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Loading ...Unreal Tournament 3…if Crysis is a bridge too far…
combatus
Crysis won’t run on my PC. That’s a fact. Despite all the watercooling and all the overclocking, if I put everything on max it’s a juddering mess. Well I suppose I’m asking too much of my X1900XT which I’ve had for 2 years now, but the £300 I spent on it then has been well spent indeed. However, I’m not upgrading just for one game. Oooh no. Not even for two (FSX can’t be maxed either, god dammit). The simple reason is I still play plenty of older games like Hl2, BF2 and IL2 Sturmovik which run fine on my system. However, if you’re in the same boat and dissapointed with frame rates in Crysis then don’t fear, Unreal Tournament 3 is here and IT’S AWESOME!!!!!!
I’ve been a massive fan of the Unreal series and still love UT2004 to death. Perhaps the most appealing feature of the games is that they are so well polished by Epic before they are released, that you can run them on pretty mediocre PC’s yet they still look good and are perfectly playable. To be able to max out UT3 on a a 2 year old card is a credit to both the game’s developers and to ATI who did build a great card. For further info on how other cards fared check out CPC Issue 52 P18.
Now down to the gameplay. Well actually the graphics which are the first thing that hits you when you run the game at high settings. It really does look gorgeous and is streaks ahead of UT2004. The weapons feel more real when your blasting them and modelling detail is quite amazing with little levers and cartridges moving about all over the place yet create the illusion of a real purpose.
Rocket Launcher
Link Gun
My favourite part of the new style of UT is Vehicle combat, however you need something to take out vehicles when your on foot. The Avril is back, this time called the Longbow Avril, and it’s far more deadly with a lazer sight that locks onto occupied vehicles and knocks most of the small ones out in one shot.
You can collect weapons from the usual weapon outlets found at bases. There are also “deployable weapons such as EMP, Shaped-charges and shield generators - basically more hardware than you can shake a stick at and it’ll probably take you some time to actually use all of it, never mind master it.
Another bonus for those moments where you just can’t find a gun-laiden vehicle to jump into is the Hoverboard. Pressing “Q” makes your character jump onto his integrated hoverboard which speeds you along much quicker and is very useful when tanks suddenly appear and you’re on foot. It’s also the only mode of transport you’re allowed to use if your running your arse off with the flag stolen from the enemies base.
You can also hitch a ride via an energy beam onto a nearby friendly vehicle to speed things along a bit!
In “warfare mode” which is basically the same as the old style “power node” gathering gameplay, you now have the option of carrying something called an “orb” to the next node. If you make it and drop the orb into the node’s power circle you’ll immediately capture that node which saves the endless pounding you usually had to do. Getting the node into a well protected base is another thing - again you can’t use vehicles although you can use the hoverboard.
Vehicles, vehicles vehicles! This is one area that has had a serious overhaul. Not only are the usual fixed turrets and vehicles from 2004 in the game (Manta, Goliath and Leviathon etc), but a whole new range of “Necris” war machines is available. They are pretty exotic and have very different features to the original vehicles but are just as, if not even more devastating.
Leviathon is still an awesome site and works much the same as it does in UT2004.
Tha Manta is still removing people’s heads.
One new vehicle called the Paladin has a sheild as it’s defensive/secondary function. I haven’t tested how effective it is but it looks very cool indeed!
Now for for one of the things that blew me away the first time I saw it - and is a somewhat familiar site from “War of the Worlds” with Tom Cruise and to some extend the tripods on HL2, a new walker is ready to make history in the “scariest gaming walkers” category. The Necris Darkwalker is an awesome site to behold, especially if it’s not on your side…
Totally awesome as is the rest of the game and what’s best about it is that you don’t need a cutting edge PC to play it, even at high settings. I guess this isn’t a review of the game as there’s so much I haven’t included like game modes and online play but what I’m trying to say is if you haven’t already got Unreal Tournament 3 then why the hell not!!!! Hopefully some of these pictures will persuade you!
Hmmm, sure it looks nice but still where’s the fun gone? I liked Ut2004 it was bright, bloody and a giggle but the new one just seems to be going the gritty hardcore route.
Yeah it will run on anything …. ish …. unless it’s my 6600. Anway, it seems nice but I think I’ll leave it a while.