GAMES: GameSpot | GameFAQs MUSIC: Last.fm | MP3.com MOVIES: Metacritic | Movietome TV: TV.com
Home | About Metacritic | About Metascores | What's New | Wireless Versions | Discussion Forums | Advertising Inquiries | Contact Us | RSS
Metacritic.com: We Deal With Criticism
     Help
> Switch to Advanced Search  
Film Video/DVD Music Games TV

Games

Playstation Reviews
PS3 | PS2 | PS One | PSP

Xbox Reviews
Xbox 360 | Xbox

Nintendo Reviews
Wii | DS | GBA | Cube | N64


PC | N-Gage | Dreamcast

How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Games In Our Forums

 

Upcoming & Recent Releases

sort by name sort by score

xx Age of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned Ships
xx Alien Shooter - Revisited
xx Alien Shooter 2: Reloaded
xx Altitude
xx America's Army 3
75 And Yet It Moves
79 ArmA II
xx Armed Forces Corp.
xx Astro Tripper
75 BattleForge
74 Battlestations: Pacific
75 Bionic Commando
78 Blood Bowl
59 Blueberry Garden
xx Book of Unwritten Tales, The
90 Braid
xx Burnout Paradise: Big Surf Island
81 Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
80 Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, The
76 Chronicles of Spellborn, The
67 Codename: Panzers - Cold War
73 Cogs
64 Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Uprising
70 Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor
69 Cryostasis: Sleep of Reason
41 Damnation
66 Dark Sector
89 Dawn of Discovery
82 DCS: Black Shark
53 Death Track: Resurrection
xx Delta Force: Xtreme 2
76 Demigod
xx Drug Wars
71 Elven Legacy
89 EVE Online: Apocrypha
81 Fallout 3: Broken Steel
78 Fallout 3: Point Lookout
77 Fallout 3: The Pitt
50 Fenimore Fillmore's Revenge
xx Final Fantasy XI: A Crystalline Prophecy
65 Flock!
80 Free Realms
72 Fuel
78 Ghostbusters: The Video Game
54 Gobliiins 4
63 Godfather II, The
72 Grand Ages: Rome
36 Grey's Anatomy
xx Hannah Montana: The Movie
xx Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
xx Helldorado
xx Hinterland: Orc Lords
xx Humans, The
xx Hunter, The
xx Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
72 Killing Floor
xx Larva Mortus
66 Last Remnant, The
20 Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust
xx Light of Altair
75 Maw, The
79 Men of War
76 Mevo & the Grooveriders
xx Military History Commander: Europe at War
74 MLB Dugout Heroes
63 Monsters vs. Aliens
74 Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate
72 Officers
xx Operation 7
xx Orb and the Oracle, The
78 Overlord II
80 Path, The
88 Plants vs. Zombies
xx Pool Hall Pro
xx Pro Cycling Manager: Tour de France 2009
79 Prototype
xx Railworks
xx Raycatcher
70 Restaurant Empire 2
xx Righteous Kill 2: Revenge of the Poet Killer
73 Runes of Magic
xx Samantha Swift and the Golden Touch
72 SBK 09 Superbike World Championship
xx Scorpion: Disfigured
64 Secret Files 2: Puritas Cordis
74 Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper
77 Simon the Sorcerer 5: Who'd Even Want Contact?!
86 Sims 3, The
xx Smashing Toys
74 Spore Galactic Adventures
26 Stalin vs. Martians
xx Stateshift
68 Still Life 2
42 Stormrise
92 Street Fighter IV
71 Superstars V8 Racing
51 Terminator Salvation
xx Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943
xx Three Cards to Midnight
70 Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.
61 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
xx Trine
31 Tunnel Rats
xx Up
61 Velvet Assassin
72 Virtua Tennis 2009
76 Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures Ep 1: Fright of the Bumblebees
73 Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures Ep 2: The Last Resort
75 Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures Ep 3: Muzzled!
62 Wanted: Weapons of Fate
xx Warrior Epic
58 Wheelman, The
xx Women's Murder Club: A Darker Shade of Grey
72 World in Conflict: Soviet Assault
xx WSC Real 09: World Snooker Championship
77 X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Uncaged Edition
xx Yosumin!
78 Zeno Clash

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.



Printer-Friendly Version Email This Page Discuss In Our Forums
Unreal Tournament 3 pc Game Reviews
Unreal Tournament 3
Critic Score
Metascore: 83 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.1 out of 10
based on 41 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 255 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

Players assume the role of a futuristic warrior engaged in contests of intense shooting battles against skilled opponents, controlled either by human contestants online or by A.I. These contests are fought with the most powerful sci-fi weapons and vehicles.Unparalleled graphical and physical realism from the latest Unreal Engine 3 technology delivers the most compelling First Person Shooter Experience to-date...online and offline. The weaponry is bigger and badder than ever. Destroy your opponent from a distance with the ever popular Link Gun or blast away at close range with the Bio Rifle. Battle against lightening fast A.I. in the deeper and richer single player tournament mode. Expanded Onslaught game type features two complete sets of high-tech vehicles, including the massive Leviathan, the terrifying Darkwalker, and a completely new way to get into the action...the Hoverboard. Fight side-by-side with or compete against new and returning characters from the UT franchise, all with enhanced abilities, extremely detailed looks and distinct personalities. Enhanced popular game types, including: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Instagib CTF and more. Unreal Tournament 2007 provides seamless loading on servers in addition to improved matchmaking for more evenly matched competitors. Bundled with the award-winning Unreal Engine 3 Toolset. Build your own levels, gametypes, and more, or download the latest mods from the massive Unreal community. [Midway]

PUBLISHER: Midway
DEVELOPER: Epic Games
GENRE(S): First-Person Shooter, Action
PLAYERS: 32
ESRB RATING: M (Mature)
RELEASE DATE: November 19, 2007

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

93
Game Chronicles
Thankfully, the new weapons and vehicles really mask most of the sameness, and the massively complex levels are easily the best of any in the genre. Even after hours and hours of gameplay I can still get lost in them.
Read Full Review
90
GameStar
No character classes, no terrorists, no Second World-War, no AK-47 and no rewards. Do we want to play that? Oh yes! Once you launch the game and join a match, you simply can't stop playing.
Read Full Review
90
Pelit (Finland)
Super-fast fun. New engine makes the shooting look absolutely amazing and some balance fine-tuning fix the few things that didn't work in the 2004 version. The new hoverboard especially is a great addition; with it you can zip back to the action in seconds and there is no boring downtime anymore. [Dec 2007]
90
Game Informer
The game excels at everything from simple deathmatching to complex objective-driven campaigns. [Dec 2007, p.154]
Read Full Review
90
IGN
If you've been playing the series all along, expect the same sort of thing only with a sparkling graphical luster. If you've never played this game before, do so immediately. It's still one of the best shooters on the market, even if it seems to be bumping against the boundaries of its potential.
Read Full Review
90
GameDaily
The high system requirements might turn some people off, but something has to power the jaw-dropping graphics and highly detailed environments. The new version of Unreal Tournament has a few things that long time players will need to get used to, but the one thing that hasn't changed is incredibly fast-paced and addictive action.
Read Full Review
90
GamePro
So here's the real question: Does UT3 live up to high bar set by its prestigious predecessors? On a gameplay level, absolutely but on a visual level, it doesn't leave as lasting an impression. If you were a fan of the previous games, particularly the first Unreal Tournament, then UT3 is a definite must-buy.
Read Full Review
90
PC Zone UK
Its single-player campaign may be weak and forgettable, but its true genius lies in the untouchable quality of its firefights, its splendiferous visuals, diverse level design, massive attention to detail and downright awesome vehicles and weapons. [Jan 2008, p.60]
90
GotNext
The quality design will give this the staying power it needs, as long as the community is there to support it.
Read Full Review
90
Jolt Online Gaming UK
Ultimately it’s shiny, it’s new and it’s a majorly streamlined edition of a much-played online game. The esoteric game modes are gone and there are considerably less maps, but those that there are are generally of the highest standard.
Read Full Review
89
PC Gamer UK
This is UT3's contribution to the formula: spectacle, drama, mad heroics. Hurling yourself on the enemy Orb like it's a live grenade, dodging bullets on the hoverboard as you escape with the flag, bailing from an explosive bike aimed at the enemy's star player, and yeah, hanging from a flying metal octopus. That's why it's essential, even in spite of the AI shortcomings.
Read Full Review
89
GameTrailers
If you have no friends and no broadband connection then UT III will be a snore. When twitching out against opponents around the globe it can be as addictive, and deep, as video games come.
Read Full Review
87
AtomicGamer
From the sheer number of maps to the entertaining gameplay modes and overall presentation, Unreal Tournament 3 is a winner.
Read Full Review
87
Play.tm
This game is pure, unadulterated, ultra-violent fun, and should perhaps be compulsory for anyone who needs a bit of stress relief in their life, or have an urge to shoot aliens for no other reason than because they can.
Read Full Review
86
Cheat Code Central
UT3 is visually stunning and the action is non-stop. It's hard to find much to seriously complain about once you drop in and start annihilating opponents in the huge number of high-quality maps with awesome vehicles and a variety of decent play modes. Epic doesn't reinvent the wheel here, but it does give players a fresh update on a classic old-school design that will keep you fragging long into the night.
Read Full Review
86
PC Format
Expect no surprises, but do expect a polished multiplayer shooter and the perfect basis for some memorable matches. [Jan 2008, p.62]
86
Games Master UK
It may be a little too hardcore for some people, but you won't find a better online shooter. [Jan 2007, p.66]
86
YouGamers
A fine shooter with multitude of game modes and maps, just not quite as polished as "Team Fortress 2."
Read Full Review
85
PC Gamer
Those of you still playing UT2K4 won't find many core gameplay changes in UT3; the advancces here are primarily aesthetic. [Feb 2008, p.66]
85
PTGamers
If you like to play online against other players, but without the hassle of learning team tactics, then Unreal Tournament III is one of your safest bets.
Read Full Review
85
GameSpot
Unreal Tournament 3 doesn't make huge changes to the formula, but still ends up feeling fresh, fast, and very fun.
Read Full Review
85
GameZone
The gameplay isn’t perfect, as the bits of story elements aren’t terribly well-developed and the bot AI in the single player campaign is spotty, but the game still does a fine job of being a compelling and frantic online shooter.
Read Full Review
84
Gamer 2.0
If you’re a fan of the Unreal series and have a computer that can run it, there’s really no reason for you not to own this game.
Read Full Review
84
Worth Playing
It may not be as revolutionary as some may have hoped, but UT3 continues to deliver that little extra something with which FPS aficionados can test their reflexes.
Read Full Review
83
GamingTrend
Vanilla Deathmatch, kick-ass graphics, and Warfare just aren’t going to cut it, even if it comes from the people who brought you "Gears of War."
Read Full Review
80
Yahoo! Games
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.
Read Full Review
80
PC PowerPlay
UT3 has all the elements of a solid, well-executed deathmatch multiplayer game, with a passable singleplayer campaign and some vehicle modes bolted on. [Jan 2008, p.41]
80
PALGN
It may not be so much a stride than a baby step for the series, but Unreal Tournament III still manages to provide a solid return for pure hectic multiplayer entertainment.
Read Full Review
80
Edge Magazine
Irrespective of talent, taste, spare time or even online connectivity, it has something for anyone with even a tingle in their trigger finger. [Jan 2008, p.78]
80
games(TM)
Epic’s latest beauty was designed for the online world and that’s where it belongs, so make sure you take it there – the likelihood is that you won’t regret it. [Jan 2008, p.120]
80
Game Almighty
UT3 is quick, fun, violent, and positively a blast to play, despite a couple minor shortcomings.
Read Full Review
80
GameSpy
If you're a longtime Unreal Tournament, fan, you'll find plenty to like in UT3 -- just keep in mind it's not the instant classic its predecessor was. With any luck, that will be remedied with the next UT release -- hopefully we won't have to wait another three years for it.
Read Full Review
80
Eurogamer
Drop into servers, start killing people, it's so natural to habitual gamers these days that it's hard to quantify how familiar and welcome these experiences are. With the sheer range of death-mongering that UT3 provides, it's hard not to get into the spirit of things. So yeah, Unreal Tournament pretty much remains The Daddy: consistent, meaty, and just weird enough to survive.
Read Full Review
80
VideoGamer
UT3 really is a stunning-looking game that's only really surpassed in terms of visuals by recent PC-killer Crysis.
80
GameTap
Messing around with UT3 made me realize that I kind of miss this deliberate throwback to super-fast multiplayer.
Read Full Review
80
Boomtown
With little additions to the franchise, a decent but not mammoth amount of maps, and some pretty standard gametypes saved by Warfare (that I’m not even so keen on) it’s only the extension to the Single Player Campaign that saves the score from being considered little more than an expansion pack.
Read Full Review
75
The Onion (A.V. Club)
The game's A-ticket attractions are the massive, ornate battlegrounds where opponents compete in objective-based clashes. Gorgeous alien landscapes play host to massive turf battles between factions vying for power nodes. These mêlées come stocked with a mind-boggling variety of weapons and vehicles, greatly reducing the rinse, lather, repeat burnout that comes in online shooters with less to do and smaller places to do it.
Read Full Review
75
Game Over Online
When I first began my review of UT3, I was very excited by all of it: the new graphics, the little changes that they had made to Onslaught, the inclusion of the personal hoverboard. The more I’ve played it however the more like UT2k4 it plays, and I’m left wondering what we were waiting over three and a half years for.
Read Full Review
60
1UP
It's still a good game -- lovely, and a little tired. But these days, even a favorite old dog like UT needs to learn more than a few new tricks.
Read Full Review
60
Thunderbolt
It's still worth buying UT3, for those who enjoy modding and hacking. For everyone else: there have been far better PC games this season.
Read Full Review
58
Game Revolution
It’s hard to really judge a game that hands its users a comprehensive modding kit. Because in six months, many of my complaints may be completely nullified by the modding community. Out of the box, however, Unreal Tournament 3 is a mediocre presentation, and brings little new to the table.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 8.1 (out of 10) based on 255 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Samer A gave it a10:
Amazing game, heats me up ;), with the warfare mode, teams can show how consistent they are, and how members can support each other. I love this type!

drexall k gave it a9:
Solid server backing, good mix of old ( deck, my fav ) and new maps, mod tool, takes advantage of PhysX, Id say ive logged a solid 2 hours a day for a week and its still fun... I do not like the classic "console", looks like an S400 nightmare, they could have cleaned up that or solidified controls/windows into a better GUI interface.

Andrew M gave it a9:
Okay, I was among the legions of fans that were incredibly disappointing with this game when it was first released. It was, to be honest, a same-old, console oriented, flashy pile of crap. I would have still played it, however, if the community didn't (understandably) die quickly. In a matter of weeks it was uninstalled, and I was back to ut2004, presuming this game dead and gone forever. For all of you who were like me, I'd recommend reinstalling the game again. With the release of 2.0 and the Titan pack, Unreal Tournament 3 Black is now what Unreal Tournament should have been out of the box, and, thanks to Steam picking it up and advertising the hell out of it (and selling it for cheap), it's got new life in its lungs and a fresh, energized community behind it. The game is still not perfect and will probably never replace the high flying thrill ride ut2004 once was for me. I'd still recommend any First-Person-Shooter fanatic (even ones that were once hurt by this game) to give it (another) chance.You very well may find it growing on you. An excellent recovery in my book, as of so far.

Chris K gave it a9:
UT3, at first, didn't feel like a good successor to 2k4. After playing it for some time, then going back to 2k4 without having played that for a while, I realized just how much they massively improved the gameplay. Especially in the Onslaught -> Warfare change, which is arguably the best game mode in my opinion anyways. The Hoverboard makes it much more bearable to be dismounted, and makes it more viable. Vehicles have much better responsiveness, the Manta and Raptor handle more like fast attack craft than they did in 2k4. The nodebuster orb makes it possible to take a heavily defended node, but more importantly, much more easily defend a vital node that might be linked to two or more enemy nodes while your offense takes those down. Nodes are also much more robust (takes significantly less damage to kill them in 2k4), making one guy with a rocket launcher less able to turn the tide of the /entire fight/. There are a few issues where the graphical upgrades detract from gameplay however. I don't know if anyone else has this issue, but when I have Bloom enabled on a map like Torlan, I cannot see anything in the sky, which makes it impossible to find that f***ing Raptor that's sniping you. Which is a shame, because the Bloom looks so nice otherwise. It's a bad comprimise, additional beauty at the cost of gameplay solidarity. All in all, it's very fast paced, and rarely any time goes by between you and finding some dudes to blast into small meaty chunks -- and the gameplay has been greatly refined from previous titles.

Deemer A gave it a7:
It's pretty nice in almost every ways, but there is some flaws, that i encountered.. First of all, the mouse sensitivity system is too harsh, at sens 1 it's very low and the sens 2 it's way too high, and my razer panel that i tried to combine it's sens to match perfectly to the sens i prefer to use is imbossible. And the AI is far too difficult, i can't ever be that fast, cause my maximum responding speed from seeing the enemy to shoot it is 0,0015secs, but that is way too slow, and my reflex speed is maximum at 350m/s, and i like to play Godlike difficulty all the time, but they can shoot me throu the fog, from places i can't see them, but mostly pretty good game.

Andres V gave it an8:
I think this game is a lot of fun. I don't understand people who would give it a bad rating. I think they just like to whine. Wussies. I never really played the previous Unreal Tournaments, except a little of UT2. The single player story is corny, but who cares it is all about fast paced blasting anyways. That's what you get with this game. If you don't like good graphics and fast paced blasting then play the previous unreal tournaments. That way you can get fast paced blasting with outdated graphics!

stranded gave it a10:
Basically Unreal Tournament 3 Black is what UT3 should have been in the first place. New game modes, maps and major UI improvement make this game really good. The updated Unreal Engine version also does it's job pretty well, smoother FPS and better eye candy effects. All I can say go and buy this, and if you already did look for it, install it and enjoy it, it's worth it. Oh and by the way if you're a Steam user you can register your copy with Steam for free and you can unlock 57 cool achievements (without Steam as well!).

Read more user comments...

Discuss this game in our forums

Return to top of page
Home | FILM | DVD/VIDEO | MUSIC | GAMES | TV | Forums | About Metacritic metacritic.com

Popular on CBS sites: iPhone 3G | Fantasy Football | Moneywatch | Antivirus Software | Recipes | E3 2009

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use