Unreal Tournament/Reception

Overview

Character Cards

Reception

Gallery

Release Notes

Maps

Meta article
The following is a meta-article, which explains a concept which usually falls out of one of the wiki's categorizations, yet it's still important to explain something.

Ratings for Unreal Tournament
Gamerankings	93.57% (PC) 96.00% (Mac) 76.60% (PS2) 87.80% (DC)
Metacritic	92 (PC) 77 (PS2) 90 (DC)

Unreal Tournament is still, arguably, the most popular Unreal game ever released. It generated an enormous community and was many people's first multiplayer experience. Alongside Id Software's Quake III Arena it helped up shape the multiplayer landscape for generations of games and gamers to come. The Capture the Flag map CTF-Face is often cited as one of the main selling points of the game, so it comes to no surprise that almost every mention of the game also mentions the map as well.

Awards

Awards of Unreal Tournament
GameSpy	Game of the Year (1999)
Chuck Rock Live	PC Game of the Year (1999)
Game Vortex	Game of the Year (1999)
Sharky Extreme	Game of the Year (1999)
GameSpot	Action Game of the Year (1999) Readers Choice Action Game of the Year (1999) Readers Choice Game of the Year (1999)
MakeItSimple	Game of the Year (1999)
Gone Gold	Pure Gold (1999) First Person Shooter of the Year (1999)
Gamer's Depot	Game of the Year (1999)
Computer Gaming World	Game of the Year (1999)
Daily Radar	Best PC Game (1999) Readers Choice Best PC Game (1999)
C-Net Gamecenter	Game of the Year (1999)
IGN	Editor's Choice Award (2000)
Eurogamer	Game of the Year (1999)
3rd. Annual Interactive Achievement Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering (2000 - Winner) Computer Action Game of the Year (2000 - Nominated) Computer Game of the Year (2000 - Nominated) Computer Strategy Game of the Year (2000 - Nominated) Game of the Year (2000 - Nominated)

"Best game" mentions

Bit-Gamer

• The game is ranked as the 20th. best PC game of all time.

"It’s bizarre to think that Unreal Tournament is a spin-off game, so well has it established its legacy in the gaming canon. Indeed, Unreal Tournament has enjoyed more sequels than the series from which it stemmed. Some will point to 2004 as the finest example of the series, while others will jump up and down insisting that Quake III is superior to all the UT games. But this is MY list, dagnabbit, and the original Unreal Tournament is and probably always will be my favourite multiplayer shooter.

It’s the variety that does it for me. In maps, modes, and weapons, Unreal Tournament is a rich cornucopia of multiplayer gun-play. I know the layout of maps like Facing Worlds, LavaGiant, Deck 16 and November inside-out. Put a Flak Cannon in my hands and I will make mincemeat out of anyone who dares step into my crosshairs. And Assault Mode, oh boy, Assault Mode! Epic had the audacity to take the madness of multiplayer gaming and add structure to it, missions and objectives that took place in beautifully conceived maps. Leaping out of a helicopter to hijack a moving train, assaulting an underwater facility, a miniaturised recreation of the D-Day landings in Overlord.

Unreal Tournament is just bursting with ideas, so much so that id deemed to release a team-based expansion to Quake III about a year after the initial release. That’s all you need to know about this particular rivalry. UT is the daddy, and I’ll stick a Redeemer in the maw of anyone who says otherwise."

– Bit-Gamer

Boss Level Gamer

• The game was deemed one of the 28 best FPS games of all time:

"While DOOM and Quake may have all the headlines for being some of the most well-known original FPS games, the conversation isn’t complete without Unreal Tournament.

Released in 1999, it helped put Epic Games on the map. Not only is it one of the best FPS games, but also one of the greatest games ever made.

At the time of its release, the game was a revolutionary title, complete with graphics, level design, gameplay, and experiences never thought possible. It took gamers to a world never thought possible, and the FPS genre and gaming industry have never looked back. What helps make Unreal Tournament the all-time classic is the core gameplay loop being fundamentally sound. If you’re playing stock multiplayer modes or customizing each game to your heart’s desire, you’re going to have a great time."

– Boss Level Gamer

Den of Geek

• The game was deemed the 10th. best FPS game ever made:

"It’s still incredible to think that Unreal Tournament and Quake 3 were released just weeks apart, and it’s even more incredible to think that Unreal Tournament arguably beat Quake 3 at what some considered to be its own game. Putting aside that debate for the moment, let’s just come together to praise Unreal Tournament for its mechanics, visuals, modes, weapons, and, most importantly, arguably all-time great multiplayer map design. This is simply as satisfying and intense as PC multiplayer shooters get."

– Den of Geek

Digital Trends

• The Dreamcast version of the game is deemed one of the best Dreamcast games ever.

"Long before Gears of War and Fortnite, Epic Games created the excellent multiplayer shooter Unreal Tournament. Much like Quake III, Unreal Tournament focuses primarily on multiplayer battles rather than a staged, story-focused campaign, and it’s packed full of different modes to satisfy nearly every competitive player. First released on the PC, the Dreamcast port features smooth and twitch-focused shooting, complete with an array of crazy weapons to frag your friends and send them soaring through the air."

– Digital Trends

eBaums World

"Unreal Tournament is where many FPS addicts got their start. Coupled with stellar gameplay, it delivered a polished experience with some of the best visuals of the time. Its frantic, high-paced combat style was backed by a diverse array of weapons that were always fun to use. Also, have you ever played a game and heard an announcer say “Dominating!", “Double Kill!", or “Godlike!” Well, those came directly from Unreal Tournament. Despite being thirteen years of age, you can go back and have a blast rotating through several powerful weapons, laying opponents to waste, and then hear the announcer say “Killing spree!""

– eBaums World

Fellowship of the Screen

• The game is ranked as the 31st. best game of the 1990s.

"I don’t know if I’ll ever truly be able to articulate why Unreal Tournament is a better game than Quake III, but if I had to, I’d start with the level design. Q3’s levels are all fun to traverse, but sort of uninteresting. Just a lot of average looking arenas and industrial areas. Unreal‘s are, as pictured above, weird repositories of untold lore and wonderful skyboxes. If two games were exactly the same in every way, I’d always pick the one with more interesting scenery."

– Fellowship of the Screen

GGRecon

• The game was deemed the 19th. best FPS game of all time.

"The extreme pace of many 90s shooters caused many to wonder how it would translate to a multiplayer setting, which earlier Quakes took advantage of. However, it was Unreal Tournament that really popularised the arena shooter and displayed its potential. It retained the speed and fury of its single player inspirations, but the fiercely competitive nature of the multiplayer turned it into an even more frantic sh*t show.

The level design was outstanding due to the variation of environments and geometry, the weapons were punchy and satisfying to use, and the number of modes added reams of depth and replayability. It went on to spawn in iconic series of arena shooters, and kicked off a zeitgeist that ruled the PC multiplayer FPS scene of the early noughties."

– GGRecon

GamesRadar

• The game is ranked as the 92th. best game of all time.

"The fact that a 16-year-old first-person arena shooter is still considered essential should give you some idea of this game's quality. Forget the convoluted lexicon that swamps shooters today - once upon a time, an FPS didn't need killstreaks, supply drops, and attack helicopters to keep it exciting. In the fiery crucible of UT, everyone starts with the same badass Enforcer pistol. You want greatness? You get out there and take it, soldier.

Once you jump into the action, you realize this death-drenched disco has it all: some of the best weapons ever to grace your monitor (Bio Rifles and Flak Cannons for the win), a jump-happy physics engine that rewards verticality as much as as it does speed, AI that's still as deadly and reactive as real players, and a soundtrack that'll have your blood pumping quicker than a handy shot of epinephrine. Godlike."

– GamesRadar

GamingBolt

• The game was deemed the 13rd. greatest FPS game of all time.

"A first person shooter loaded with amazing maps, diverse game styles, awesome weapons, and one of the best bots in the business, Unreal Tournament was as close to flawless, both in its ability to entertain and in its fine presentation. Everything in the game was utter perfection. Whether you’re in it for the single player quest or the online extravaganza, from its good weapon balance to its great level design Unreal Tournament had everything what you need. Unreal Tournament is now regarded as a modern classic but it was a bold and risky move by Epic Games at that time. Upon its release, Unreal Tournament became an instant classic and a very influential game for future First-Person Shooters."

– GamingBolt

Geek.com

• The game was deemed as one of the best PC games of the 1990s.

"Unreal Tournament is largely responsible for popularizing “twitch” gameplay. While it does feature a single player campaign, Unreal Tournament’s biggest draw was in its multiplayer mode. Whether it was online or local connections, players were able to shoot the holy Hell out of each other in a variety of game types. This sort of addictive multiplayer experience was the precursor to the Call of Duty craze. Every multiplayer-focused FPS game owes a lot to Unreal Tournament."

– Geek.com

GND-Tech

• The game was named the eighth best multiplayer shooter of all time.

"Unreal Tournament was a revolutionary FPS. It would become the integral part of Epic Games’ success for the better part of a decade. The year prior, they released one of the very best single player FPS games of all time, and here they did the same for multiplayer. The late 1990s was perhaps the strongest time period for multiplayer shooters, 1999 in particular containing the releases of Unreal Tournament, Quake III: Arena, Counter-Strike (mod for Half-Life), and the official version of Team Fortress. Of all these, we chose Unreal Tournament as our winner, but each has their own niche and stand-out attributes.

Counter-Strike had its simpler competitive nature, Team Fortress had its class-based gameplay, Quake III had its close quarters high skill curve gameplay, Unreal Tournament had arguably the most genius arsenal in FPS history (adopted from Unreal) and very diverse game modes. All of these games were seriously competitive. Unreal Tournament also had some amusing character customization, and the most diverse set of official content of the bunch with a staggering amount of maps. The level design in all of these games demonstrated superb attention to detail and creativity on all maps, the polar opposite of today’s Call of Duty and EA games.

Then there was the moddability, which was a strength for all of these games but the mutator system made mod usage arguably more modular and convenient. Mods were a key ingredient to the successes of all of these games, resulting in not only custom game modes, but total conversions branching into new genres. Compare that to the Battle Royale exclusivity of today, and it’s clear that times have changed for the worse."

– GND-Tech

Paste

• The game was deemed the 19th. best first-person shooter of all time.

"It’s weird to call a game about people jumping around and turning each other into fine paste with a variety of deadly weapons “sophisticated” but Unreal Tournament proved to be a stark contrast to the straight forward bloodbath of Quake and Doom thanks to the variety of modes and mutators it gave players to toy around with. Wanna play Capture the Flag in low gravity with guns that kill opponents in one hit? You could do that! Of course, regular old Deathmatch was just as satisfying thanks to the tight controls and creative weapons (the nuke-throwing Redeemer remains a personal favorite). And no first-person shooter since has come close to making earning killstreaks so much damn fun: Muh-muh-muh-MONSTER KILL-KILL-KILL-KILLLLL."

– Paste

PCGamesN

• The game is mentioned as one of the best FPS games on PC.

"Epic made a name for itself with Unreal – impressive in a time when shooters were dominated by id – but it was with 1999’s Unreal Tournament that Epic earned its grand moniker. Tournament had the same core concept of Quake Arena but offered an alternative for those looking for a few more frills.

Among the game’s exciting weapons is the Bio Rifle, which weaponises toxic sludge. You can even charge it up and release a great bulb of the stuff, using it as a gelatinous landmine. Then there is Redeemer, a rocket launcher that flings a pilotable thermonuclear warhead at your enemies. You should also try the Ripper, which fires saw blades that bounce around corners. Each gun has separate strengths and alternate fire modes that need mastering in order for you to dominate in the arena.

Tournament’s maps – old and new – are filled with memorably mad architecture. There is nothing quite like leaping in low gravity between the three stratospheric towers in DM-Morpheus – particularly if you can gib someone in mid-air, spraying their gore through the sky."

– PCGamesN

Polygon

• The game was deemed the 141st. best game of all time.

"Quickly cementing itself as one of the best online first-person shooters, Unreal Tournament featured some of the best gameplay, visuals and level design seen at the time. Online only, Unreal Tournament was awash with thousands of players trying to prove their skills."

– Polygon

Red Bull

• The game was deemed the 12th. best FPS game of all time:

"This game, often seen as 1999’s best video game, features a revolutionary multiplayer setting that sent major shockwaves through the FPS world upon release. Unreal Tournament includes multiple combat modes alongside audio and text radio chatter, as well as spectator cams for those who just want to observe. The game has been discontinued on Steam, but fans with the classic console version on Xbox can still enjoy it."

– Red Bull

ScreenRant

• The game was deemed one of the best FPS games of all time:

"Unlike almost every game released before it, 1999’s Unreal Tournament had precisely zero interest in creating a single-player story mode. It had one goal and one goal only: put multiple gamers in an arena with lots of big weapons and find out who could be the last one standing.

Upon release, Unreal Tournament proved to be an addictive and explosive first-person shooter and received rave reviews. It was also decades ahead of its time, being one of the first console games to use online multiplayer functions and introducing the battle royale format long before the genre caught on with players."

– ScreenRant

ShackNews

• The game was deemed the 24th. best PC game of all time by their community.

"There's nothing quite like the original. Epic Games' Unreal Tournament remains one of the most beloved multiplayer FPS games of the late 90s. It was Quake with a shinier coat of paint, bringing online deathmatch games to the next level. With six multiplayer game modes, Unreal Tournament proved just what Epic was capable of in this realm years before Gears of War was a blip on anyone's radar."

– ShackNews Community

Stuff.tv

• The game was ranked as the 14th. best FPS game ever.

"To anyone that thinks Unreal Tournament is just a "poor man's Quake," we have two words for you: Facing Worlds (the map). Epic's frenetic first person shooter was at its best when you were strafe-dodging sniper fire, stolen enemy flag in hand, and turning simple corridors into tunnels of death with vicious flak cannon shells - all while the announcer screamed "MULTIKILL" at the top of his lungs. Other shooters were 1v1 affairs, but Unreal let you bring the whole gang along for the carnage."

– Stuff.tv

The Gamer

• The game was ranked the best 90s video game of all time.

"Way back when, long before Fortnite, Epic Games co-developed a game which would become a benchmark for first-person shooters. Unreal Tournament was everything players wanted in a first-person shooter and more. Its primary focus was head-to-head multiplayer death-matches which were incredibly popular.

It received critical acclaim with reviewers praising everything from the graphics and level design to the gameplay. It took the series in a new direction and set a high bar against which future FPS games would be measured."

– The Gamer

• The game was ranked the second best Arena Shooter of all time.

"Long before Fortnite became its most successful creation, Epic Games was making the Unreal series. In that series is the original Unreal Tournament, released in 1999. The title focused heavily on head-to-head multiplayer. Even the single-player was just its arena matches, but with bots in a bid to become the Grand Champion.

Unreal Tournament delivered incredible movement capabilities, a variety of weapons, and a lot of maps that you need to master if you want to be the best. This is one of the arena shooters where you need to stay on your toes at all times. It's quick and unforgiving."

– The Gamer

VG247

• The game was ranked as the 40th. best FPS game ever.

"When review screens of this went out, people in VG247 founder Pat’s office couldn’t believe it was real. It was true that Unreal Tournament, or UT99 as it became more widely known, pushed some beautiful visuals, but elements such as the Shock Rifle and anti-grav levels gave FPS players something differentiated enough from Quake III to ensure success."

– VG247

WatchMojo.com

• The game was deemed the #9 best FPS game of all time.

"Though the Arena shooter has basically gone the way of the Dodo these days, Unreal Tournament had basically perfected the formula over 15 years ago. Taking the famous Unreal engine and its amazing graphics even further, it offered a bevy of game options that offered the player more variety than usual, outstanding bot AI that could hold their own against seasoned human players, and brilliant weapon and level design. The game was remarkable for being a polished final product offering smooth gameplay, almost flawless performance and functionality, and, most importantly, offered an incredibly exciting and fun experience. With multiple sequels and community mods following it, it's no surprise that Unreal Tournament is still going strong after all this time."

– WatchMojo.com

• In another list, the game was deemed the #7 best FPS game of the 90s.

"From squad-based multiplayer, we now move on to Arena-based multiplayer, and the reigning champ, Unreal Tournament. Taking the famous Unreal engine and its amazing graphics even further, it offered a bevy of game options that offered the player more variety than usual, outstanding bot AI that could hold their own against seasoned human players, and brilliant weapon and level design. The game was remarkable for being a polished final product offering smooth gameplay, almost flawless performance and functionality, and, most importantly, offered an incredibly exciting and fun experience. With multiple sequels and community mods following it, it's no surprise that Unreal Tournament is still going strong after all this time."

– WatchMojo.com

• The game was deemed the most badass arena FPS game of all time.

"Choosing between Unreal Tournament and Quake III was just as difficult for us now as it was for gamers over 15 years ago. Like Quake III, people were skeptical at first with the idea of a multiplayer focused first person shooter, but with over 50 incredible maps and 6 game types including the fantastic 'assault' mode Unreal Tournament proved that a multiplayer game could have just as much content and value as any single-player shooter of it's generation. From the sharp and satisfying sound effects on every rocket to the thrills of instantly gibbing enemies with the Flak Cannon, this game is some of the tightest and most fun multiplayer shooting out there, and the pinnacle of arena shooters."

– WatchMojo.com

whatNerd

• The Playstation 2 version of the game was deemed the eleventh all-time best local multiplayer game for the console.

"Straight out of the box, Unreal Tournament has one of the strangest control schemes for a first-person shooter on a console ever. Once you take the time to swap the controls for a more familiar layout, UT translates relatively well on the PS2.

Single player is non-existent, other than bot matches, so local multiplayer is where it's at, including a number of Unreal Tournament's legendary game-changing Mutators."

– whatNerd