situation on the battlefield. This makes single-player battles as exciting as multiplayer ones. Even the lowest difficulty levels in the last stages caused an awful lot of problems when you just didn't have time to figure out where you had already been killed.

The musical accompaniment and sound effects deserve special mention. The soundtrack, created by Alexander Brandon and Michel Van Den Bosch, perfectly complements the atmosphere of the game, increasing tension and emphasizing the dynamics of battles. Sound effects such as explosions and gunshots add realism and completely immerse the player in what is happening.

Unreal Tournament is not just a game, it is a legend that has left an indelible mark on the history of the video game industry and in my memory personally. This is a masterpiece that does not age and will always be relevant for those who remember the legendary fights of the end of the last century.

8 out of 10.

Excellent first person shooter, with very good/tough AI opponents, and a great on-line multi-player option. This game is available for both the Mac and PC platforms. Somewhat demanding in terms of hardware (some sort of graphics accelerator card is a near must have item).

I didn't play Unreal Tournament when it was first released, because I had a relatively low-tech PC at the time. Later, though, when I got a better computer in November 2001, my brother introduced me to a game he had installed on his PC (which used to be a lot better than mine). That game was Quake III: Arena. It was different from older shooters in that it didn't revolve around huge, complex labyrinth missions. Instead, Q3A's focus was deathmatch play. Not only were the graphics lovely, but the game itself was very enjoyable. To be honest, I didn't really like the "labyrinth" shooters that well, so Q3A was a breath of fresh air for me, and renewed my interest in the shooter genre.

Not long after that, I stumbled upon some reviews for a game called Unreal Tournament, which I had never even heard of before then. Q3A received great marks from reviewers, but UT's were slightly better. Upon reading the reviews, I discovered that UT revolved around deathmatch play, like Q3A did. Expecting an experience similar to my first love, Quake III, I put Unreal Tournament on my wish list. I ended up getting the Totally Unreal pack, which included Unreal Tournament: Game of the Year Edition, plus Unreal Gold, its expansion pack, and some other extras. Although Unreal Gold didn't really hold my interest very well, I found Unreal Tournament to be even better than Quake III.

Being that UT is based on the Unreal engine, it should be expected that the game has gorgeous graphics. That sounds pretty accurate to me. The game has a lot of detail, and still runs at a consistent framerate. Although the game could use more character skins, what's there is great. Another important part of this shooter is the gore level. Even though there are options to tone down the guts, true shooter enthusiasts will want to play this game to its maximum bloody potential. The blood doesn't look as good as Quake III's, but the body parts, called "gibs," are better. The gibs bounce more than in several other games, and when you use a super weapon like the Rocket Launcher or even the almighty Redeemer, they go flying.

Oh... I almost forgot about weapons. UT has a wide variety of different weapons to use, each with their own primary and secondary functions. The Hammer is a close combat weapon, but when fully charged, can instantly kill opponents. The Pulse Gun can either shoot rapid beam spurts, or a solid energy beam. The Redeemer can only be used once, and is very hard to find, but it can devastate groups of enemies. There are lots of ways to frag opponents, and players can even choose special "mutators" to alter the normal rules of combat.

The sound is also top-notch. The music is a lot more important, and it really gets you in the mood to blow other characters into oblivion. Characters also spout taunts whenever they kill opponents, and each taunt is accompanied by its own voice clip. These phrases range from unoriginal ("You suck!" and "Loser.") to humorous ("I'm sorry, did I blow your head apart?" and my personal favorite, "You be dead!")

UT is also accompanied by different play modes. It includes the traditional "Capture the Flag" game, but also introduces new modes. In "Domination," two teams fight for control of three areas of each level. While a team owns an area, they also make points for having possession of it. The opposing team is also trying to steal control of the opponent's areas so they can make points from that particular area instead. It's a little confusing at first, but gets easier to understand. "Assault" is a series of objective-based missions between two teams, sort of like games such as Goldeneye 007.

In the end, UT is a shooter fan's delight, and is also one of the best PC games ever released, bar none. The sequel, Unreal Tournament 2, is currently in the works, so here's hoping that it will improve on this game's success!

Unreal Tournament is very different from Quake-3. Its loud, its mean, it has funky levels and is colorful. It also has a bunch of characters with notable profiles and includes a single player campaign with an excuse of a plot. For these reasons, UT is very often preferred over Quake but it simply lacks the fluidity and physics of Quake-3 and is no where as good as the Quake experience. The bot AI is however, almost as good as the bot AI in Quake-3. Although the tournament engine is slightly more advanced in technology than the original Unreal, this game is not as good looking or beautiful as the original Unreal. Some weapons like the ASMD shock rifle have been modified and carried over.

Unreal Tournament (1999) Game of the Year Edition For PC Shooter Reviewed 3/28/04 Rated M for Intense Violence, Blood, Language

Game Design: 2.5/2.5: This game has no real, strong plot. What it does have is a series of Deathmatch, Domination (which is like Zones in TS2), Capture the Flag and Assault matches in its 1P mode. The multiplayer mode obviously requires a network, but the 1P is so addictive you'll forget about it. The challenges range from fairly simple to tough but not so much as you throw down your head in disgust (just how I like my 1P). Best FPS 1P ever. One word of warning: there are very few weapons, but no matter.

Play Control: 2/2: For those still using the arrow keys, switch to WASD. It make it a lot easier. If you don't, expect some strain. Either way, only 5 buttons need be pressed (WASD & Space) (other keys can be used, but it easier to use the mouse and avoid them). If your mouse has a scroll, you need not even use the number keys. Kick ass.

Graphics: 2/2: Crisp and clean. Nothing groundbreaking, but good enough for '99.

Sound: 1/1: The cursing and yelling can be heard clearly. That's how I like my cursing and yelling.

Satisfaction: 2.5/2.5: I didn't pay s*** for it (just borrowed the CD), so I am sure as hell satisfied, but it is worth it. God bless installation though (saves me muchos money).

Total: 10/10: This game is the uber-shooter. No, seriously, it is the uber shooter. I don't know about the multiplayer, the 1P is GoldenEye good. Just goes to show me I need to play more PC games. General Rating: 5 Stars Also Play: Wolfenstein, TimeSplitters 2, GoldenEye, Unreal Tournament 2003