It's so good, it's unreal!
Written: Jun 28 '02 (Updated Jun 28 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast Paced, fun, challenging, upgradeable
Cons: Lots of RAM needed, slow load times on low-end machines
The Bottom Line: Fast paced and challenging, this game is the best first-person shooter I've played!
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| mdking's Full Review: Unreal Tournament for Windows |
I’ve had Unreal Tournament or ‘UT’ for three years and I have to say that it’s the best first-person shooter that I’ve ever played. The game is challenging, fast paced and loaded with features. I’ve only recently completed the game on the ‘Godlike’ difficulty level, and loved the years I’ve spent doing it.
The game’s features include: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Assault and Last Man Standing. Deathmatch is a game state where there is a set amount of ‘Frags’ or kills. The players (you set the amount in offline practice play) must kill and kill everyone else to reach that amount of frags before there competitors. This makes for a fast paced killing frenzy to kill enough people first. Hiding will do you no good for you’ll let your opponents widen the gap. In this mode it’s no holds bared, leap into the fray with everything you have!
Team deathmatch is very similar to deathmatch except for one exception: You’re on a team. Yes you are on either the Red, Blue, Green or Gold team (depending on your configuration) you will be pitted against one or three teams with your teammates. There is still a set amount of frags you must accumulate, but your score is from the collective efforts from you and your teammates. As you run through the maps, you can call for back up or for them to converge on a certain target. Beware though; killing a teammate will lower your score by one, so this mode requires a little bit more strategy than deathmatch.
Capture the Flag is based on that classic summer camp game. It’s very similar to that in fact. You again are divided up into one of two teams. Red or Blue. Then instead of an amount of frags you must accumulate, you have a set amount of flags you must capture. Working as a team, or if you’re exceptionally good, by your self go into the other side of the map and take the enemy’s flag. After that is accomplished, run as fast as you can back to your side and run into your flag. This will count as a capture to your team and the enemy flag will be reset to its original position. Then repeat the process, but make sure you have your flag under secure lock and key as you go hunting or have your teammates hunt and you guard.
Assault is my favorite; it requires a lot of strategy to win. You, again, are in one of two teams. But this time you are presented with a set number of objectives that must be accomplished before your time is up. (There’s a timer on your screen) These objectives vary from map to map; this keeps the mode fresh and interesting. When you start a game (in practice sessions) you will be on the attacking team. You must then carry out your mission objectives (viewed by pressing F3) as the other team tries to stop you at any cost. You will not win by leaping straight into the fray, instead, when the mission starts take a moment to gather your team and supplies. Decide who will start the frontal attack and who will provide cover fire, or see if there is an easier way to infiltrate the base, perhaps an underwater tunnel or low wall. After you complete the objectives or time runs out it’s your time to defend the base by swapping places with your opponents. If your opponents complete the objectives in less time than you, they win. If they take longer, you win and can bask in your strategic genius.
The final mode is Last Man Standing. This is a straightforward mode in witch you and your opponents are given a full arsenal and a good piece of armor when you begin and respawn. Each player is given a certain amount of lives (everyone begins with the same amount) then you must be the last person alive by hiding (cowardly tactic that is frowned upon), killing your opponents to diminish there lives to 0 thus winning the match. (The basic strategy) or a little of both, kill and kill, but if you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, find a safe spot and rest. Be careful though, all pick-ups are removed. So you can only get more ammo by dieing and respawning or taking a weapon from a departed enemy. Health and armor is only regained by respawning. Make every shot count!
These are the modes included with the game, but search the Internet and you’ll find tones more modes to have fun with as well as MODs. Mods are small programs that modify the game in various ways, like; lower gravity, all weapons are redeemers and such. Mods are easily downloadable and configurable from a menu before you start a practice session. These are fun little applets that prolong the game’s entertainment.
The game has several difficulty levels ranging from: Novice, that is incredibly dull and easy to; Godlike, a fast-paced game with the computer opponents possessing superhuman abilities. I’m good enough to play and win on godlike and it’s great. But don’t rush into it, work your way up the difficulty ladder and strengthen your skills. Don’t rush or you’ll be killed quickly. There is a useful feature in the practice sessions that modifies the games difficulty in accordance with your current skills. I suggest that you take advantage of that feature to gauge how skilled you are.
This game has limitless replay value. UT is highly configurable to how you want it and the Internet provides you with tones of files to add, ranging from new maps to new player models and skins. Also you can play: Tournament, this is the ‘story mode’ where you are presented with a series of matches leading up to the dramatic concluding match with Xan, the current tournament leader. (See if you can win on Godlike, it took me three years!) There’s practice sessions that are highly configurable and where you can play on any map in your database and test out your new add-ons. Finally there’s online play where you compete with the world instead of the computer. Online play is where people from all over the world unite to blow up each other’s heads, limbs, torsos and other body parts, then chat friendly about there accomplishments in the preceding match. It’s a lot of fun even if you’re terrible. (If you stink, you’ll get much better with practice) You may find a few jerks online, but there are some really nice people.
The only drawback of this game is that with sixteen players and a huge map loaded onto your system, the hardware requirements can be very demanding. You can turn down the amount of detail in the environments and skins on the players, but the game can still be choppy. So get at least 256mb of RAM and a decent graphics card to get the full UT experience. Also, load times can be a little slow on some machines.
So if you’re looking for a great shooter on your computer (PS2 version not recommended because it’s very choppy.) UT is highly recommended. Millions of users have a small percentage of being wrong, but they’re right in this case. For hardcore gamers, this is a must buy. If you’re a beginner, this is a great game to learn to be a successful first person shooter. (It taught me.)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mdking
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Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Mac user, u have problem?
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