Next gen, say hello to Unreal. Let's get some gore going! (This review is quite long)
Along with the new millennium came one of the best selling games of 2000 – Unreal Tournament. Instead of a storyline, Unreal became a series of match types where two teams would fight each other to win the tournament. Match types like Deathmatch (DM), Team Death Match (TDM), capture the Flag (CTF), Bombing Run (BR) and Domination (AB) gave PC gamers something to wake up for.
After the huge success with UT2K3 Midway created UT2K4. Possibly the best FPS to hit the shelves in a century. Adding new matches – Assault and Onslaught. Also adding vehicles for players to have complete destruction and domination over the enemy.
With next gen consoles hit
ting the shelves left right and center, 2007 was the gamer's year. PS3 X360 and the Nintendo Wii were all released and this called for a new addition to the UT series. It took Midway a good year to make the next UT. Previously called UT2k7 it was later renamed to UT 3. Midway were going back to a story line though not a very strong one it gave some gamers the element of a purpose in playing the game. Still using the tournament style games but taking out Assault and Onslaught and adding a duel game where teams would sit back while one person from each team would fight.
The story line is incredibly weak and there is not much point in even listening to what they say. It can be nice though to hear some of the characters in game using scripted speeches such as Bishops prayers before and after a killing headshot. There is still the option of a free game and instant action which is what most of UT fans will be spending much of their time on as this is the signature UT Kill/Blast- em-all. The next gen console graphics opened up Midway to make a game which looked completely different but thankfully looked amazing.
After playing both the PS3 version and the PC version I would have to say that PC beats console any day for FPS. The quickness of a mouse will never be beaten by a joystick and the WASD will never be beaten by X Triangle O and Square. Though I have to say that the PS3 version was still amazing. The R2 and L2 triggers made shooting a lot more fun and more interactive.
The game has been rated down near the 60-70% mark only because it is not a completely new game and has a lot of aspects of UT2k4 which got a 90%. But in my opinion if UT3 was anymore different from the previous UT's then I would just not play it. UT is a game where you can go home after a day at work or at school sit at your desk. Look at a pile of papers due in for the next morning and then look to your screen and you just see the big U staring right at you. And you think to yourself…it's time to blast some mofo with an impact hammer.
UT3 is most gory and bloody UT there is with effects of Blood splatter on your screen when you disintegrate an enemy with the impact hammer. I would have liked to see more of these effects used within the game like when you use a flak cannon short range or when you blow the holy hell straight out of the entire team with the redeemer. The weapons have all got a new look though I had nothing wrong with the old look to the guns now they look just as good and just as devastating. Some new additions to the guns are also very pleasing such as being able to burst shot the enforcers or having a scope on the Avril.
There is also a new arsenal of vehicles at your disposal ranging from a new version of the scorpion, now with lobbing rockets as opposed to that useless green thing in UT2k3. There has also been added a leviathan which is like the hellbenders Big brother seating 5 and having an ion cannon when you station the beast. The Tripod alien tank is the biggest meanest and most devastating tank in all of gaming history with nothing but two shots from a redeemer being able to take the beast down it truly is mortifying. Featured in only 2 maps one where you cannot move around in it and another where it is in the middle of the map and you need to capture the node to access it.
Hover boards have also been added to UT3 getting rid of the translocater in Vehicle CTF. With the hover board you can now carry the flag at a higher speed but get hit and you will fall off and be easy prey to your oncoming enemies. You can also attach to vehicles while on your hover board to get even faster boost. Good teams will have a scorpion pulling along the Flag Carrier or a Raptor to carry him fling over the battlefield just don't get hit because it's a long way down.
Though there are few recognized characters such as the GeneBoosted Humanoids (gorge, frostbite etc) the new editing system allows players to change the look of their character from the head to torso to arms to legs and boots. You can also add 1 2 or no shoulder pads. This gives the game a little more freedom however some UT2k3 Fans are missing the old characters and the new evil guys are hardly ever even touched while playing multiplayer mode.
Some old characters are brought back though like Malcolm who is now the sergeant of the army you work for. Lauren, Malcolm's ex partner, is now a mercenary working with a new iron fist group. There's no connection between the two characters now which is disappointing.
It was a nice add to see that Malcolm had come of age and looked now more like a 20 year veteran rather than a Fiddy Cent wanabe. But strange that Lauren not only didn't look older but looked even younger than before, making her a common topic of conversation between the friendly AI men. Even though, at the same time, you are blowing her to little bits with a flak cannon.
After playing the full campaign I decided to try out the multiplayer mode. I was surprised to find so few servers alive. Though I did not expect the servers to reach the amount of Counter-strike or COD:4. I did expect to see as much if not more than the previous UT2K4. Even though the servers were few I managed to easily find a good game and started to play a CTF match 5v5. I found the use of the 'V' commands useful when coordinating and attack and defense. After playing a while on defense with the sniper rifle I decided it was time to try and win a game and went on the attack. The ping difference between my computer and the server was about 250 – 300 ping, as the server was in America. Even though I had a high ping I was still able to fully play the game at a frame rate of 40-60. After finishing a round I decided to try a 1v1 duel and try the new duel mode out. The server settings had us using insta-gib rifles which are one hit kill shock rifles. This made the game much faster as after you, or your opponent died, another player would spawn and they would start the fight. The most I could stay alive was 3 kills which was a high score but not high enough to win the round.