Unreal Tournament (Pre-Alpha)

When Epic Games came out with Unreal Tournament (“UT”) in 1999, it took the gaming world by storm. Never before had anyone experienced that kind of fast-paced multiplayer online action, in matches that were as fun to play as they were visually appealing. Soon afterwards, id Software released Quake III Arena, and at the turn of the millennium it looked like a glorious new future was dawning for first-person-shooter games. The Unreal Tournament series continued with UT 2003, UT 2004, and UT 3, each installment raising the bar in terms of technical quality and scope of gameplay, but they were never able to recapture the magic of the original, due in part to controversial changes to weapons and characters, among other things. For fans of the first game, the weapon models, maps, and fast-paced action were the perfect combination.

And so, despite the release of several sequels, the original Unreal Tournament continued to enjoy widespread popularity, earning itself a loyal fan base. When the developers tried to take UT's main server offline, they met with such indignation from the fan community that they decided it would be a much wiser course of action to work with the fans than against them. Last year, Epic Games announced that they were working on a reboot that would attempt to recapture the spirit of the original Unreal Tournament. The game would be financed by crowdfunding, and developed using crowdsourcing, with active forum discussions and weekly livestreams. The title is currently only in the Pre-Alpha stage, but what’s there even now should have fans pretty excited. Keep reading our preview to find out why.

Doublekill!

A year after the new Unreal Tournament was announced, the developers have made considerable progress on the content and quality of the game. As far as the basic gameplay itself is concerned, they haven’t changed a thing – it’s pretty much all about killing your enemies in a series of futuristic arenas. There’s a vast arsenal of weapons for you to pick up during a match, most of which you’ll recognize from the original, including rocket launchers, machine guns, and the legendary flak cannon, each with a primary and a secondary attack mode.

UT’s characteristic mix of savage violence and fast-paced action is just as exciting as it was when the first game came out 16 years ago. You’re teleported into the arena after a brief load time, and once you’re there you can pull off wall jumps, run up ramps, or use elevators to reach higher levels at lightning speed. The controls are pretty basic, and even new players shouldn't take more than a few short minutes to get used to them; and for veteran players, they’ll be so familiar that you might end up feeling like you’re back in 1999.

There are several different game modes in the Pre-Alpha version, including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Duel, and Capture the Flag. They’re planning to add Assault, Warfare, and Bombing Run by the time the final version comes out.

Tough Choices

All it takes is a glimpse at the main menu to get an idea of how much variety is going to be in the final version of the game. You’ll be able test out your FPS skills against other human players in local multiplayer matches or on the online servers. Trying to have an online match between friends on a particular server, on the other hand, might be a bit more difficult, as private invitations don’t work all that smoothly. On top of that, there’s no button to call up the chat function, forcing you open it with the mouse. I really hope they’re planning on fixing these issues. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to create your own match and customize it however you like. And then of course you can also play offline against AI bots with adjustable difficulty levels. In the current stage of development, they’re as accurate as they can be, but they often get stuck on walls and objects, turn their backs to you while you’re shooting at them, or rotate on their own axes too slowly during matches. Then again, I'm pretty sure the developers are going to take care of these little AI glitches before the final version comes out.

Apart from the matches themselves, there are also various training rooms at your disposal, which are pretty useful for players who aren’t yet familiar with the UT universe, or who would like to familiarize themselves with the gameplay mechanics. You can test out all the weapons with their various functions here, and also complete running and jumping parkour courses. And if all that’s too much, you can learn all you need to about the game mechanics from the useful text and video tutorials.

You can also customize your character in the main menu, giving them a name, choosing a gender, and selecting from a limited range of headgear. They’re supposed to be adding a lot more options to allow you to personalize your in-game avatar in even greater detail.

Last but not least, the launch menu includes and editor that allows you to use Unreal Engine 4 for free to create your own maps, character models, weapons, and gear. You can trade your creations with friends, or put them in the marketplace for anyone to download for free or buy from you.

Dying Never Looked So Good

The graphics in Unreal Tournament are based on a modified version of Unreal Engine 4, offering an impressive visual experience with beautiful real-time reflections, and awesome light and particle effects. The reboot includes four finished maps at this time, with lighting and texture quality that’s state of the art. The maps include the industrial complex Outpost 23, the Capture the Flag classic Facing Worlds, and Titan Pass. There are actually a lot more levels that are playable, but aren’t exactly finished. They don’t have the same level of detail as the finished maps, so they come off kind of dull in comparison, but they do give you an idea of what the game might look like at a more advanced stage of development.

Typical for the series, the level of violence during matches is pretty high, with enemies spraying blood when you hit them, or even being torn to shreds when you use rocket launchers or guns like the flak cannon. On the other hand, it’s all so over the top that it’s hard to take seriously, not to mention the fact that it only take a few seconds before slain combatants are back on their feet and jumping around.

The graphics are supported by a wall of sound mostly made up of plasma fire, exploding rockets, and other combatants shouting ready-made insults and curses. Once you have a certain number of players in a match, it sounds like a never-ending storm of explosions and bullets ripping through the air, especially considering the fast pace of the gameplay. The action is accompanied by a synthesized, rhythm-heavy soundtrack, though it’s usually driven into the background by the overpowering sound effects.