Unreal II: The Awakening
World Press Preview Event: November 7, 2002
Chantilly, Virginia, USAConclusionAs you can probably tell by now, I think Unreal II: The Awakening is going to be a unqualified smash hit, if you have the horsepower to run it. This is cutting-edge stuff, and your old P3-750, while it might make the minimum specs that end up on the box, simply isn't going to cut the mustard here for quality gameplay.There's a 'depth' to U2:TA that hits you pretty early on in the game. It's quite compelling, and I feel it's something the mod community is going to latch on to and exploit very well, once they learn and understand the new tools at their disposal. There has been a large step-shift in Unreal technology, and Legend's significant contributions from a technical standpoint make taking that step even harder. Still, I was assured by Legend that help in the way of tutorials will be on the way to get the mod community the info they need to fully take advantage of U2:TA and create full-featured, imaginative mods.
I can't really describe the beauty of the game in mere words (the screenshots don't do it justice either). Lush, exotic outdoor areas, intricate, difficult and tricky indoor areas. Environments that totally suck you in and hold your attention. Some weapons, such as the flamethrower, are 100% particle-based, and can do things that no Unreal-engine weapon before have been able to do. Superb weapon effects abound. Weapon models are excruciatingly detailed and precise. Player models are extraordinary (yes, Aida is so hot that when CliffyB was talking and she came on my screen, he was totally sidetracked to the point where he forgot, for a moment, what he was talking about), and do not suffer from the model to level scale problem that is apparent in UT 2003. The space cut scenes are luxurious, but the game is so good looking they fit in rather well. Ragdoll is in effect and adds a great deal to the overall immersiveness. Gush, gush, gush, I tell 'ya.
The AI very good, especially with the higher races, such as humans. Small spiders act like small spiders; they're not uber-intelligent. Big spiders have a nasty jump that they can use effectively to get in your face. As you progress up the 'evolutionary ladder', they just get tougher and tougher. The 'boss' NPCs (well, some aren't characters at all, but I don't want to spoil the game for you) are extremely tough and will take all your gaming skill to conquer, yet I didn't find anything or anybody in the game that, given enough time, I couldn't eventually overcome. This game was designed to have people FINISH it, not get stuck at some point and not be able to enjoy the full experience. There's a thin line to be drawn in this respect, and Legend has done quite well with their pencil.To me, having played it for a long afternoon, Unreal II: The Awakening is going to be received very well by singleplayer afficionados. The strategic decision to keep the multiplayer gaming in the UT series, while focusing on the singleplayer experience in U2:TA should not in any way keep people from enjoying this game. In many ways, Legend has even turned this into quite the positive in many areas, pumping up the detail a bit where perhaps they would not be able to in a multiplayer environment.
Over four years ago, Unreal turned the gaming world on it's edge. Unreal II: The Awakening takes gaming as far as you can see along that edge. Where UT 2003 was more evolutionary in development, Unreal II: The Awakening is more revolutionary in scope, depth and imagination. It's a stone-cold winner.Legend Entertainment
Unreal II: The Awakening
Epic Games