Unreal

"A much superior experience than expected..."

Way back when this game came out in 1998, I didn't play it. To be honest, I didn't think my system at the time, a P166 with 48MB of RAM and a Voodoo 1 card, was beefy enough to play it. I was, of course, right. Besides, I wrote the game off as another Quake clone with a horrid storyline, cheesy enemies, excellent graphics, and a focus on multiplayer...a theory confirmed when I later got a beefier rig and tried Unreal Tournament. However, after buying UT2K4 recently and enjoying it I found this title in a bargain bin and decided to take it for a spin. What I found amazed me.

Graphics: 10/10
Unreal was of course the benchmark for beautiful graphics back in '98 when it was released. Convincing outdoor areas, complex level geometry, true light-sourcing effects and reflective floors as well as some of the best-looking water in any polygonal game to that point added to the visual feast. Unlike other titles released at the time such as Half-Life and Quake 2, Unreal can still hold its own even in this day and age. The flyby of Nali Castle still looks as breathtaking as it did back when it was released, and with OpenGL drivers found on the web you can run it at excellent resolutions with a superb framerate on even today's low-end systems. Every enemy and character, from the vicious Skaarj to the peaceful Nali, is beautifully textured and animated.

Sound: 8/10
While the sound effects are nothing to write home about, mainly a serious of grunts, growls, atmospheric effects and explosions, they do the job quite nicely. The music in this game is quite superb, however, with a dynamically changing soundtrack depending on the action level of your current situation. Most of the score is either gorgeous ambient soundscapes or fast-paced electronic beats, both of which sound well-produced.

Story: 9/10
Most people have cast off Unreal to the pile of FPS games such as Quake which feature plenty of eye candy and no story whatsoever besides a blurb in the manual. They couldn't be more wrong. The basic story is that you are aboard a prison ship when it is taken over by a hostile reptilian race known as the Skaarj. After it crashes to the surface of a nearby planet (Na Pali), you find yourself fighting for your life trying to escape, as well as protect a pacifistic race known as the Nali from their malevolent Skaarj captors. As you traverse the wonderful world of Unreal, you come across various computer screens, journals, and runic writing on walls which you use your Universal Translator to read. These writings provide clues and tips, and along with the level progression stream a cohesive narrative to what is going on. NPCs you meet (in the form of the benevolent but oppressed Nali) lead you to objectives and even secrets if you put in the effort to save them from enemies. In this way, the game is very much similar to System Shock, adding to the immersion factor immensely. In fact, this game is one of the most immersive of its genre, only surpassed by Half-Life and System Shock 2.

Gameplay: 9/10
Unreal manages to maintain the perfect balance of fast-action and adventure/puzzle elements throughout the game. As you advance you find not only advanced weaponry (which ties into the storyline nicely) but also various items and artifacts to aid your in your quest. The puzzles in the game are not too mind-boggling, but can be quite challenging. Most levels offer several puzzles to solve and you can do them in whatever order you choose. Furthermore, the game has a TON of secret areas which can be found, but are completely optional, increasing the feeling of non-linearity. The enemies in this game are quite tough even on normal difficulty. Their weaponry is generally more advanced than yours, most of them have the ability to dodge your shots if you fight too predictably, and some even have shields and armor, forcing you to fight strategically and make every shot count. The weapons in the game have various uses for different situations just as they do in good old Unreal Tournament games. Need to snipe a Skaarj from a cliff? Use the Sniper Rifle. Dealing with plenty of baddies in a close environment? Pull out the Flak Cannon. Being chased down by a Mercenary? Lay down suppressing fire with the BioRifle. The game does a marvelous job of making you think while you fight, which makes it much more challenging and fun simultaneously.

Overall, I highly recommend picking this up for a spin. It's the best-looking game which is the most fun you can have for 5 bucks...unless you find System Shock 2 at that price. Nonetheless, it's a thrilling ride which just rocks.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/27/04