Unreal Tournament 2004

by Atari

Product Features

• Land and Air vehicles including light aircraft, assault buggies and behemoth tanks
• New weapons include RPG's, mines, dual assault rifles & gun turrets
• New in-game voice chat allows you to type less and frag more! (Requires Microphone or headset, not included)
• Over 20 brand new maps along with the original UT2003 maps and the official bonus pack maps. This will allow 2004 owners to jump into any 2003 Server and compete!
• Improved bot AI and optimized Network bandwidth usage for lag free, challenging play!

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0002VKQFG
• Media: DVD-ROM
• Release Date: September 21, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,945 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Platform: PC | Edition: Editor's Choice (DVD)

From the Manufacturer

In addition to the content found in Unreal Tournament 2004 (outlined below), the new Unreal Tournament 2004: Editor's Choice Edition adds new Onslaught mode maps, new vehicles, new characters and tons of the best user-made game modifications, hand-selected by the game designers ("editors").

Unreal Tournament 2004 is a multiplayer first person shooter that combines the kill-or-be-killed experience of gladiatorial combat with cutting-edge technology. Ten game modes, both team-based and "every man for himself," provide even the most hardcore gamer with palm-sweating challenges through unbelievably detailed indoor arenas and vast outdoor environments. As the ultimate techno-gladiator of the future, players will take their fates into their hands, battling against up to 32 other players online in action-packed, frag-filled arenas.

Guns. Lots of guns.
Reload, rev up and ride out. The new Tournament is faster, higher and meaner. Land and air based vehicles take combat to a new level; while an arsenal of new weaponry, daunting arenas and battlefields and the challenge of the Assault and Onslaught modes make the gladiator blood sport of the future a brand new experience. Buckle up; it’s gonna be one hell of a ride!

New Modes

• Assault Mode - Assault mode returns! Redesigned for UT2004, this fan-favorite mode sees teams face-off to defend and attack fortified bases, from fast-moving trains, barreling across an arid alien desert to a Skaarj mother ship, poised to attack the human home world.
• Onslaught Mode- Onslaught mode takes team combat to the next level! Opposing teams are pitted against each other to capture and hold strategic points in order to attack and destroy the enemy power core. Taking place in massive outdoor environments, here is where vehicular combat comes into its own. Flying and driving machines take combatants to the frontline and gigantic mobile battle stations serve as a platform from which to launch devastating attacks.

Vehicles
Take a spin in armor-plated luxury. Rev-up and ride out in an array of land-, air-, and space-based vehicles that play critical roles in a successful combat strategy in Assault and Onslaught. With vehicles ranging from single man fighters to five man behemoths, Unreal Tournament 2004 provides players with plenty of choices when shopping for a mechanized implement of destruction.

Levels
Docking Bay 94 it isn't. More than 95 maps will be available immediately, including more than 45 brand new maps for all existing game play modes as well as new modes of play. Vast outdoor environments, deep space combat areas and tightly packed indoor techno-arenas are all waiting for the latest entrants to the Tournament.

Weapons
The entire smorgasbord of frag-dealing weaponry from Unreal Tournament 2003 returns for the experienced player to wield masterfully against new contestants. Those armaments are joined by three new implements of doom: the Mine layer, which disperses spider-like bombs that chase and harass any enemy that comes within range; the anti vehicle rocket launcher, or AVRiL, which deals out a payload of massive rockets tuned to seek and destroy enemy mechanized units; the Grenade Launcher, which launches timed explosives that will bounce on the ground and stick to enemies and enemy vehicles, only to be triggered by the weapons altfire command; and, the return of the notorious Sniper Rifle from the original Unreal tournament, completely redesigned and upgraded to make heads roll.

New Characters
Meet new, interesting people--and kill them. Unreal Tournament 2004 introduces 32 new characters on four new teams: The human Thunder Crash, lead by Tournament hero, Malcolm; the Robotic Corrupt, lead by an upgraded Xan Kriegor; the Iron Skull, a team of merciless Skaarj warriors; and the Hellions -- reckless human mercenaries and pirates who delight in the thrill of the kill.

New Technology
Unreal Tournament not only brings new content for hardcore fans to relish, it also delivers a tremendous technology update over its predecessor, delivering a faster, slicker, deeper experience than ever before. New technological features include:

• Voice-over IP support - command and coordinate. Give orders, rally your troops or talk smack with the enemy
• Voice recognition - give orders to bots; no more typing when you should be fighting
• Completely redesigned menus, including a new server browser with right-click menus and many brand-new configurable features
• Improved AI: vehicle control, advanced dodging and wall-dodging, improved aim, better team coordination
• Deeper single player mode with comprehensive team management options, challenge matches, multiple endings and more
• Integrated map vote and match set-up for Internet play UnrealTV - a proxy broadcast system allowing a huge number of spectators to watch a match live over the Internet
• Pixomatic software renderer allowing incredible performance with no 3D card required- Play UT2004 on your laptop
• A re-designed HUD, improved weapon effects (bullet decals, incredible explosions), improved first person weapon rendering and innumerable improvements for mod authors, new announcer voices, rendering optimizations...the list goes on!

Product Description

Unreal Tournament 2004 - Editor's Choice brings back the world-renowned tournament game with new air & land vehicles, improved AI, revised network code, and new maps. This groundbreaking new edition includes new maps for the Onslaught mode, new vehicles, new characters and a wide selection of the best user-made game modifications. New UnrealTV Broadcast system allows hundreds to watch you duke it out! Demo Recording allows you to save a recording of your gameplay to share with other 2004 users!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Action-packed, well-conceived game, June 6, 2006

By 

Andrew C. (USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Unreal Tournament 2004 (Editor's Choice Edition) (DVD-ROM)

I've never been big on first-person shooter (FPS) games, although I've played a few, like Star Wars: Battlefront 2, that I've found entertaining. So, getting this game was taking a chance, since I'm partial to real-time strategy games and roleplaying games. Overall, I must say that I've really had a good time with UT 2004. It hasn't made me more of a fan of the FPS genre, but I am definitely looking forward to UT 2007.

Gameplay: The controls are the typical mouse, WASD keys, and hotkeys associated with FPS games, so anyone familiar with the FPS genre ought to be able to jump right in. You have a number of options for your in-game character, including race, gender, name, etc. You can also choose your AI teammates and the number on each team. Additionally, there are ten game modes, including deathmatch, capture the flag (CTF), domination (requires you to hold two points), assault (objective based), bombing run (a deadly version of soccer), and onslaught (securing nodes and destroying the enemy base). There's fun to be had with each mode, but I suspect that most people will find the greatest replayabiity in the onsault, assault, CTF, and team deathmatch modes. The maps are large enough for some strategic thinking (especially on assault and onslaught), and the game comes with about 100 maps--with many more that can be downloaded from the internet.

AI opponents ("bots") are very good in this game. They have strong attack scripts, good pathfinding, will follow orders, and generally work well as teams. I detected some of the typical AI cheating found in FPS games (i.e., extra health, amazing accuracy, accelerated movement) toward the end of the tournament and in some of the tougher matches, but generally the AI here is just plain challenging and well programmed. Although many will buy this game for the multiplayer side, the single-player content (which is all that I play) is quite strong. The game does not have a compelling story to tell, but the tournament mode lasted me 25-30 hours on "experienced" difficulty level. I don't feel a need to replay the tournament anytime soon, but there are a lot of individual maps and modes that are greatly replayable.

A few things that add a lot to the game are the variety of weapons available and the vehicles. Overall, none of the weapons are very overpowered, though some are better and more versatile than others. Some weapons are best suited for one situation, while others can be useful in some fashion under a number of conditions. A second element that adds variety to the game is the vehicles. I can't overemphasize how fun these can be. Not only do they break up the monotony of having to sprint on foot across the map, but they also add a new strategic and tactical layer to a game. Vehicles can be game winners, but they are not invincible. Some can carry multiple passengers, who can man various weapons or simply go along for the ride. However, to maintain balance, characters on foot have a few very strong anti-vehicle weapons, and many objectives cannot be completed by vehicles. Still, there's nothing like decapitating a fleeing opponent with the blades of a Scorpion buggy or hearing the thundering cannon of a Goliath tank.

The gameplay is frantic, exciting, and straightforward enough to appeal to a range of gamers. You never feel lost on the maps, since there is a good in-game mini-map and the objectives are always clear. Also, you never get the sense that you are babysitting your computer allies, since they act as intelligently--more so on many occasions--as the average human player. The game's flaws are mostly minor, but worth mentioning. First, there are a few rather frustrating missions in the tournament that the average player will have to repeat several times (at least on experienced difficulty and higher). And there is no way to adjust the difficulty level of the tournament once it starts. Also, the game-save system is automatic; the game saves after every match, win or loss. Thus, you can find yourself broke if you lose enough matches, and you'll have to play a series of qualifying matches to earn enough money to continue the tournament. It's a system that gets old quick and really adds a layer of repetition to the game that serves little purpose. Finally, some people will be put off by the amount of acrobatics that the game includes. On some of the more advanced levels and difficulty settings, AI opponents are hopping, flipping, and cartwheeling in ways that make them nearly impossible to hit, though they will seem to hit you just fine. I think that the game plays just a tad bit too fast and requires too much jumping around. But you'll get used to it.

Graphics: Great-looking game. The maps are very impressive in detail and size. Be sure to take a lot of screenshots! The models are all rendered well, from the characters to the vehicles. Weapon fire and particle effects look good, as does the natural environment, especially skies. Have no doubt about it, this is a very violent game. Dying animations are graphic, and people tend to end up in pieces or as skeletal remains. Overall, the art direction is rock solid.

Sound: Although decent, the audio is not as good as the visuals. Weapons such as miniguns and tank cannon sound like they should, along with footsteps, flowing water, and other ambiant effects. In-game AI characters tend to use the same list of taunts such as "Ownage!" or "You suck!" or "You be dead!"--along with a few choice obscenities--but none of the characters really stand out with individual personalities. The music is the typical techno fare found in many video games, nothing special.

Documentation/Stability: The manual that comes with the game is informative and makes up for a rather bland in-game tutorial. The game was pretty stable on my computer, though I experienced one freeze and one crash during the tournament. Overall, the game seemed well polished and optimized.

Replayability: Given the number of maps that come with the game, the developer's Bonus Pack that can be downloaded for free from the internet, the large number of player-made maps available, and the editor tools that you can use to make your own maps, this game has had a long shelf life. If you get tired of playing against the AI, you can go online and play against a human opponent. For me, about half of the 10 gameplay modes are not appealing after a few rounds, but the other 5 (especially assault, onslaught, and CTF) are always good fun.

If you are a fan of FPS games, UT 2004 seems to be a must-buy (I'd be surprised if you don't already have it!). From what I have read, it is the best of the Unreal series and still has an active online community. For those of us who only have a passing interest in FPS games, this is a good one to blow some time with.

Overall rating: 4.25 stars

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Devastating Sci-Fi War Simulation - Best Alternative to CS, January 16, 2005

By 

OverTheMoon ([e-mail]) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Unreal Tournament 2004 (Editor's Choice Edition) (DVD-ROM)

Well there is nothing stopping you now! The best multiplayer out there is Counter-Strike: Source with the HL2 engine but CS is not a blast `em up and is extremely tactical with a `one death and you are out' type gaming experience in small maps. Since HL2 is totally devoid of another multiplayer then what is the next best frag? Answer - UT2004 of course!

UT2004 is multiplayer all the way. Like UT2003 it has a single player/team co-op that spans the course of what is close to 120 + maps. 120 HUGE MAPS! So basically the single player mode is one big frag-a-thon on some fantastic maps of your choice. The bots have all preset AI or configurable ones meaning that having 30 bots chasing after you on GOD mode is quite possible - not that you will win or anything. So the AI is well up there in single player mode which, although has a massive number of maps, lacks one thing - a story.

A story however is not what UT is all about. UT is about fragging and team play - i.e., LAN parties and INTERNET gaming is the main reason to own UT2004. Did you ever want to fight in that huge battle like at the end of Episode II? Well there is a game mode called ONSALUGHT that lets 18 vs. 18 pit it out against each other taking down node points so that they can be king of the other's castle by blasting up the core. It really does play like that battle scenes of EP II with tanks on the ground, 30+ characters to choose from, several aircraft, ground vehicle, all can be piloted by you, with up to 10 weapons of your choice, each with alternative fire buttons. In the vast maps there are a million ways to die and a million strategies to choose from. There are also some nice new movements like double tap quick strafe and double jumping.

What of the graphics? STUNNING! The graphics in the trailer or screenshots do not do the game any justice. Watch the end of Episode II. It is more like that. Run this game on a Radeon 9800 and you will not stop playing multiplayer for the next 12 months... that is until UT2005 comes out. Realistically enough you can actually fight this first person shooter in 3rd person mode!

In short this game is like it says on the box - UNREAL.

Pros:

- Awesome maps.
- Vehicles!
- Outstanding graphics.
- A fast game engine with nice crash physics.
- 100% Blast `em up.
- Internet 32 player Games!
- Onslaught game type.

Cons:

- Huge 6 CD install.
- Learning curve is high for 1st person shooter.
- Character movement is bit too fast.
- You need the internet to experience UT2004 fully.

*Note : The Editors Choice addition has all the extra mods and maps and updates that you might have to download from the internet if you get the standard version. Basically this one has more stuff that you dont need to download.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a replacement for Tribes 1!, November 4, 2004

By 

Kevin A. Smith (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Unreal Tournament 2004 (Editor's Choice Edition) (DVD-ROM)

I am no longer as young as I once was. The Twitch is gone, so to speak. That's why I love Tribes for team based FPS action. Unlike the various versions, and especially 3, of Quake, you don't have to be a teenager on crystal meth to compete. Those of us without superhuman reflexes, 3 GHz P4s and 21" monitors could still compete. If you used your *Brain* you could still compete. You might not be the best, but it was a hell of a lot more fun than getting repeatedly railed on the bouncy map in Q3. This is why I've been playing Tribes for the last 5 or 6 years. It was simply the best team based shooter, period.
Now there's U2k4. I find myself playing Unreal more and more and playing Tribes less and less. It's a lot of fun, and you still have to use your head to compete. The graphics are very good (I'm excited to see the new engine released) and the server browser is very well thought out. I love the online stats also. It's nice to know you're not *all* the way at the bottom. I will admit that I never, ever play any deathmatch, but If you're looking for CTF, assault or Objective based team play, then this is the game for you.

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