One of the better transitions from PC to Console
As you should all know, Unreal 3 was made for the PC as its predecessors were. Some gamers were not happy with the transition from PC to console, like some Valve fans were angry over the Orange Box being a multi platform game. But, like in my last review, this game made the transition over very well from PC to Console.
Design and Detail:
This game is pretty. Yes, I said pretty. With this game, the graphics are just beautiful. But you would have to expect it from Epic Games since they built and use the ever popular Unreal Engine version 3. The landscapes are well detailed, with explosions taking rocks, water, and corpses into the air and returning them like really horrible rain. The character models in this are very detailed, but you will notice some other details that seem… well familiar. Looking at your main character, (insert name here); his model is taken from Gears of War of the beloved hero Marcus Fenix; and one of your other team mates uses the same model as Cole from Gears of War. Now being these games are made by the same company, you would have thought that they could have been a little more creative, but in this line of work you have to take what you have and put it to use. With the vehicles side of the game being an addition to this ever popular series, the Epic team has done really well with the vehicle creation. The detail on them is very well proportioned, especially when damage is done to them. They do catch fire and do smoke, but it seems to be a little overdone, in a matter of speaking.
Gameplay:
Moving from a mouse/keyboard to a controller does take a little getting used to, but if you can do it well then you should have no problem with playing the game. Moving and jumping is very easy to do, and the addition of double jump makes getting to high spots easier and better. Weapon use is very simple too, with the utilization of both left and right triggers. For example, the link gun, when holding down the right trigger, shoots out balls of energy, while holding on the left trigger creates a stream of energy, which can be used for repairing vehicles, building nodes, and completely disintegrating an enemy into nothing but a skeleton. Along with the usual running and jumping is a fantastic addition of a hoverboard. To activate this you push X. During missions where you have to get to someplace fast, this board makes it so much easier. During Core missions, you have to drag your color orb to a node to be able to perform a quick capture, and to do this easier, you just use your hoverboard and well hover to the node. Fairly simple, yes? Well… no… it's not. Once on your hoverboard, you have no control of weapons, so you become a flying target to the enemy. Falling off of your board due to an enemy round striking you costs you about 20HP. Driving is another challenge all on its own. Trying to get a vehicle to move correctly takes a little time. With the larger vehicles like the goliath, getting stuck is almost inevitable, but after about the 3rd time it's a breeze. So take some time, and you'll get it.
Missions
I decided to do this on its own, since you should all know about how they work. The missions in this game are very repetitive. The campaign is just like one big set of multiplayer maps. Missions do repeat a lot, with Core Destruction being most prominent, then Team Deathmatch, and then Capture the Flag. So, be ready to do a lot of repetitive work. It does, like I said, play like a big group of multiplayer maps, so be ready for some kind of taunting and tea bagging.
Multiplayer:
The crown jewel of the Unreal Series is the multiplayer. Staying up, hours on end, is normal with this game. Multiplayer plays like it did in the old days, with running across the map killing others and collecting weapons, then killing them with those weapons. Get ready for some extreme mayhem with this game as well, since you can blow up just about everything. Others from across the world playing the game will bring the pain since everyone is familiar with the way this plays and what this game can and cannot do. The variants this game does have are exactly like the campaign, so be ready for more repetitive work.
Final Thoughts:
Unreal Tournament 3 has made a very beautiful transition from the PC to the 360. Be expecting extreme gameplay, but do remember that it will get repetitive, so keep going at it and it will get interesting. Multiplayer is as it was in the old day and will bring memories back of the hours you put in on the computer killing others over who is the best and who just sucks as a gamer. The graphics will make you feel like you're really there, and the Unreal Engine makes it the best.
Score: 4.5 out of 5