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Unreal Championship is a game I was very much looking foward to. I mean, the screenshots looked awesome, it was being developed as a sequel to an excellent game, and its multiplayer capabilities appeared to be unparalled by any console game to date. However, after spending some quality time with this title, I feel a little disappointed with the end result that UC is.
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Visually, UC is excellent. The various effects are excellent looking, the weapons look cool, the lighting is well-done, and the shadows cast are incredibly realistic. The animation too is excellent, especially the new death animations, courtesy of a great physics engine. Slowdown happens rarely with this game with eight players, but unfortunately it is a far more common occurrence with any more players. The levels in which you fight in are all somewhat diverse and do vary in size, although the variety does not compare with that of the originals. Overall, this title is one of the most visually impressive titles on the market right not.
The overall gameplay and action in this game is little changed from its prequel. The guns, although slightly more balanced, are pretty much the same, the fighting style is the same, and even some of the levels have an uncanny resemblance to those from UT. However, there have been some changes made to the Unreal equation. First of all, an ability called adrenaline has been introduced to the mix, which rewards players for playing well by giving them certain powerups that had to be found in UT. Also, the developers have added various species with different abilities. This idea, while cool in concept, actually disrupts the balance and gives certain players an unfair advantage in combat. For example, if I had proficiency in a mini gun, I could charge it up and fire it twice as fast as normal, killing the opposing player that much quicker. The gameplay changes, when compared with its prequel, are minuscule at best, and the changes made really do not improve the overall gameplay.
In terms of diversity, Unreal Championship has a variety of modes, including Deathmatch, team deathmatch, double domination, bombing run, and capture the flag. Deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture the flag are all your standard deal, while the other two modes are quite different from what you find in other FPS. Double domination is a spin off on the domination mode from the original game but with a couple changes. Now instead of three command points, there are only two, and both must be controlled by the same team for a certain amount of time to score points. These changes don't really change the overall feel of the domination mode, but in a way they refine it. Now, bombing run is entirely new to the unreal universe, and it involves attempting to get a ball that is in the middle of the map into a certain part of the enemies base. Of all the UC modes, this one probably requires the most team work. However, I do have two gripes with this mode. One, it is a compete rip off of a mode from Quake III Team Arena, and two, it replace Assault mode, a mode of play from the original which is in every way superior to bombing run. If I had to classify the modes of this game, I would basically say that they are quite fun, but are a little lacking in the originality department.
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