In this case, I agree with much of what Dale has written. We're in
agreement that the navigation menus in Unreal Tournament are extremely well done and definitely friendlier than the sparse ones found
in Quake III: Arena (Q3A). I also agree that the vocal insults and bolsterings definitely have more bite than the annoying text-based chattering
that goes on in Q3A. I also further concur that 'Bots' in Unreal Tournament, despite looking a little bland, also seem to react more
naturally than the ones in Q3A. Yet, by far, the one thing that makes Unreal Tournament such a worthy contender for the online
multiplayer crown is the sheer amount of options that it offers over Q3A. There are more degrees of difficulty in Bot
configurations, more different styles of play beyond CTF and classic Deathmatching, more maps to choose from, and even more diverse
weapons (each sports an alternate fire option, which adds an entirely new dimension to the game). Almost across the board, Unreal Tournament
brings more to the table than Q3A.
Yet, even with all those incentives, why do I disagree with Dale and feel that Q3A is the better of the two? Simple.
When all is said and done, one of the main reasons online multiplayers are such a thrill is the competition of people from
around the world. The chance to see how well your skills match up against others from all over. So in order to be properly
gauge how well you play, you need to go up against the best. And since people playing Quake have been doing it for years and
have evolved their technique along with the series, it is arguable that the best competitors are the ones who have played
right up to Q3A. There's no doubt in my mind that Unreal Tournament is an excellent game with many positives under its belt
and no one will be disappointed with what it offers. It just doesn't have that legacy and reputation that is Q3A's
birthright. Q3A may offer less, but like Dale said in his review, both games are still essentially focused on
Deathmatches and in that sense, Q3A inherits more evolved gameplay and the serious competitors needed to push the
level of play a notch higher than everyone else.
- Published January 26, 2000
Reader Second Opinions
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