Epic's Mark Rein is a good sport, considering the sheer amount of trash-talk he can generate in a remarkably short time. At Sony's pre-TGS press event, held deep inside their oppressive HQ building (honestly, it's the sort of building you'd expect Philip K. Dick to have his characters suffering in), we found the Unreal Tournament 3 area just by listening for Rein's voice. "Shoot, no, shoot, what are you doing you died, what was that! Do that again but do it right! Ah, wait, someone else needs some time."
Let There Be Frags
Happy as a clam to see people arriving to play his company's latest baby, moving journalists into stations to play and answering questions all the while like the seasoned professional he is, Rein still can't resist his hardcore gamer urges. Anyone who steps up and plays a subpar game can expect an over-the shoulder commentary explaining what they should be doing in real-time. But jetlag and an outgoing personality aren't the reasons that Rein's honest mockery hits anyone who can't play his game to his standards.
Playing a variety of maps, from tight corridors to wide-open fields of battle, Unreal Tournament 3 inspires the best kind of commitment and excitement even with just bots to play against. It helps that the bots seem to be well-tuned to a mix of aggression and defense, but what helps more is the incredible craftsmanship of the game's look and feel.
Every weapon feels right, whether you're shooting beams of energy or loading up rockets in the barrel. Even when you're just dropping a clip into the pistol (oddly sideloaded), the game feels just right. Once you're actually moving, grabbing vehicles, and actually first-person shooting, UT3 is invigorating in just the way it needs to be to justify a six-hundred dollar console purchase.
Of course, part two of what makes UT3 so fantastic is that it is simply unbelievably good looking. Yes, it looks better than Gears of War, and that's almost unbelievable. We can't wait to get a few copies of this in the office so we can give it the testing it needs for a full preview. The only snag? It's still unclear when it's comin' out. Beyond not soon enough, anyway.
