Gamos
20 Apr 2005, 11:37
Gamesdomain went al ghagha over the game and awarded it a 10/10. A more balanced perspective from Gamerankings.com gives it a solid 88%, based on the average of 15 reviews.
Ps - For those getting excited, it is XBOX exclusive. :P
Gamesdomain wrote: <my bold >
===============
While the original Unreal Championship was a solid enough port of the successful PC game (Unreal Tournament 2004), it failed to take advantage of the Xbox in any meaningful way. In fact, it was worse for the wear after the transition -- matches were extremely laggy without dedicated PC servers doing the hosting. So developer Epic really needed to step it up a notch with Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict to stand out. Our response after seeing the final product? Wow.
The most talked about, and anticipated, change to the series is in the form of melee combat. Unlike prior games where you had to use a ranged weapon if you wanted reasonable life expectancy, Unreal Championship 2 encourages players to get up close and personal with their opponents.
"Bringing a knife to a gunfight" (the game's tagline) is daunting at first, but melee has its own set of advantages. The most important aspect is the reflect maneuver. By properly timing a block you can rebound any incoming projectile weapon. Time it perfectly, and you'll even send it straight back to its origin -- nothing feels better than taking out a camper with his own rocket.
Going head-to-head with another melee fighter presents its own set of challenges, and has a surprising amount of depth. Not only can you parry attacks and chain combos, but it's even possible to freeze your opponent and execute a finishing move -- complete with bloody gibs flying around the map. Careful though: If you take too long to off your victim, he can break the freeze and return the favor.
Melee combat automatically jumps you to third-person view, while ranged weapons default to first-person, but the viewpoint can be toggled. Fighting in first-person feels extremely natural, especially to Unreal and Halo veterans, but third-person shouldn't be overlooked, as the game places a high premium on maneuverability and navigating the more complex, multi-level maps.
Adding to the controlled chaos are the adrenaline powers. Specific to each character, the powers give you a temporary boost in one or more areas. These can be anything from speed, to limited invisibility, to regeneration. Short in duration, successful use of adrenaline is more of a strategic decision than anything else. Used at the right moment, each of the powers can easily snatch a victory. They're also much easier to implement through a radio-menu interface, instead of having to memorize combos.
The fluidity of movement and acrobatic skills of characters are extremely well implemented. Certain adrenaline powers focus on increasing your agility, allowing you to jump higher or glide. Learning to use the environment defensively and offensively is what distinguishes the truly skilled players and it's also one of the main areas that Unreal Championship 2 stands out amongst its online action game peers.
Another one would be the visuals. The Unreal franchise has always been known for its engine's technological achievements; Championship 2 pushes the Xbox to new limits, arguably only matched by the recent release of Doom 3. Textures are sharp, the reflective water is gorgeous, the special effects make for a beautiful show, and the art design is simply spectacular all around.
The single-player game consists of three modes: There's the ladder-style tournament, which is designed to train the player in the different moves, weapons, and game types. Challenge mode unlocks hidden goodies, while instant action enables solo players to experience the multiplayer game modes against intelligent bots.
By default, 13 characters are available, with additional ones being unlockable and downloadable from Xbox Live. The most well-known of the bonus characters is Mortal Kombat's Raiden. Epic has done an admirable job of bringing the character into the universe as well as staying true to the original history. Not only is Raiden voiced by the same actor from the MK series, but Epic also commissioned the announcer to provide an alternate commentary.
As enjoyable as the single-player experience is, this game's core is in its multiplayer. Packed with game modes, both traditional and new, the title gives new meaning to speed kills, not to mention customization. By way of mutators, you can completely customize your online experience, setting up games that range from the standard to the outrageous. There's even a setting for "classic" Unreal if you're hankering for some old-school fun.
Adding fuel to the competitive fire is the online stat tracking for all game modes. There's a running list of the top players so you can constantly see how you stack up against others -- even if you've never played a single deathmatch.
About the only weak point in the whole game is its uneven difficultly level in the single-player mode. Another complaint, although it's not exactly common in the console market, is the lack of a map maker. After all, Epic has plenty of experience in this regard on the PC side of things.
Finely tuned and highly polished, Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict has something to offer every competitive action fanatic. Online or off, single or multi, melee or sniper, this game is all about fast kills and plenty of customization. It's also a clear demonstration of why standard, uninspired deathmatch no longer has any appeal when it's tacked onto a typical console shooter. This isn't merely an evolution of the franchise -- this is Unreal with the dial turned up to 11.
===============
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/0/41780/uc29.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/9/41779/uc27.jpg[/url]
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/6/41776/uc211.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/3/41773/selket.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/2/41772/raptor.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/1/41771/lauren.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/0/41770/anubis.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/9/41769/malcom.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/8/41768/gorge.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/4/41774/skaarj.jpg
[url="http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/3/14233/xbscreen293.jpg"]http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/3/14233/xbscreen293.jpg
(http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/9/41779/uc27.jpg)
Ps - For those getting excited, it is XBOX exclusive. :P
Gamesdomain wrote: <my bold >
===============
While the original Unreal Championship was a solid enough port of the successful PC game (Unreal Tournament 2004), it failed to take advantage of the Xbox in any meaningful way. In fact, it was worse for the wear after the transition -- matches were extremely laggy without dedicated PC servers doing the hosting. So developer Epic really needed to step it up a notch with Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict to stand out. Our response after seeing the final product? Wow.
The most talked about, and anticipated, change to the series is in the form of melee combat. Unlike prior games where you had to use a ranged weapon if you wanted reasonable life expectancy, Unreal Championship 2 encourages players to get up close and personal with their opponents.
"Bringing a knife to a gunfight" (the game's tagline) is daunting at first, but melee has its own set of advantages. The most important aspect is the reflect maneuver. By properly timing a block you can rebound any incoming projectile weapon. Time it perfectly, and you'll even send it straight back to its origin -- nothing feels better than taking out a camper with his own rocket.
Going head-to-head with another melee fighter presents its own set of challenges, and has a surprising amount of depth. Not only can you parry attacks and chain combos, but it's even possible to freeze your opponent and execute a finishing move -- complete with bloody gibs flying around the map. Careful though: If you take too long to off your victim, he can break the freeze and return the favor.
Melee combat automatically jumps you to third-person view, while ranged weapons default to first-person, but the viewpoint can be toggled. Fighting in first-person feels extremely natural, especially to Unreal and Halo veterans, but third-person shouldn't be overlooked, as the game places a high premium on maneuverability and navigating the more complex, multi-level maps.
Adding to the controlled chaos are the adrenaline powers. Specific to each character, the powers give you a temporary boost in one or more areas. These can be anything from speed, to limited invisibility, to regeneration. Short in duration, successful use of adrenaline is more of a strategic decision than anything else. Used at the right moment, each of the powers can easily snatch a victory. They're also much easier to implement through a radio-menu interface, instead of having to memorize combos.
The fluidity of movement and acrobatic skills of characters are extremely well implemented. Certain adrenaline powers focus on increasing your agility, allowing you to jump higher or glide. Learning to use the environment defensively and offensively is what distinguishes the truly skilled players and it's also one of the main areas that Unreal Championship 2 stands out amongst its online action game peers.
Another one would be the visuals. The Unreal franchise has always been known for its engine's technological achievements; Championship 2 pushes the Xbox to new limits, arguably only matched by the recent release of Doom 3. Textures are sharp, the reflective water is gorgeous, the special effects make for a beautiful show, and the art design is simply spectacular all around.
The single-player game consists of three modes: There's the ladder-style tournament, which is designed to train the player in the different moves, weapons, and game types. Challenge mode unlocks hidden goodies, while instant action enables solo players to experience the multiplayer game modes against intelligent bots.
By default, 13 characters are available, with additional ones being unlockable and downloadable from Xbox Live. The most well-known of the bonus characters is Mortal Kombat's Raiden. Epic has done an admirable job of bringing the character into the universe as well as staying true to the original history. Not only is Raiden voiced by the same actor from the MK series, but Epic also commissioned the announcer to provide an alternate commentary.
As enjoyable as the single-player experience is, this game's core is in its multiplayer. Packed with game modes, both traditional and new, the title gives new meaning to speed kills, not to mention customization. By way of mutators, you can completely customize your online experience, setting up games that range from the standard to the outrageous. There's even a setting for "classic" Unreal if you're hankering for some old-school fun.
Adding fuel to the competitive fire is the online stat tracking for all game modes. There's a running list of the top players so you can constantly see how you stack up against others -- even if you've never played a single deathmatch.
About the only weak point in the whole game is its uneven difficultly level in the single-player mode. Another complaint, although it's not exactly common in the console market, is the lack of a map maker. After all, Epic has plenty of experience in this regard on the PC side of things.
Finely tuned and highly polished, Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict has something to offer every competitive action fanatic. Online or off, single or multi, melee or sniper, this game is all about fast kills and plenty of customization. It's also a clear demonstration of why standard, uninspired deathmatch no longer has any appeal when it's tacked onto a typical console shooter. This isn't merely an evolution of the franchise -- this is Unreal with the dial turned up to 11.
===============
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/0/41780/uc29.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/9/41779/uc27.jpg[/url]
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/6/41776/uc211.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/3/41773/selket.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/2/41772/raptor.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/1/41771/lauren.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/0/41770/anubis.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/9/41769/malcom.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/8/41768/gorge.jpg
http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/4/41774/skaarj.jpg
[url="http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/3/14233/xbscreen293.jpg"]http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/3/14233/xbscreen293.jpg
(http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/9/41779/uc27.jpg)