When Unreal Tournament (UT) was released in 1999, it was
a relative underdog in the first-person-shooter multiplayer genre. Beta
versions of Counter-Strike were already out, and Quake 3: Arena was set
to launch in a week’s time when UT hit the stands. Sure, UT was riding
the critical success of 1998’s Unreal – the campaign-based, first title
– but it still did not have the reputation of a Half-Life or Quake.
Despite all odds, UT managed to make it a three-way race, and became one of the
most popular multiplayer action games.
Personally, I loved the innovative alternate-fire mode by
right-clicking the mouse, and the outstanding graphics that ran
smoothly on the antique that sometimes was referred to as my PC.
The
game’s completed sequel, Unreal Tournament 2004 – released in the
titular year – also enjoyed much success, thanks to its new vehicular
combat.
Cut to 2007: The developers of Quake – IdSoftware –
had stepped up with Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, and the guys from
Counter-Strike’s Valve had thrown down the gauntlet with Team Fortress
2. Unreal Tournament 3 (UT3) was released amidst great expectations.
Unfortunately, history isn’t repeating itself here.
To be fair, it is partly my expectations that see the game receiving a low
rating.
Technically
speaking, UT3 is decent: Great graphics, smart AI, an engine that runs
well on an average system, and a tried-and-tested gameplay.
Of course, it also has its down sides, with an amateurish storyline and
laughable voice-acting and dialogues.
But
what disappointed me most is that it falters massively on the two
fronts that made its predecessors such hits: Innovation and engrossing
gameplay.
Epic Games, the developers of the UT series, had
announced that UT3 was going to take the best aspects of the old games
and put them together in a simple-yet-new package. Here’s my question:
What happened to the ‘yet new’ part? Giving players a bunch of new
vehicles to roam around in is not enough innovation in my books,
especially when you take into account that this is a game which has
been in the making for almost four years.
Still, full points for
the new ‘warfare’ mode: A team game where you capture and connect
‘nodes’ or markers across the map. Connect all the nodes, and you’re
free to destroy the opposing team’s core node.
But overall, it’s simply boring, and plays like the original UT in a pretty
package.
And
yes, what a pretty package it is. UT3 is utterly beautiful. The detail
in textures, lighting, scenery and art is mind-blowing. Epic Games has
polished, and repolished the graphics; in fact, to a fault, as it’s a
bit too glaring at times when all I want to do is score a headshot. Tad
annoying, that!
Another let-down was the lack of ‘feel’ in this
game. As is evident, I’m a huge fan of the UT series (having actually
spent nights playing it for over 14 hours at a stretch). I couldn’t
even last two hours when I first played UT3. The numerous attempts that
followed saw me aborting at somewhere around the one-hour mark.
There
wasn’t anything that kept me glued to it. The warfare mode is great,
but it’s too huge and complex for fast-paced multiplayer action and too
slow for single-player. The graphics are stunning, but I’m in a battle,
not an art appreciation class. The new vehicles are cool-looking and
handle well, but they get old very fast.
All in all, unlike its
father, UT3 is not going to make it a three-way race with Team Fortress
2 and Enemy Territory. Indeed, with the success of Gears of War and its
online multiplayer system, it makes me wonder whether getting the most
out of the amazing Unreal engine is best left to other game franchises
now.
As far as I know, the game has yet to be officially launched in india,
but a few stores have started carrying import (read: expensive)
versions for the PS3; and as you walk by, the roadside PC pirates are
ready with a hushed, “Boss, UT3 chahiye?” This means either you shell
out big bucks to buy retail, or buy the pirated copy and not get to
play online. Thankfully, for my money, I’d rather not play it at all..
Rating: * *
Price: PS3: Rs 2,999
Requirements: 2.0 GHz processor, 512MB RAM, NVIDIA 6200 or ATI Radeon 9600
video card, 8 GB hard drive space
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