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If you're a console gamer, you can't really be blamed for automatically being suspicious of Unreal Tournament games -- none have been a "sure thing" like on the PC. Despite several attempts from Epic Games to adapt its fast-paced, multiplayer-centric first-person shooter series for the controller-wielding crowd (Unreal Championship 2 and its mele-ecentered combat being the most recent effort), the developer is still looking for a console home run.
The Gears of War maker will try to change that with Unreal Tournament 3, building the PC version right alongside the PS3 edition. Thing is, UT3 doesn't play like any other shooter on a console right now. It's not Halo 3, Gears of War, or Resistance: Fall of Man -- and one of those actually came from Epic. But just because it's different doesn't mean it can't be excellent in its own right.
Master Chief this isn't
Halo's gameplay is deliberately slower-paced to create a sense of dread before an encounter. With only two weapons per player, planning is everything. Not in UT3.
This game's matches, whether deathmatch, capture the flag, or Warfare (an objective-based gameplay mode requiring gamers to capture nodes), are frenzied fragfests where bullets, globs of goo, and body parts are constantly flying across the screen. Trust us, you will die here and die often, but most of the time it won't matter. Players instantly respawn, meaning dramatic match changes only take a single damage multiplier and a few multikills for someone to be right back on top.
And whereas Halo's weapons have been fine-tuned across a trilogy to reflect specific strengths and weaknesses, every Unreal gun is capable of ripping someone apart. All the weapons feel powerful; every weapon hurts. Between the dozens of vehicles, weapons, and power-ups, UT3 is less about fine-tuning any specific strategy as much as it's about getting blown up and jumping right back
Cover is for cowards
Charge into a group of enemies in Gears of War and it's pretty much lights out in seconds. Flanking, taking advantage of the environment's various means of cover, and deliberately hiding from the opposition until the timing is right is essential to its mechanics. Whether during the campaign or multiplayer, you're always working in teams, and combat's never about being a one man army.
Cover really doesn't exist in UT3. Gamers have a better chance of surviving by stocking up on armor power-ups and hopping in vehicles. In UT3, freefor- all and team-based games coexist, and unlike Gears, a single person can often turn the tide and save the day. UT3 does share a weakness with Epic's 360 affair, though: the story. Gears tried to establish a unique mythology, but it rang pretty hollow.
UT3 only seems to succeed in dumping cut-scenes between otherwise standard multiplayer matches, except you're battling with (and against) the surprisingly smart A.I. We're promised the story becomes more interesting later, but the first few hours do little but introduce us to flat space marines that could easily be mistaken for characters from the eventual Gears sequel.
Don't resist
Turns out we were lying: Resistance fans will feel right at home with UT3. The two games share the exhilarating speed (though UT3 is undeniably faster) and nonstop action that uniquely defines their multiplayer experiences. Each also has a taste for strange and ridiculous weapons with alternate-fire options that provide dozens of options for any given combat situation.
But UT3 offers a broader range of gameplay, thanks largely to the many drivable vehicles (including a new hoverboard) and the potential for users to infinitely carry on the life of the game via mods (see sidebar). Still, UT3's single- player campaign mostly just demonstrates game types. For example, understanding how to command the A.I.-driven bots, crucial to remaining competitive in offline matches, is completely unaddressed. That might work for PC vets familiar with the series, but console folks are new to this.
Whether UT3 ends up arriving for PS3 this year or next (Epic says not to count it out of 2007 yet), it's shaping up to be a real treat for PS3 owners -- meaning it won't embarrass those not versed on a mouse and keyboard. [UPDATE: Since this story appeared in EGM, Midway has confirmed a December 10th ship date for the PS3 version.]
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