Reviewed: July 17, 2008
Reviewed by: Mark Smith

Publisher
Midway Games

Developer
Epic Games

Released: July 7, 2008
Genre: FPS
Players: 1-2

10
10
10
9
9.5

Supported Features:

Earlier this year we saw the latest console evolution of Quake multiplayer in Enemy Territory on the Xbox 360, and now Epic follows with Unreal Tournament III; not entirely an inventive title in name or gameplay, but definitely a major contender in the console war of the FPS. Previously released on the PC, then followed up a month later on the PS3, it’s taken more than six months for UT3 to reach the 360, but it’s been worth the wait.

For as technically advanced as Unreal Tournament III was on the PC and the PS3, Epic has really enhanced things for this third and final release on the 360; so much in fact that I’ve logged many more hours on this version than both the previous releases combine. The audio and visual presentation has been taken to the next level and the gameplay has been polished and refined to the point of perfection. In my previous reviews for this game I commented that UT3 had lost that “WOW” factor. Well, the 360 version brings back the WOW and much, much more.

For the lonely gamer there is an outstanding single-player campaign mode that will not only offer many hours of challenging gameplay, it will also server as a great training tool before you tackle real humans online. To help bridge that online gap you can play the campaign in either Private (solo) mode or Public where your campaign is added to the online servers and other games can drop in and help you out.

The 360 version adds an exclusive two-player split-screen mode for both solo play or you can even bring a buddy along for online matches. This was a huge oversight and missed opportunity on the PS3 and I was glad to see Epic redeemed themselves on this latest version. Apparently they do read the feedback on the message boards.

As for additional 360 exclusives, you have two new characters and five additional maps, as well as all of the previously available downloadable content released for the PC and PS3. Sadly, there is no mod support for the game – something the PS3 managed to offer. But then again, the Xbox Live network is regulated a bit more than the PS Network, so by disallowing mods you maintain the integrity of the gameplay experience and can rest in the knowledge that any new mods or levels will come from the developers.

For veterans of the series or even the FPS genre, most of the game modes are pretty standard fare and you’ll slip right into the intuitive controls and gameplay. Not much has changed in four years (or even eight). Deathmatch modes have you racing around complex levels trying to reach the frag limit before the other team.

CTF is a race across a battlefield to grab the enemy flag and return it to your base. Your flag has to be in your base to score and to add to the challenge you cannot use vehicles or the translocator (teleport device) while holding the flag. In VCTF you can use various vehicles to race across the levels, but once you grab the flag you are limited to your hoverboard for transportation. The risk versus speed reward is that if you get shot while carrying the flag (or power orb) you’ll get knocked off your board, drop whatever you were carrying, and are stunned for several seconds.

Warfare is the new and easily the best mode of Unreal Tournament III even if it’s not entirely a new or original concept. In its simplest form this mode is nothing more than territorial acquisition, much like Onslaught or Domination modes from other FPS games. Where the strategy lies is that each node is linked to the next, creating a linear progression across very large maps leading to the enemy power core. In order to destroy that power core you have to be in control of the Prime Node adjacent to their main core. It’s a huge tug-of-war battle that can take a long time to win and offers plenty of opportunities for coordinated team tactics.

These Warfare maps usually have one or more additional control points scattered about the map. Taking control of these will help tilt the balance of power by giving you access to bigger and better weapons or vehicles. In one mission you must have possession of a bridge node in order for your tank to cross a chasm into enemy territory. You can be the one attacking the bridge node or driving the tank, or even a bit of both.

One strategic element to the Warfare mode is the energy orb. These can be carried around the map and used to reinforce nodes you already possess or instantly take over an enemy node without having to wear down its shield. If and when you do come across an unattended enemy orb you have the option to destroy it (and yourself). Not only will you slow down the enemy, you’ll be considered a hero. Or you can just wait for the timer to expire on any unattended node and it will automatically self-destruct.

Even when you are playing a private match you are far from alone. Unreal Tournament III teams you up with at least one other fighter, usually several, especially in the Warfare missions. Some missions have you facing seemingly impossible odds. In one DM level it was me and one other guy versus four blue team fighters. No matter how well I played I would always get beat by one or two frags at the very end, simply because we were outnumbered two-to-one.

Unreal Tournament III adds a nifty feature in the form of Cards that can tip the balance of power in these unfair situations. When you win some missions you will get a Card that you can apply to any upcoming mission. Some cards must be played in the following mission, but most you can save when things get tough like the one I was stuck on in the previous paragraph. I found I had a card that reduced the enemy team by two members. Now, with the odds even, Othello and myself were able to easily defeat the blue team. There are a variety of cards that do all sorts of things from helping you out to hurting the enemy.

Campaign missions are laid out across an impressive global map. Sometimes you have the option to choose your mission but this is merely an illusion because no matter which mission you pick from any choice, you’ll always end up having to do the other one(s) regardless, so it’s not like you have multiple paths to the finale. It does give you the opportunity to try something else if one mission is giving you a hard time, and possibly earn a card to help with the harder missions.

The story for the campaign is pretty weak and mostly told through short missions briefings and a few impressive cutscenes using game engine graphics. Considering each mission plays out like any other online match, I much preferred the sporting event style of presentation used in UT 2003. And just when you do start to get interested in the narrative, Epic tosses in one of their trademark cliffhanger endings. Perhaps this is their strategy for job security.

Unreal Tournament set the benchmark for AI back in 1999 and they continue to impress in 2008 with some of the best human-like AI for both enemies and team-bots. Left on their own, you can usually count on your team to be somewhat effective. I usually like to take on the role of flag collector in CTF missions, but I do that when humans are playing as well. I just like the thrill of snaking my way through a raging battlefield while everyone else fights amongst themselves. While you can count on the AI for CTF and DM game modes things get a bit trickier in Warfare, where you must balance the need to attack versus defend.

The brilliant Order system is back and relatively unchanged from the earlier games. Just hit the Voice button to bring up the order menu, select the type of order, select the order, and assign the order to an individual or the entire team. It’s basically a four-tap system and you have complete control over your team in ordering them to defend a position or advance and attack.

As good as the AI is, there are some moments of stupidity, both for the enemy and my own team. I’ve come across numerous enemies that just stand there perfectly still as I unload into them until dead. Then there are moments where my team seems totally focused on defending an optional node that is building a Leviathan rather than defending our Power Node which, when destroyed, ends the mission.

Gameplay is fast and frantic with precise and intuitive controls. Most FPS gamers will tell you there is no substitute for a good mouse/keyboard combo, but I found the controls on the 360 flawless for human mobility and especially the large assortment of land and air vehicles. For those used to the PC controls there are only a few minor differences. The dash or dodge system on the PC uses a double-tap directional input to perform the speed move, but the 360 requires a direction plus the jump button, and the 360 version also eliminates the user crouch ability; you will auto-crouch when necessary.

Despite being classified as an FPS, you’ll spend more than your fair share of time in external camera views, either while riding the hoverboard or driving around in any of the amazing vehicles and aircraft. Vehicles play an incredibly important role, especially in Warfare. You steer with the left stick and generally have full aiming control with the right, even to the point where you can be driving in one direction and aiming a tank turret in the opposite. You have fast buggies with jet turbos, hovercraft, attack choppers, tanks, and the formidable Leviathan that is both tank, SAM launcher, and also has four optional seats for teammates, complete with their own defensive gun turrets.

The newest and most disturbing vehicles added to the game are the new Necris machines like the Nightshade, a stealth tank, and the terrifying Darkwalker that towers above the landscape on spidery legs like the Striders in Half-Life 2 or the alien war machines in War of the Worlds. Scavengers are even more like spiders and totally creepy, and the Fury is a powerful Necris air unit that is only topped by the Nemesis, a massive and powerful battle tank.

To complete the Unreal Tournament III package we get a fairly comprehensive Xbox Live community section that allows you to easily host or join online matches using an improved matchmaking system, track Leaderboards, or look for downloadable content. And don’t forget; you can now play online cooperatively from the same system using the new split-screen mode.

Vehicles are easily the highlight of the game when it comes to model design and textures. The model for a single tank probably exceeds the polygon count for an entire level of Duke Nukem 3D, with subtle movements for all working parts, pitted textures, and explosive deconstruction when those hit points fall to zero. Tires, tank treads, hover props, engine casings, gun turrets, cannon barrels, all fly off in random directions complete with fire and smoke and spinning camera angles.

Most of the personal combat takes place in first-person view allowing you the best view of some of the most inventive weapons in the history of the FPS genre. Not only do these game models look fantastic bobbing up and down in front of you, their primary and secondary fire effects are just as fun to watch, as they are to unleash on the enemy. They all animate with minute detail and reflect various colors and intensities of light.

But it all boils down to level design and Epic has gone the extra mile to create massive battlefields for Warfare modes and intricately designed interiors for plenty of hide-and-seek DM and Team DM games. The overall visual design, while colorful and even a bit exaggerated, is far more realistic in nature than any previous UT game. Everything is dark and moody for the most part. There are a few standout levels like the one with the raging sandstorm that totally screws with your vision.

Menus and setup screens are awesome. The planetary mission select screen is gorgeous with shimmering water and highlighted continents showing who possesses what territory and where you can fight next. The theme of Red versus Blue is cleverly integrated into the levels, so you can always glance at your surroundings to know when you are inside enemy territory.

It’s also worth mentioning that the game looks amazing when compared to the PC version running on a system with a video card that costs as much as a 360. Sure, there is some super-PC out there than can crank out a few more textures and some higher resolutions, but running at 1080p on a nice HDTV with blistering framerates, you'll never think twice. For sheer color, sci-fi visuals, and amazing special effects, no FPS can touch UT3 on the Xbox 360.

The music is mostly ambient, almost environmental in nature, not that you would ever hear any type of score with all the gunplay and continuous explosions going on. You’ll hear plenty of chatter from your teammates, both on their own and when responding to your orders. There is also some excellent voice acting and scripted dialogue in the cutscenes, and of course, all those fun verbal taunts are back and funnier than ever.

And even though the sporting event presentation was left in the past we still get the deep-voice commentary announcing our “killing sprees”, “double kills”, “rampage”, and many other specialty triggers. You’ll even get some useful battlefield updates and node status thank to the commentary.

And even if you do tire of the included content, there is the promise of official downloadable content that will be there to keep pumping your existing game full of new content and exciting new ways to play. It was mildly disappointing to see the user-mods removed, but if you want that kind of expanded content you can always play on the PC or PS3.

As a special bonus, Epic has included a sneak peek at the upcoming Gears of War 2 with a focus on the multiplayer aspects of the game. I’m sure this video will be ripped to YouTube before you read this review, but it was nice of them to include this cool extra. A playable level would have been better.

Thankfully, the new weapons and vehicles really mask most of the sameness, and the massively complex levels are easily the best of any in the genre. Even after hours and hours of gameplay I can still get lost in them. Plus, the Xbox Live community is extremely active when it comes to UT3, so you won’t have the same problems finding games and other players like you do on the PS3.

Unreal Tournament III is about pure adrenalin and blazing reflexes and nothing can touch UT3 for experiencing both in classic shooter fashion online or going solo. Unreal Tournament III is a must-own Xbox 360 title for anyone who enjoys frantic online shooters and total mayhem. Of all three system releases, this one is the best.