Unreal Tournament 2003 is the game of the year in my opinion. I also belive its the game of the year for years to come.
The Unreal series has diverted from that gritty feeling of the original and taken a more floaty and sci-fi turn. And in turn the game is no longer about the rocket launcher and the flack cannon. Its more about tatical shock combos and well timed sniper shots. This adds more tactics to the game that i feel was a welcome change. The weapon damage is balanced so you can use any weapon to take down the opponent including the assult rifle. Its a fair game online and even newbies can get a few kills.
To sum up, the unreal series has taken a turn in gamelay which i think works but seasond veterans of UT maybe dissapointed. But for new players its easy to get used to well balanced and a graphical forte. Its well worth your time and money.