Unreal Tournament 2004

The Unreal series has been one of the forefronts of shooter games ever since the original Unreal in the old school 90s. Mixing the American consumer desire for a hardcore shooter game with good graphics, Unreal is now one of the “Big Three” of online shooter games. It's obvious why- Digital Extremes and Epic Megagames make sure that every Unreal game has a unique brand of awesome to it.

The history of Unreal Tournament is rather interesting. Originally, the games were just the Unreal series, which were Half Life quality games. So, it quickly was discovered that the funnest part of Unreal was the multiplayer- so it was decided to make Unreal Tournament, a game that would be focused on the multiplayer aspect of the games and less on the general storyline.

Unreal Tournament 2004 is the sequel to the smash hit Unreal Tournament 2003, and features some serious upgrades. From the graphics to the gameplay, everything showcases high quality gameplay at low system requirements. Because the game is multiplayer and inherently requires fast speed, gamers will note that even if the game runs in full mode, even low end computers handle it quite well. Simply put, Unreal Tournament 2004 takes the UT style and makes it accessible to anyone. But how does it play?

Very well. The game basically plays like any Quake or Deathmatch Classic game you've ever played. Sticking to the basic formula, Unreal Tournament just pits many people in a Deathmatch, an Assault run, or general gameplay modes that should be familiar to all gamers by now. However, unlike other shooters, these modes are so refined that even the newest players should easily be able to grasp the game in minutes.



Unreal Tournament also provides some interesting things that I've never seen in any other gameplay style- namely, the physics. While other games attempt for a “realistic physics” style, Unreal Tournament just takes physics and makes them fun. Rockets will propel not only the person fired at, but anyone in the vicinity. Double jumping in the air allows for huge leaps and accurate aiming. Pumping pistons will rocket characters in the air and throw off their aim. Some gun bullets will ricochet off walls, allowing for de facto kills.

Not only this, but the levels are innovative. Unlike other games that tend to limit themselves to one size of arena, UT provides many different sized arenas that fit any situation you can imagine. From one-on-one maps to huge 16 player maps, you will never feel as if you are cramped or lost. This is really a big deal, because you will quickly find out how horrible other game's maps were.

The gameplay is, of course, phenomenal, but a little fast paced. As I've told other people, “You absolutely must drink caffeine before playing this game”. The game sometimes runs so fast you can't see anything beyond your weapon. While this is usually only in heated battles, take note that this will happen a lot more than you want, and unless you learn how to aim well, you will not aim at all.

The weapon loadout in UT2004 is impressive. From basic melee weapons like the Shield Gun to big guns like the Rocket Launcher, all the general kill-em-fast weapons are here. Some obviously are better than others (Note: Usually, the Rocket Launcher is the only weapon worth using, due to the explosive radius), but all are pretty equally balanced out. The assault rifle can surprisingly take out an enemy in a battle if you're skilled, but again, this is if you can aim, which is a surprising feat of it's own.

On that bad side of UT2004, the game definitely feels shallow unless you really truly enjoy multiplayer deathmatch styled games. Because the game has no “Big must play” game mode and just has the standard modes everyone has played before, there is no real reason to prefer this game over others if you want standard deathmatch. The game has impressive abilities in that field, but will you really spend that much time playing Capture the Flag? Some may, and this definitely would be a title to own if you went to a lot of LAN parties, but other than that, I don't see it. Games like Counter Strike present a compelling game style so that it's more than just “Kill everybody”. In UT2004, you really don't feel it.

The second issue really falls again under the replayability. While this game is incredibly detailed, and it definitely trumps the latest-gen Quake game, it just doesn't feel like something that your standard gamer would find fun on his own. Just like most multiplayer games, unless you have friends who play it, most of the time you will find this game incredibly boring.

But, in the end, UT2004 is definitely a worthy addition to the series. If this is what a contingency of gamers want to play, then by god, let them have their 2004 version. While this is definitely not something that your standard gamer would play on his own, this would kick serious rear at LAN parties. This has everything going for it to be a great game to display computer graphics or play at a LAN, but if you're soloing it, you will probably get tired of this very quickly. In any case, keep that in mind when you pay for the (now discounted) game.

4 star(s) out of 5

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