Publisher: Atari
Size: 1 DVD
Got it for: $24.99, new.
Developer: Digital Extremes
Xbox.com Section: Yes
No. of players: 4(simultaneously) offline or 16(simultaneously) online
Live Enabled: Yes - Online play and Content Download
Guests: Yes
System Link: Yes
Hard Drive: 1633 Blocks
Custom Soundtrack: No
Dolby Digital: Yes
HDTV: 480p/16:9
UC was played on my 27" Panasonic SDTV via an S-Video connection.
Taking place after the first Tournament, the victors Malcolm, Brock and Lauren return to take on the next challenge. This time, they are pitted against new races, new fighters and new environments. This is pretty much a complete u-turn from the story and mood of the first Tournament, with each of the characters having specific reasons for joining up and all out to take down the evil Liandri corporation. Here, it's focused more on getting the point across that this is futuristic-deathmatch game show of some sort, and you are nothing but a contestant in it. Takes the mood of the game down a notch, and away from the dark, almost sadistic theme of the first Tournament.

What's it all about?
Well, a lot like the original....you are there to kill any and everything that moves, most times. With six different modes of play, everything is a variant on that same basic idea: Double Domination(also known as Domination 2.0) adds alpha/beta markers that you and your teammates must defend in order to score. Capture the Flag is...well, exactly that, attack your enemies base, steal their flag and return home to score. The completely new Bombing Run moves even further away from Deathmatch by not only adding goals...but an actual ball you must run/shoot through them in order to score points for your team. Finally, in Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch you kill anything that's not A) You or B) Your teammates...past that, anything that moves is fair game...

Someone just got their ass ripped in half!
 Graphics - Before the patch, the graphics were questionable at best...fuzzy and, usually, yielding a less than smooth framerate. After the patch, things have been cleaned up, and nicely, with sharper textures and a vastly increased framerate. The level of detail will floor you on most maps, with various scenery consisting of anything from cyborgs in a tube to aquatic sea life swimming by huge windows in the underwater arenas. Special effects are abundant with the sun beams shining through the ceiling of Osiris2 to the flames and brimstone of the downloadable Inferno map. Character detail is solid, and though you will very rarely get close enough to actually check it out, trust me, it's there. Then again, if you'd like to walk up to one of the Juggernauts just to make sure...be my guest...
Sound - Excellent use of 5.1 sound!!! This is one of those games that actually uses the two side speakers for music as well as sound effects, and that just rocks. The 5.1 mix is so good that it actually helps you identify where bullets, lighting beams, rockets, etc. are coming from, and adds a real sense of being directly in the middle of the action. The soundtrack, though not nearly as memorable as the rocking Unreal Tournament soundtrack(which, btw, can be downloaded, free of charge, check the DC UT review for more on that) it's still quite good with a great mix of techno and guitar, and that Unreal-style flair.
Control - As the game allows for *full* controller re-configuration(any action can be assigned to any input), no matter how you like to play(dual analog, old school "Turok" style, etc) it can be done, and easily. Once you've got it the way you like it, control is ultra smooth with all actions being performed instantly: Double jumps, dodging, activation of the Adrenaline power-ups, etc. come off without a hitch.
AI - For the most part, the bots are either dumb as brick or so fucking-far-over-the-top-hard that you barely ever get a shot off. It varies based on the skill level you set them to, and which bots actually get chosen to join you in the match. During some matches on various skill levels you'll get a team of juggernauts and your ass is gone, while other times the bots will not only refuse to shoot at you, but will run right past you and keep going! The AI, though very inconsistent, does make for quite a few humorous moments as you'll begin to shoot down a bot only to have them activate their adrenaline power up of speed just to get away from you...

Head shots with the Lightning Gun are always amusing as they not only blow the opponent's head off, but set them on fire!

Splitscreen, two player mode.
 Replay value - Extremely high. It's a fast paced, non-stop deathmatch blast that never lets up on the action. Even without Live, two player splitscreen action rocks. Adding Live to the game is really where it's at though, with virtually an unlimited number of players to get your ass whipped by. Sporting six gameplay modes, up to sixteen players, multiplayer/splitscreen support(online and off), the ability to host or use system link, thirty three maps(four downloadable), thirteen weapons, four skill levels, six species and forty eight individual characters.... you have a *lot* to explore, and a lot to come back for, time and again.
Online Play - Finding an online game is simple, as you use the already familiar Live menu consisting of Optimatch, QuickMatch, Create Match, etc. From there you determine what the best server to join will be based on game type, number of players and speed(ping). The only real downside to the online game is the fact that you can't kick players off your server when you are hosting. You can mute players though, and that helps....but with this being the kind of game that people come and go so quickly, just running into a few punk-ass kids in a row will really get to you at times. Also, occasionally, you will run into lag. Yes, I know, how is that possible when it's a network of broadband-only users? I don't know, but it will show its ugly face from time to time.
Downloadable Content: The first(and, unfortunately, only)Map pack was released around the end of May '03 and contained 4 new maps and a new game patch. The patch addressed quite a few issues, including turning off the game's anti-aliasing thus increasing the framerate/performance of the game tremendously. For the entire list of all the issues addressed by the patch, click here.

The four maps made available consist of three various sized Deathmatch arenas and one Capture the Flag area(for the in-game level description, click here). Each of the maps are excellent, with the Inferno map standing out and being hailed by most as the best of the pack. Here's a quick rundown based on my time with each of the new levels:

One of the new, downloadable levels: Inferno.

1. Inferno: An absolutely huge level. I think it's, around, three to four SUPER HIGH stories tall; it's unreal. You're basically in some sort of castle floating above all this lava, the sky is made of fire and there are constant screams and such playing along with the music(which I believe is new, but could be wrong). The textures are gorgeous, and the skulls spitting lava will floor you; this level reminded me a lot of the stuff you'd see in Quake 3 or something.


AquaMortis
 2. AquaMortis: Not a huge level, but not really small either. It's all centered around this huge pool where this mutant shark is swimming about. The level has a lot of nice effects like the water running through the walls, the transparent glass where you can see people running on the roof or through the halls and such. My only real disappointment with this level was that they hype up that shark all through the description but if you jump(or are knocked) into the pool with him...he doesn't really do anything, and you just die instantly when hitting the water. They should have let him rip into your ass or something...

OtarosRun
 3. Leviathan: Grab your nuts and pray. This level is so fucking small, even with just 4 players you will constantly be seeing each other. I liked the fact they didn't put too many massively powerful weapons on it though, something like the rocket launcher would have killed it for me. Anyway, this one's kinda so-so for me. Don't get me wrong, *any* new map is welcome...this one just doesn't seem too different than the other small-ish maps on the game. Still a lotta fun.

4. OtarosRun: Really big and kinda confusing at first. There are a few ways to get to the flags, so you'll get your ass jacked the first few times you play...once you get the layout down though, it's not bad at all. This level, with the water effects and lighting is really, really pretty and comes the closest to beating out Inferno for the most graphically impressive new level.
Tips for better gaming experiences:
Picking the right character is so fucking-very important in how you do during the game. Be sure to give everyone a good look-over, noting what weapon they start out with, their speed, affinity, etc. Barely any of the servers have Competition mode turned on(making it more like UT, where every character is pretty much the same, no specialties at all) so screwing up and picking a crap character that doesn't suit your play style will make this game so much harder than it should be. BTW, just a quick note: A LOT of people find the Juggernauts to be extremely cheap(as they not only *start* with the fucking rocket launcher, but also have the best armor in the game), so if you're going to choose one get ready to be teamed up on, a lot.

Also, if you're new to Unreal Championship, try the damn tutorial. Believe it or not, it's really quite helpful for those who are just starting out or are used to UT but new to UC. In the tutorial a *lot* of stuff that the manual just leaves out(btw, that is one of the most piece of shit manuals I have *ever* read) is revealed including the uses of adrenaline and procedures for activating it.

Tired of switching the map everytime you play offline with a buddy or buddies? Don't want to play certain maps, want to customize which maps, which order and what other variables...and have it stick for the entire duration of play? Luckily enough, you can trick the Xbox into thinking you're going to host a System Link game. To do this you must have your Xbox connected to your router or DSL modem(or another Xbox). After you do this, System Link will appear above Play Live(note, System Link will NOT appear unless you have the Xbox hooked up to a modem, router or another Xbox). Choose System Link, then choose Host Game. Once you've got that setup, choose your game mode, maps, settings and mutators then start the game. You and a buddy can now play for as long as you want, never having to choose a new map after every match has ended. The Xbox will immediately being to cycle the maps for you, just as it would if you were the host online.
My rating: 90(out of 100) - An awesome, no holds barred deathfest that will rock you to the core! Excellent graphics, control and sound add to the amazing experience....and the vast amount of content will have you playing for a very long time. Points are deducted for the inconsistent AI, and its inability to help you out in your single player campaign or provide a consistent challenge online.
Random, white hotties say:
- Um, like, this game makes my head hurt.

* Yeah, it's like...weird and stuff....why are all these people so angry at each other?

- Let's go have lesbian sex....

* Yes, lets!

Though you can play 4 player, it's not something you especially *want* to be willfully doing...

The road to the Super Bowl...of death!
 Interesting Tidbits:
This is one of the few Xbox FPS's that will allow you to actually fully re-configure your *entire* controller, rather than offer you 3 or 4 bullshit pre-determined schemes.

Oddly enough, in an interview with Digital Extremes' Steve Sinclair, a small bit before the game was released, two screenshots of the downloadable level "Leviathan" were shown to unsuspecting readers...(note, due to the Xbox.com site redesign, only one shot of the Leviathan level is now shown)

In another odd bit of showing off what we had yet to even realize: The game's trailer, over at Unreal Championship.com, shows mass footage for the "Inferno" level that was still more than six months away.

...and finally...

HD Usage(for the obsessive-compulsive in you):
UC takes up a total of 1633 blocks, or 25.5 megs roughly, on your Xbox's hard drive. It breaks down like this:

1. UC Mandatory Game Patch - 334 blocks(5.2 megs)
2. Character Profile - 4 blocks
3. Team Profile/Save - 7 blocks
4. Downloadable Content: Inferno - 397 Blocks(6.2 megs)
5. Downloadable Content: AquaMortis - 328 blocks(5.1 megs)
6. Downloadable Content: Leviathan - 269 blocks(4.2 megs)
7. Downloadable Content: OtarosRun - 294 blocks(4.6 megs)
UC screenshots were borrowed from the excellent Unreal Championship.com and Xbox.com