Unreal Tournament 3 [PC]

Want to know what playing Unreal Tournament 3's deathmatch mode is like? Sit down with a DVD of "Cheers" re-runs. Even though you've seen them all before, there's something decidedly comfortable about a few hours back in that old Boston bar -- and Unreal Tournament 3 evokes exactly the same reaction. Think of it as the Ted Danson of this year's holiday blockbusters, albeit toting a multi-barreled rocket launcher instead of a bar towel.

Both prolific and long-running, the Unreal Tournament series shares more with "Cheers" than just its overall familiarity. First created as a spin-off from a successful 1998 shooter called Unreal, the Tournament brand has outlived its original inspiration, now serving both as a triple-A shooter in its own right and the flagship game for an engine which its creators, Epic, license out to numerous other developers. If you've been keeping up with the year's big releases, you'll already have seen this graphics engine at work in Bioshock and Mass Effect, for example.

So as you might expect, it's quite a looker. Epic ought to know better than anyone how to squeeze quality special effects out of their own product, and so it proves. But what's more impressive than that is the way it makes it all look so effortless. Unreal Tournament multiplayer matches are renowned for being fast, furious and extremely aggressive; the last thing you want when you're in the middle of a huge firefight is for your computer to start dropping frames and throwing off your aim. No such problems here -- run it on a half-modern computer and it'll be as smooth as butter.

If you believe the back of the box, you'll need a 2 GHz processor and 512 MB of memory, although we'd be looking quite a bit higher for a smooth experience. It's certainly nowhere near as demanding as this season's other big shooter Crysis -- UT3 will happily run, with all the bells and whistles turned on, on a machine that Crysis won't even touch. (If that's enough to put you off, though, keep your eyes open for the PS3 version, which after some last-minute confusion over a release date, looks set to make the stores in time for Xmas - just.)

True to its heritage, Unreal Tournament 3 is not a complicated game. Not by a long shot: you spawn into one of the game's ample selection of battlefields, and depending on the game mode you're playing, either make a bee-line for the enemy base or just find the nearest fellow player and, er, blow the crap out of them. It does mix up the action a little by introducing a new "Warfare" game type, a more complex team-based mode that focuses on controlling a series of map locations leading up to the enemy base before assaulting the base itself. It's a great addition, encouraging epic struggles over its control points and keeping you on your toes with a constantly moving battle line.

Most players will find the weapon selection comfortingly familiar: there's the multi-barreled rocket launcher, the shock rifle, and the green-snot gun that nobody ever uses. Some vehicles make a welcome return from the last Unreal Tournament outing, too, and there's an impressive collection of new (and increasingly bizarre) additions. If you're the type to delight in mastering a weird and wonderful vehicle better than anyone else, you'll find plenty of temptations here.

Maybe you'll also be tempted with the story-based single player mode. Although it's well presented, the plot could charitably be described as "a bit of a stretch" and less charitably described as "one of the most hackneyed storylines we've seen in months." It works as a distraction from the game's multiplayer modes, but this definitely should not be considered a one-player game; Unreal Tournament wisely leaves the real single-player meat to the Bioshocks and Crises of this world.

Don't buy it for the kids, either -- this isn't one of those "M" games that rolls along with the odd four-letter word and a little pool of blood here and there. No, Unreal Tournament 3 doesn't so much splatter blood as spray it, water-cannon style, and the blue language is in full flow even before you head online.

Neither does it go beyond its remit. At all. It's a fast-paced online deathmatch game with few bells and fewer whistles, featuring essentially the same weapon lineup it's had for ten years. Even the vehicles, technically making a return visit, retain the slightly tacked-on feel they had in the last Unreal Tournament game. For some, it's a slice of retro heaven with a graphical remake that's all 2007. For others, maybe those who've moved onto the likes of Crysis or Call of Duty 4, it's just a tired old blaster wearing a posh frock.

None of that will faze old-school gamers, though, and that's the crowd at which Unreal Tournament 3 carefully aims its flak cannon. As far as classic deathmatch action goes, Unreal's still the king of the ring, and the careful additions don't interfere with its overall message: it's here to kick asses and take names, and leave the fancy stuff to the new kids.