Unreal 2 gets bog standard review on IGN.com

Retr0gamer · 03-02-2003 8:06pm #1

Everyone knows that I detest the first Unreal game with a passion but I did have high hopes for the game even though it was developed by legend who aren't the best developers around by a long shot.

It got 8.2 and it sounds like it's the graphics that keep this game getting less than low 7.0. The main problem seems that the gameplay is 'more of the same' and does little to reinvent the fps genre. We'll know if they're right when it gets released next week (hopefully), but IGN are more likely to overrate a big release like this than overrate it.

KdjaCL · 03-02-2003 8:15pm

I agree with IGN on most points but its an FPS and if you like FPS you gonna love this its got nothing new and doesnt try to anything fancy just does what it says on the box but it does it well.

Excellent game methinks and i was hesitant about it because of IGNs review.

theres a thread on the Unreal board about it.

kdjac

spooky donkey · 03-02-2003 9:16pm

I heard a few guys say it has the same feel as half life. I looking foward it anyway as there hasent been a decent fps out in a while!

Shinji · 03-02-2003 9:21pm

I'm neutral on it so far (I'm onto the fifth world). It's not a bad FPS game, but it's not a great one by any means - and it's a huge disappointment after Unreal. It utterly lacks the atmosphere of the first game.

Dont be at yourself · 04-02-2003 12:03am

Now wait just a minute, an unremarkable, middle-of-the-road, average FPS has been released on the PC?

Who'd have thunk it.

Balfa · 04-02-2003 1:22am

why does every game have to be remarkable? why does every game have to bring something new to the genre?

Pugsley · 04-02-2003 1:31am

Originally posted by Balfa
why does every game have to be remarkable? why does every game have to bring something new to the genre?

Because if no games did we would still be playing tetris

Shinji · 04-02-2003 1:44am

why does every game have to be remarkable? why does every game have to bring something new to the genre?

They don't have to be anything of the sort. I'm perfectly happy to play entertaining games which take an old genre and re-do it in a stylish way with high production values. It's still fun even if it's old.

I'm not yet convinced that Unreal II fits the bill.

BKtje · 04-02-2003 2:16am

Unreal (and HL) created great atmospheres. In unreal you really felt like it was just you against the rest of the world.

In unreal 2 there is an atmosphere but it is different than the ones in HL and unreal or even doom. There are some nice touches and things i havent seen work so well in a game before.

The AI is top notch as well. (except for one bug which i found where this scientist which ws suppoed to follow me got stuck and casued the cpu to go nuts). If your sniping enemies from a long way they take cover and even give cover fire if one of their teamates is down.

In later missions you can order marines to defend areas. Theres a couple missions where you gotta defend an area from attack by placing marines, turrets and forcefields around the place.

I am really enjoying it and have been emersed the the er storyline

The weapons are ace, some very original ideas and then some that were ripped off other games and shows. All sound pretty kewl

I sorta wish these were the weapons in UT2K3.

Only thing so far that i dont really like is that even on hard it wont take you long to complete the levels. Im having no really big problems with bad guys.

Doodee · 04-02-2003 7:45am

I just got a copy of the game, gonna giv it a whack and see what its like.
If its worth getting I'll pre-order my copy on friday.

whats the min spec for this?
I'm at work everyday this week so playing it on meh lappy might be the only way around it, which is grand apart from teh Mobility Radeon 32MB

_CreeD_ · 04-02-2003 9:31am

Originally posted by Pugsley
Because if no games did we would still be playing tetris

I remember when THAT (in its first incarnation on the C64) was remarkable

Ping Chow Chi · 04-02-2003 9:36am

hi creed :x

I loved two player tetris on the snes (I think it was)

that and bust-a-move

Monty - the one and only · 04-02-2003 12:46pm

the min specs are:-

Intel Pentium III or AMD Athlon 733 MHz processor
256 MB RAM
3 GByte free HD space
CD Rom 8x Speed
32 MB NVIDIA GeForce2 MX
Windows compatible sound card. NVIDIA nForce or other motherboards/soundcards containing the Dolby Digital Interactive Content Encoder required for Dolby Digital audio.
DirectX version 8.1 (included) or higher

recommended specs are:-

Windows 98/Me/2000/XP
Pentium III or AMD Athlon 1.2 GHz (or higher)
384 MByte RAM (or greater)
3 GB free HD space
64MB NVIDIA GeForce3 or ATI Radeon 8500 (or better) *
Sound Blaster Audigy series sound card*
DirectX version 8.1 (included) or higher

Praetorian · 04-02-2003 1:27pm

Ok when is it officially available in the shops? Friday? I could download it quicker....probably.

I've said it once and I'll say it again. Main stream PC games should make the move to DVD. Game content is being restricted by the size of CD's. People dont want to go over 2 discs

I miss FMV sequences....how much development time is wasted doing woeful in game cut scenes?

Mr Carmack...or any other influential pc games developer...make the transition...others will follow!

PS2 = DVD
XBOX = DVD
CUBE = 1.5 GB Disc

Almost everyone has a DVD DRIVE so PLEASE!

leeroybrown · 04-02-2003 1:46pm

I'm still looking forward to playing it.

It'll probably make me want to upgrade my graphics card too.

Rew · 04-02-2003 2:56pm

I have a GF2 MX and a friend has a GF4 Ti, i gave him Unreal 2 last night.

It does look better on his, but not by enough to make me want a GF4...

The cut sceans can be annoying in unreal 2, u can skip most of em so ure forced to watch it them it loads the level... as intresting as the story line is it gets annoying

:mad:

Retr0gamer · 04-02-2003 4:22pm

I've a 1.2 Ghz with 512 ram and a Geforce 2 MX. Unreal tournament 2003 ran slightly crappy on my machine. Will Unreal 2 run worse?

Dooom · 04-02-2003 4:41pm

Originally posted by Shinji
I'm neutral on it so far (I'm onto the fifth world). It's not a bad FPS game, but it's not a great one by any means - and it's a huge disappointment after Unreal. It utterly lacks the atmosphere of the first game.

um..so you have it?

Shinji · 04-02-2003 5:57pm

um..so you have it?

Yes - I'm reviewing it. Or at least I think I am, one of our other staffers is making threatening noises about stealing it....

Lenny · 04-02-2003 6:34pm

umm.. I'm confused
Are you guys talking about Unreal 2003?

Asuka · 04-02-2003 6:47pm

Unreal Tournament 2003 has been on release for several months, and is multiplayer (or bots) only. Unreal 2 uses the same engine, afaik, but is a purely single player game.

A

Rew · 04-02-2003 7:40pm

Originally posted by Retr0gamer
I've a 1.2 Ghz with 512 ram and a Geforce 2 MX. Unreal tournament 2003 ran slightly crappy on my machine. Will Unreal 2 run worse?

Same spec a me, and its ok, can get jerky in spots (big complex scean's)

Dooom · 04-02-2003 7:43pm

ok. i assume whoever says that they're playin it that they have it for review purposes? anyway ive got a amd athlon xp 2600+ (2.08ghz) 256ddr ram and a radeon 9700 pro. i wonder what fps i'll get on everything at high....

BKtje · 04-02-2003 7:49pm

considering i have your card and an xp 2000 (running at 1.8)and it runs flawlessly (odd jerky bit tho) id expect it to have nice high fps.

That said fps in a single player game aint really as vital as for multiplayer games.

Dooom · 04-02-2003 8:03pm

and you have it for review purposes? well is it as processor hungry as ut2003? or is it manily grfx? ah well i'll just have to wait till friday....moan

spooky donkey · 04-02-2003 9:10pm

IM not very happy how UT2k3 runs on my 1.33 athlon and GF2 gts. It has me concidering a graphics card upgrade and by the sounds of things Unreal 2 will make me think the same way!

I dont think theres a lot of life left in my old card!

Greenbean · 04-02-2003 10:55pm

/me stops, sniffs the air and looks around

Aragon, do you think something strange is up? Awful smell of monkies around here.

ITS SHINJI! YOU ARE WAREZING LAMEZING BACKSTARD! Can one of the mods please remove this warez monkey please? Fupping lying cnut.

Praetorian · 04-02-2003 11:01pm

Unreal 2 likes ram...lots of ram. I'd say its nasty on 256. GF3 and up runs it very nicely.

9700 Radeon would run it beautifully

Mr. Fancypants · 06-02-2003 3:35pm

See that PC Zone gave it 94%. Nice big score like that should sell quite a few magazines...

Dont be at yourself · 06-02-2003 8:03pm

Originally posted by Balfa
why does every game have to be remarkable? why does every game have to bring something new to the genre?

Disclaimer: I haven't played UnrealII, and for all I know it could be the best thing ever - I'm just going by reviews.

Every game doesn't have to be remarkable. But at the same time, *some* games have to innovate, or else - as pointed out above - we'd be stuck playing Tetris. Where would be if Valve had decided to create another middle-of-the-road Quake II? Or if Nintendo contented itself to churning out side-scrolling platformers?

Frankly, with the technology at their disposal, there is no excuse for UnrealII not being remarkable.

And remember, you're paying €60 for a game - so expect something that will register with you. For me, if a game doesn't provide something unique or memorable, it's not worth my money.

CivilServant · 06-02-2003 8:26pm

Well I've played the game and I can say I'm thoroughly unimpressed. For a game that is has been eagerly awaited it's the same type of game as unreal. I suppose I was expecting a bit much from this game with all the hype behind it. There are some nice touches in the game and it is a hardware hungry game (running on a p3 800, 384RAM, GF2 GTS) so it will satisfy people who shelled out hard cash to get top of the range equipment. But for me the next big thing is DOOM3. A decent try though.

Unreal 2 gets bog standard review on IGN.com

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