Unreal Tournament III, released last year for PC and PlayStation 3, became the new high point for the series, with its online action and various modes, vehicles and weapons. Now the game hits the Xbox 360, and this explosive and gory first person shooter hits with the force of an Impact Hammer.

Unreal Tournament III's gameplay is awesome. You do most of your dirty work on foot, selecting from a variety of weapons to unleash on your opponents, each of which has dual-fire. For instance, the Flak Cannon lets you fire off shotgun-style blasts at opponents at a wide range, while also providing helpful fireball bursts for bigger, less vulnerable enemies.

In addition, there are vehicles scattered throughout certain maps, including tanks, buggies, hover boards and aerial vehicles, all heavily armed. It takes a little while to get the hang of things, as you shift from first to a third-person perspective once you jump into one. Past that, the controls are mapped very effectively across your Xbox 360 controller. Switching weapons and pulling off melee attacks with your Impact Hammer never felt easier.

There is a story to Unreal Tournament III, but it's merely in place to set you up for the first-person shooting action. An invading army known as the Necris has laid out your clan, tearing apart your city and everyone in it. Bent on revenge, you join up with a ragtag army to beat them at their own game.

Shoot first, then shoot some more, and THEN ask questions. Click to see more images from the game...

Everything you need to know about Unreal Tournament, you can learn in the single-player campaign mode. Here, you'll get an idea of what the matches are about, starting with an easygoing battle against your sibling and eventually going head-on against Necris forces. Epic Games outlines the single-player missions, with pre-mission walkthroughs that explain the rules of each game. Some are simple, such as capturing an opponent's flag and bringing it back to your base. Others are trickier, requiring you to activate power nodes in order to access a vulnerably enemy core. It's decent filler, but a mere appetizer compared to the multiplayer main course.

Various modes are available, including Deathmatch (every man for himself), Team Deathmatch (one team against another), Capture the Flag (where you chase after your enemy team's flag while protecting your own), Vehicle Capture the Flag (same mode, but with tanks and other heavily armed vehicles), and two new additions to the series, Warpath and Duel. Warpath adds additional strategy to the mix, as you must activate power nodes to access an enemy core. Duel is a one-on-one affair, with spectators watching and waiting in line. Once an enemy dies, the next in line jumps in. Up to sixteen players can take part in a match at once, and, for the first time, you can invite a buddy to come along in two-player split-screen action, a nice addition missing from the PS3 version. Enthusiasts will also enjoy the new characters and five extra maps found exclusively in the 360 version, along with bonus multiplayer footage from Gears of War 2.

Epic Games also did an astonishing job with the presentation. The graphics are almost on the same level as its other shoot-em-up masterpiece, Gears of War, with well-designed maps, solid character animation, riveting explosions and of course, cool death animations, like watching a heavily armed soldier become a charred skeleton. The frame rate moves at a mostly solid 30 frames per second, with mild moments of slowdown. Sound consists of heavily dramatic battle music, rock-solid sound effects and constant chatter between teams. Some of the dialogue tends to get on the cheesy side and repeated too often. ("Do that again!" for example) Still, it's nothing that affects long-term play.

That's not silly string he's shooting. Click to see more images from the game...

Despite its greatness, not all is perfect. Due to Microsoft's strict user-content sharing policy, this version of Unreal Tournament III lacks the option to create your own maps and characters. Without it, this port loses some of its power.

Regardless, if you're an avid fan of the series or first-person shooters, you shouldn't hesitate adding Unreal Tournament III to your library. The multiplayer action is frenzied and fun no matter which mode you choose, the presentation is mostly on the mark and the new additions, particularly the split-screen two-player option, made the seven-month wait worth it. Grab a Bio-Rifle and make life hell for your opponents.

Related Links

Unreal Tournament III Game Guide

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