Developer: Epic Games
Publisher:  Midway
Genre: Sci-Fi First Person Shooter
Rating: M (Mature)
Number of Players: 1 (16 Multiplayer)
Expected Release: December 11, 2007

If you’ve ever considered yourself a casual PC gamer at some point in your life, then the name Unreal Tournament better ring a bell. This fast paced arena first person shooter has been at the top of the charts for competitive gamers and LAN party lovers alike. While this series hasn’t appeared on a console since its conception, the latest installment will be releasing on both the PS3 and Xbox 360. The same minds that brought you Gears of War are large in charge, so certainly we expect nothing less of them this time around.

Right of the bat, Epic Games was faced with a pressing dilemma. If they changed the gameplay formula too much then their hardcore fans would undoubtedly complain, as we have seen already with games like Counter Strike: Source and Day of Defeat: Source. However, if they merely update the graphics engine, add a few new maps, and throw on a $60 price tag other gamers will be outraged at receiving a recycled game. With that in mind, UT3 will improve itself without drastically modifying everything that’s made it great in the past.

For a quick rundown, Unreal Tournament has delivered arguably the best arena shooting experience to date. With traditional game modes such as Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, players were spawned into a hectic world in which surviving for a minute was a feat on its own. The imaginative array of weaponry from rocket launchers and flak cannons to shock rifles and snipers has allowed gamers to maul their opponents in more ways than one. With a true feeling of companionship and a strong sense of struggle, battling in UT has been anything but dull.

The most notable addition this year around is the warfare mode, which effectively replaces onslaught. Essentially, you have to control a series of power nodes leading up to the opposing team’s base before you can attack their power core, and this vying over territory control can lead to some creative strategizing. Warfare mode builds upon this original formula without straying too far from the roots. For starters, each team’s spawn now houses an orb which will allow the carrier to instantly take over an enemy’s power node without having to take down its health. Controlling the orb is extremely important because it usually takes a lot of time to successfully overturn a node, but now it can be done in an instant. However, the arena announces if an orb carrier is in the area, so don’t expect to prance your way into a node with no opposition.

Furthermore, taking control over a node doesn’t just enable you to reach your enemy’s power core. Depending on the map, different nodes will actually give your team a boost. For instance, in one level taking over a node will expose your enemy’s power core to turret fire, which will easily let you wear down its health. Possessing another type of node for a minute will instantly take away 20% of the enemy base’s health. Other times you’ll be granted with special vehicle spawn points or new pathways into your enemy’s spawn, so you really have to try everything out to see what’s available.

Easily the most shocking announcement around Unreal Tournament 3 was hearing that the single player campaign actually has a storyline. Typically, UT games had an offline mode in which you could play against bots across the game types, and while this was fun it felt like the developers were doing the bare minimum. Epic Games has gone all out by including a solo campaign with all the trimmings.

The story revolves around a heroic looking figure named Reaper. In some sort of intergalactic space war, the Necris alien race invaded his colony and completely obliterated it. Now, Reaper has sworn to make the Necris pay, so you can bet that this story will be full of vengeance. Aside from taking the role of a total badass, the solo campaign is also improved in that it tries to be more than just a series of loosely based arena matches. Matches are presented on a glowing globe, which has different points for each battle zone. You can browse details on each zone, most notably you can choose to listen to a full-fledged mission briefing on each map type to give your team the upper hand. In addition, by performing exceptionally well in a match you can earn special cards. These cards offer a one time bonus, such as increased maximum health or fewer enemy bots, which should help make the event of your choice a breeze. Granted, the storyline won’t be as top notch as a title like Gears of War, but considering past versions of UT this is a much welcome improvement.

After seeing what the Unreal 3 Engine is capable of, not too many gamers out there doubt the success of this title on the PC. Our biggest concern, on the other hand, is in regards to how this game will fare on the PS3? From what we’ve seen so far, we have a lot to look forward to. A radial menu replaces the 0-9 weapon selection method on the PC, and while it might not be as user-friendly the first time you encounter it, considering what the developers have to work with it’s a viable solution. The gameplay has been slowed down just a little bit to account for the dual analog controls, which gives the gamers more control without having to sacrifice the overall feel of the game. Online matches for up to 16 players are available, and although this is less than the 32 supported by the PC version some restraints had to be made to keep this game running smooth. On the plus side, the PS3 version is said to be just as visually stunning as the PC counterpart without having to sacrifice frame rates, and this is incredibly important to this game’s success.

To top it all off, modifications created on the PC using the Unreal Editor will be transferable to the PS3 via memory sticks, so the PS3 won’t suffer from a lack of user-generated content. Sony fans can even rub this in the faces of Xbox 360 owners because currently their console won’t support this feature. With over 40 maps, five new vehicles, and enhanced gameplay modes, Unreal Tournament on the PS3 is a game to look out for this holiday season.