Unreal Tournament 2003

Unreal Tournament 2003 is one of the biggest games ever released in a while. Epic, the studio behind the Unreal engine and Unreal Tournament 2004, has just released a "what's next" version of Unreal Tournament 2003 for the PC and PlayStation 2. The new version of Unreal Tournament has changed very little from its original state as well. Instead of a single-player campaign, Unreal Tournament 2003 now features online multiplayer play, which is basically like the Internet-only LAN mode in the previous game.

For those unfamiliar with the original Unreal Tournament, you play as a team of soldiers in the conflict of the Last City, which includes the remains of a communist regime, Imperial Korea, and a whole host of other countries. The game is set in the same universe as the previous Unreal Tournament game and features more than 25 different multiplayer maps to play through. In multiplayer, there are two game types: capture the flag and survival. Capture the flag is the most basic mode of the game; it allows one team to capture and hold the flag; however, it is considered the mode of transportation for two teams to gain possession of various types of vehicles.

Each team is equipped with one of four weapons--up, down, left, and right--and two powerful special abilities that are activated only once they have been captured. These abilities are called "special abilities," and they are activated by holding down the button to access them. To activate them, you must hold down the button to deploy a special ability, such as a sniper rifle. You must do this while still in the air. The special abilities will be displayed on the screen at a slight point in the air, so you need to be precise in using them. As a result, the commands are fairly basic--use one to deploy an assault weapon, another to pick up a guard, and a third to let you take out a soldier to seize and hold the flag. Additionally, special abilities are unlocked by performing moves, and it's very important to not overuse them at all.

The developers' goal with Squadrons is to have the game play by the same rules as previous Battlefield games. The combat is huge and varied, and in addition to the epic single-player campaigns, there are epic battles. One of the main characters, who appears in the single-player game, is actually a pilot. In the single-player game, you can control an infantryman. You can choose from either a three-man tank, a biplane, or a wingman.

GS: What's the best way to keep the battle feeling fresh? What kinds of planes, and the pros and cons of each?

CO: Tank warfare is in the game. The game has a deep tactical system that allows players to utilize what they have in mind. This system also adds a new layer of depth and allows for new tactics, both in the single-player campaign and in the multiplayer modes. In addition, the new weapon attachments that we have put in the game give the players so much freedom.

The new game mode, my personal favorite, is called new sandstorms. This is an all-new set of sandstorms that can throw up massive environments with tremendous numbers of sandstorms. The more sandstorms the player has, the greater the fighting ability, which increases the overall fighting chance. In addition, we have added new weapons like dune buggies and heavy machine guns, new gas grenades, new light tanks, and new armor. In terms of the graphics engine, we have added a new layer of animation that really gives the combat a cinematic feel. All of these improvements make the game even better and more fun.

GS: One of the big features of Total War: Shogun 2 was the introduction of the new land warfare system. Will this be a new way to conquer and conquer land? Will it be a separate mode from the land battles that the original game was built around?

PW: In order to conquer land, you must build your cities. All of the land you build is based on an area and where you build your cities. To help you with the construction of your settlements, there are preset "buildings" that will affect your resource yield and tax rate. You will see an icon on the world map that indicates your settlement as a city, and you can set up your buildings accordingly. They include a base-building screen, where you can add, enhance, and upgrade buildings or vehicles. At the moment, you are limited by how many cities you can generate and what tax rates the city generates. The number of buildings you have for each city varies, but many will be activated during the game at one time, allowing you to concentrate your development on the technology that is most important to your empire. If you place a large amount of cities on the map, you are in serious trouble because they could be destroyed easily by other Civs, which are also taken out.