A great FPS collection. Games contain a large variety of weapons. A lot of shooting and a lot of strafing required.
1) Unreal and the expansion pack Return to Na'Pali is an experience akin to the Doom and Duke Nukem games from the mid-90's. A few things stand out really well with Unreal: one is that the graphics are superior, will still be dated as it was released in 1998, but players will notice that characters are very animated (the first to use the Unreal engine) and the violence is gory, shooting opponents will knock them back and some kills will cause enemies to explode; second is that the enemy AI is good, rather than blindly moving forward to hit you, they will strafe and jump and sometimes will run away to gather others or close gates to trap you; third is that the mission objectives are more than simply find a key to open a door to the next level; for example, some levels will require you to destroy energy capacitors so that force fields will shut down. Some levels though can take some time as you hunt for the right switch to lower a pillar or a gate and then have to backtrack to access another area, and trying to memorize your way without a map. You begin as a prisoner on a human ship that is shot down by Skaarj (predator-looking warrior aliens that are extremely strong and fight very well). After a power failure your cell door opens then you proceed throughout the dark corridors of the deck, hearing the screams of the crew and seeing fires and wreckage throughout the ship. You must find a way to restore power to elevators and doors while crossing paths with various Skaarj invaders and some human guards who survived the Skaarj onslaught. Eventually you exit the ship and find that it had crash-landed on the planet Na'Pali. You will proceed through 38 maps that will take you through Na'Pali temples and villages (where you meet the four-armed aliens who are being oppressed by the Skaarj), inside fortresses, weapons factories and eventually you will find transport to the Skaarj mothership where you face the Skaarj queen, the entire objective to the game being simply to escape and survive. Weapons vary from modern to the sci-fi variety, and have secondary firing modes, that will include the Dispersion Pistol (single shot weapon but doesn't use ammo and has a slow recharge), Automag (automatic pistol that fires bullets), Stinger (automatic rifle that fires tyridium shards), ASMD (an energized railgun, can be fired as a quick beam or as an impact ball), Eightball Launcher (a type of grenade launcher), Flak Cannon (a great weapon that does quite a bit of damage at close range), Razorjack (fires disc-shaped razors, and if aimed correctly will decapitate enemies), GES Biorifle (fires toxic blobs that explode on contact, sometimes difficult to hit fast-moving enemies with its slow fire-rate), Assault Rifle (a sniper rifle that will kill with one head shot), and the Minigun (a good mid-range weapon that will quickly destroy anything in its path). Other useful items will be armor, health packs and vials (that can only be used on the spot, not stored), flares, flashlight, scuba gear (many levels require underwater exploration to open a valve or find a path to an adjoining chamber), and a translator (to read the various messages scattered throughout the game written in Na'Pali and Skaarj languages). Return to Na'Pali picks up where Unreal ended, and you are chosen to lead a mission back to Na'Pali. This time you will receive help from the marines and have access to a Combat Assault Rifle (where you will find ammo crates scattered in various levels) as well as have access to the same weapons seen previously. The Skaarj are still in full force so the fighting will be non-stop although there will be only 16 levels so it will go by quickly. There are fewer puzzle objectives so this may be a plus for some players. The best part to the expansion levels were those inside a crashed spaceship on the planet surface where you have to defend yourself from an all-out attack. After the spaceship, the remaining levels may seem too easy, the final fight was somewhat of a disappointment and the ending arrived abruptly. All in all, the first Unreal game is certainly worth playing, but not much would be missed if you never play the expansion.
2) Unreal Tournament (released in 1999) takes the original Unreal and creates several matches within a deadly tournament that is broadcast throughout planet systems like a type of sport, created by a group of corporations. The design of the game was intended for multi-player but there is a very good single player campaign that will take you through every Deathmatch (reach a set number of kills before your opponents do, basically good bloody action), Capture the Flag (work as a team to infiltrate the enemy base, steal their flag and return to home base, all the while preventing your own flag from being taken, great action and very fast-paced), Domination (work as a team to take and hold key locations to reach a number of points, requires a bit of going back and forth between locations), and Assault (work as a team to obtain multiple objectives as the attackers within a set amount of time, then defend the location as the enemy team tries to accomplish the same objectives to beat your time, one of the most memorable is a type of re-enactment to the WWII Omaha beach landing). When you complete every match in a category you achieve a trophy, and when you win in every category you get the chance to fight the Champion in a Deathmatch to win the Tournament. One point that makes the game different from its predecessor is that you will spawn every time you are killed versus the game ending and loading from your last save point. If you lose a match then you will simply have to replay it again from the beginning as the save system keeps track of your wins and progression to the next match. Weapons are a little different from the first Unreal game. Everyone will have a Translocator that acts as a teleportation device, primary fire shoots the beacon for a short distance then press secondary fire at any time to instantly transport back to the beacon (can also be used instantaneously to create faster movement and dodging). Everyone will also have an Impact Hammer, requires you to get close to an opponent although one hit with it will cause an instant kill. The Chainsaw is a melee weapon and can be difficult to use in a tournament as it requires you to close the distance with the enemy but is a little easier to use than the Impact Hammer. Enforcer is your basic auto pistol and does a small amount of damage but can be used in a dual fashion if you pick up another one. GES Biorifle is very similar to the original seen in Unreal, fires toxic blobs that explode on contact. ASMD Shock Rifle is also the same type of weapon seen in the original game, can fire a fast energy beam or a ball that does more damage. Pulse Gun makes for a nice, deadly rifle that can fire balls of plasma or as a beam that will quickly cook an opponent to a skeleton. Ripper is like the Razorjack, can decapitate opponents with razor-sharp discs. Minigun is the same as before and comes in handy to mow down multiple players. Flak Cannon is also like seen as before, does a large amount of damage at close range and can also be fired like a mortar to explode on impact at a further distance. Rocket Launcher has a slow fire-rate but usually kills with a direct hit and causes nearby splash damage. Sniper Rifle is very useful to get those instant kills from head-shots and requires some practice against a strafing opponent. The Redeemer is a fun weapon that many players will be going after in certain arenas, it is a one-use weapon that fires a nuke with a large blast radius, certainly fun to use to get multiple kills. Even as an older game, the action is pleasing while slaughtering opponents can make you laugh, especially with the automatic taunts that the players will make. Graphics, sound and background is solid, so it is worth playing from beginning to end at least one time through. There probably won't be much replay value though, especially since multiplayer will be non-existent unless you hunt for fans of the game and find select groups to play.
3) Unreal 2: The Awakening was released in 2003, and is considered the least favorable of the Unreal games from its lower ratings. It is certainly a departure from the fast-paced action seen in the other games. You play a mercenary and act as a captain to a small ship of several crewmates, and play a number of missions in a chapter-based progression that will lead to an alien civilization and their technology that every mercenary seems to be after. The graphics are noticeably improved as the environments are more detailed and immersive. What might turn off some die-hard Unreal fans is that the Skaarj play a minor role throughout the story, and the main character wears an armored suit that significantly slows movement. Strafing will seem sluggish; on the other hand, you will be able to absorb much more damage. A highlight to the difference in gameplay is that many of the missions are tactical, such as defend a location, utilize troops under your command, and to setup barriers and drones to help fortify a location. In fact many of the missions are interesting and fun so the game is worth playing. A few problems, and possibly why many people rate the game so low, is that the script and voice-acting is very poor, making the relationships between crewmates not very interesting, and the end fights become easy. For the most part, several weapons make a return from the first Unreal with a few added features. The Dispersion Pistol fires an energy pulse and doesn't need ammo, should be used as a last resort weapon. Combat Assault Rifle makes a good universal auto weapon that holds a large clip. Grenade Launcher has six firing modes that will lob various grenade types: fragmentation, toxic gas, incendiary, smoke (used to lay cover or confuse the enemy during an attack), concussion (to knock down opponents) and EMP (best used against turrets and drones), finding many scenarios where this will be your weapon of choice. Shotgun, which is usually best to use in close combat, also has a secondary fire that will spray incendiary shot to set the enemy on fire. Flamethrower will be useful against a few of the alien creatures you will fight, primarily against the horde of small spiders that will erupt from egg sacks. Magnum makes a good sidearm, meant to do large damage from short distances. The Rocket Launcher is pretty much the same as seen in previous Unreal games, good to use when hitting the enemy in groups. Sniper Rifle is essential on a couple of missions where you use it from afar to protect your troops from attackers, and of course will be handy on those outdoor missions to help take out guards in the distance. Eventually you'll gain an Energy Rifle that was originally a shock lance from a slave race to the Skaarj, and is best used against turrets and drones. Laser Cannon will first be seen from alien defenses, and later you will use and does good damage but has a slow fire rate. One of the strangest alien weapons will be the Spider Gun (can fire bursts of small spiders that will clamber onto an enemy to do damage, or a secondary fire will shoot a larger mass that will create a giant spider that will attack nearby enemies), can be fun to use a few times but isn't all that practical since it can take too long to cover an enemy before they get off several return shots. You will also have the chance to use mechanical orbs that act as more of distraction to enemies. Near the end of the game, you will take a Singularity Cannon from an enemy boss that will make the remaining campaign a little too easy as one shot from the weapon will usually destroy anything in its path, no matter an opponent's armor or size. You will also use laser generators that will create a defense perimeter; such as protect your ship during a repair mission, as well as be able to drop turrets in designated areas that will shoot an enemy target from a distance. You will also encounter Health and Power Stations that will regenerate your health and shields as you stand on one of the platforms. Overall the game has its good points with tactics (you will be able to give orders to a few troops under your command in a few missions) but combat tends to be slower than the previous games since the armor suit the character wears slows everything down to a walking pace, and when travelling longer distances is more of a time waster rather than an enjoyable panoramic view of the environment.
4) Unreal Tournament 2004 gets back to the root of the original Unreal Tournament and adds an upgrade in graphics, arenas, gives you the ability to manage teammates and allows you to make challenges for money or to recruit members from an opposing team. From the beginning matches, most weapons and gameplay will seem very familiar as you must complete a group of Deathmatches, and at one point must prove yourself as a leader by having to defeat your own teammates. Once Deathmatch is complete, you move to the other games that include Capture the Flag, Double Domination (changes the original Domination in that your team must control two key locations for a set amount of time to achieve one point and the match is finished when one team reaches two or three points; this time the action is faster paced and more brutal as teams battle it out to hold onto the key locations), Bombing Run (a new type of match where each team tries to score a goal by carrying an energy ball to a receptacle on the far side of the map, which requires more tactics and working as a team to follow and protect the ball carrier), and Assault (similar to the original where you must complete objectives with the fastest time to beat the other team, has unique features where you can control turrets, tanks and during one match you fly a fighter ship in space). When all matches are won, you will unlock the Championship match, which is nearly identical to the original. Weapons will be the Translocator (the same as seen in the original tournament and is useful to travel quicker or to reach normally unreachable heights), Shield Gun (has the same type of effect as the Impact Hammer, can kill with a close charged force, also secondary fire can absorb damage), Assault Rifle (fires bullets and grenades), Bio Rifle, Mine Layer (mines will detonate from passersby, good against vehicles), Shock Rifle, Link Gun (same as a Pulse Gun seen previously and still as deadly), Minigun, Flak Cannon (still a great, powerful weapon that tends to make opponents explode in all directions), Grenade Launcher (will stick to surfaces and other players, secondary fire will detonate the grenades, can be hard to use accurately), Rocket Launcher, AVRiL (a very slow moving rocket, perfect for locking on and destroying a vehicle), Lightning Gun (fires electrical arcs), Sniper Rifle, and Redeemer (one-time nuke). Most maps are original and graphics and sound are a lot better than the first tournament, but for the most part, it is the same type of game, still worth playing in that you have more enhancements to make the game better. You also may have a better chance finding other players on a server playing UT2004, but more than likely the single-player will be the most likely scenario that you play as it covers every match.
Unreal Anthology as a whole is worth playing, especially for FPS fans who want to revisit a couple of classics. If only wanting to try a couple of games, it is certainly worth playing the original Unreal and Unreal Tournament 2004. If there are any to skip, Unreal expansion and Unreal 2 would be the weaker companions as both share the commonality that they are not as challenging to play and end somewhat too quickly when you are just getting into the fun of the gameplay. Also Unreal 2 is a departure from the original, and many of the scenarios are a lot of fun, but if you are looking for the fast-paced, surrounded by enemies, strafing and shooting action, then skip Unreal 2 as there are many periods of the game where nothing is really going on, including the between missions while onboard your ship and parts of some maps that stretch on for a long distance with no enemies to contend with. Because it will be difficult to find enough players online looking for unreal tournaments, multiplayer will be virtually useless. On the other hand, since the single player campaigns are complete with a fairly good storyline including the tournaments, the entire Unreal Anthology is a good deal and will keep most players busy for at least 40 hours.