For PS3 and Windows XP/Vista
For those of you familiar with PC gaming, you'll probably recognize the Unreal name. Unreal Tournament 3 is the next installment of the popular Unreal product line, and the game improves upon its predecessors in a big way, including terrific cross-platform support and the emphasis of user-created content on both the PS3 and the PC platform. The game itself plays very much like Unreal Tournament and Unreal Tournament 2003, which featured great first-person action and graphics that took full advantage of the processors that ran them. Finally, with the PS3, console gamers are able to compete with their friends online using the preferred control method of the FPS genre, the keyboard and mouse. While PC users have enjoyed this luxury since the days of Doom, until now console gamers were stuck with Quake 3 Arena for the Dreamcast, and official support for that title is long gone.
Not to worry if you don't feel like using a keyboard and mouse, though, The Sixaxis controller works perfectly fine, and many console gamers are capable of holding their own with a gamepad. In addition to controlling using the analog sticks to move and aim, you can tilt the controller to dodge and wall jump, which seems a little complicated at first, but ultimately works pretty well. The gameplay is the same as always, you can go for instant action and run into a map with guns blazing in Deathmatch mode, trying to score as many frags (kills) as possible in the time limit. In Capture the Flag mode, your goal is to steal the enemies' flag and return it to your base, while they do the same to you. Between you and your team members, you must manage to defend your base accordingly, and learn when to go for it and when to defend. There are some other multiplayer modes included as well, but the real meat and potatoes of the game are Deathmatch, team Deathmatch, and Capture the Flag. During the action, you'll take advantage of classic Unreal weaponry, including rocket launchers; chain guns, sniper rifles, and shock rifles, in addition to using power-ups such as jump boots and body armor. All the game modes run well, and its great to finally have a PS3 game that delivers what first-person shooter fans deserve to have on the console-A great action game that not only looks great, but plays great too. Unreal Tournament 3 won't disappoint.
For Xbox 360/Xbox Live Arcade (Downloadable)
Are you familiar with the classic arcade game Gauntlet? You are? Terrific. That's exactly what Arkadian Warriors is. Well, almost. It's like Gauntlet, in that you are trawling dungeons, collecting gold, potions, keys, and items that make funny noises, and you play as either a warrior, a magician, an archer, or a member of Led Zeppelin. It does improve upon the formula though, as Arkadian Warriors includes a somewhat interesting story that tells the tale of your hero being the descendant of a great animal god. Being the descendant of an animal god allows you to do awesome things, such as turning into a beastly beast, kicking asses, and taking names. (When you have a full meter, of course.).
You can also take the gold you collect from enemies and buy new items, which is also pretty cool. The whole concept is pretty basic and straightforward, but Arkadian Warriors does have its charm, and it does what it's meant to rather well. Like I said, if you like the classic arcade game Gauntlet, you'll probably like this title as well.
|
