Unreal Tournament III

About

"Unreal Tournament III" is a Sci-Fi shooter game available for single-player and multi-player gameplay. The game utilizes the Unreal Engine 3 for enhanced graphics and gameplay, and features futuristic weapons and vehicles. The AI sets industry standards for single-player mode, making it a top choice for FPS fans.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,336 reviews

graphics98 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Fast-paced and chaotic gameplay that captures the essence of the Unreal Tournament series.
Impressive graphics for its time, showcasing the capabilities of the Unreal Engine 3.
Variety of game modes and extensive mod support, allowing for a customizable experience.

Single-player campaign is lackluster and feels disconnected from the tournament theme.
AI teammates are often unhelpful and can hinder progress in campaign mode.
The online multiplayer community is nearly dead, making it difficult to find matches.

graphics
215 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
50%
4%
The graphics of Unreal Tournament 3 have received mixed reviews, with many praising their impressive quality for the time of release, particularly due to the capabilities of the Unreal Engine 3. However, some players criticize the game's darker, grittier aesthetic, which they feel detracts from the vibrant visuals of its predecessors. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good and still hold up well today, opinions vary on their artistic direction and how they compare to earlier titles in the series.
- “Ut3's major strength is the graphics, which still look awesome today after more than a decade.”
- “The graphics are amazing, even by today's standards.”
- “The graphics and sound in UT3 blow away UT2004; you can play modded game modes so you don't miss much except the cool default starting gun from UT2004.”
- “The heavy industrial theme hasn't helped it, making everything look the same, plus the heavy use of depth of field and bloom effects really detracts from the graphics.”
- “I can't say the same about the graphics, as I found them a bit blurry and confusing at times.”
- “The only thing I have against the game's graphics is that it features a drab color aesthetic that seems to have been adopted to capitalize on the popularity of Gears of War.”
gameplay
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
41%
3%
The gameplay of Unreal Tournament 3 is characterized by its fast-paced, action-oriented mechanics that maintain the essence of the original series, though some players feel it lacks the precision and excitement of its predecessors. While the graphics and sound design receive praise, opinions are mixed regarding the introduction of new features like vehicles and hoverboards, which some find detracting from the core experience. Overall, the game offers solid gameplay with a variety of modes and challenges, but it may not fully satisfy fans of the earlier titles in the franchise.
- “The core gameplay loop is still fun.”
- “Extremely fast gameplay with a lot of action, extremely good weapons with crisp sounds and perfect handling, extremely well-conceived maps with areas for strategic and tactical action - the people who made this game knew what fun is about and had the skills to prove it.”
- “Great gameplay, quick, lethal, brutal gameplay.”
- “The last in the Unreal series, this game focuses more on visual effects than gameplay.”
- “Ugly, muddy early UE3 graphics, sluggish gameplay, awful movement, missing content, mandatory online, and the dumbest excuse for a 'story'.”
- “The gameplay in UT3 is nothing like what made UT 1 and 2 and Unreal Gold great.”
story
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
16%
The story in this game is generally viewed as lackluster and poorly executed, with many players feeling it detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the attempt to introduce a narrative to the campaign, they often describe it as cliché, confusing, or simply a means to facilitate multiplayer gameplay. Overall, the consensus is that the game is more enjoyable for its fast-paced action and multiplayer modes rather than its story.
- “The story that was portrayed was intriguing enough for me to not mind it too much.”
- “Love it - enjoyed the storyline unfold - really good game!”
- “The story campaign was fun to play through, having a storyline based more around a war with the Necris, and lots of cut scenes, as well.”
- “The campaign's story is remarkably boring, and the worst part is they force you to play the ridiculous 'onslaught' levels which is a gimmicky mode in the first place, and the bot's AI is completely unreliable, making it almost impossible for me to progress on higher difficulties simply because my bots were not doing their jobs.”
- “The story of the campaign sucks; it's a kind excuse to make a presentation of game modes and gameplay.”
- “Ut3 could have been great, but you bogged it down with canon, and story, and it simply wasn't needed.”
music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its catchy and immersive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, while some critics note that it reuses tracks from previous titles and lacks originality. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as a strong point, contributing to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment, despite some opinions on certain tracks being forgettable. Players appreciate the blend of new and classic elements, with many highlighting the music as a key feature that complements the gameplay.
- “The soundtrack is here and it’s just as good as the previous titles.”
- “Overall an incredible game with amazing gameplay, graphics, and a kick-ass soundtrack.”
- “This game's got style, amazing music, crazy insane futuristic settings... it's truly a masterpiece in my eyes and ears.”
- “Here they just seem to be reusing the 2k4 music.”
- “The music was unobtrusive and mostly forgettable.”
- “4/10 graphics are nice but the music and map selection also suck.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
22%
17%
The game exhibits a strong replayability factor, with numerous well-crafted maps, game modes, and a variety of weapons and vehicles that enhance the experience. Many players highlight the game's support for mods and the engaging multiplayer and single-player content, contributing to its lasting appeal. However, some users feel that it lacks depth beyond nostalgia, resulting in mixed opinions on its overall replay value.
- “The number of maps and game modes is very generous, and they are all very well-made and add a great deal of replay value.”
- “In my opinion, it is one of the best and most infinitely replayable games ever made in its genre.”
- “The game supports mods and there's a good amount of content out there: maps, modes, characters, etc. Gameplay is good, bots can be challenging at the proper difficulty level, and there's enough content in the game to provide variety and replay value.”
- “Replay value - 3/10: this game doesn't have much to come back to besides nostalgia.”
- “There are plenty of game modes, maps, and settings that will keep its replay value high, even 7 years after its release.”
- “Nothing comes close to the replay value.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
8%
25%
Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with solid performance on modern PCs and the ability to run smoothly at 4K on older GPUs. While some users experienced issues on lower-end laptops, the majority report excellent graphics and fluid gameplay, making it a worthwhile investment for gamers. The updates and performance fixes have further enhanced the experience, solidifying its reputation for great optimization.
- “The shooting is top notch and movement fluid, plus the game will run maxed out at 4K even on an older GPU (I ran it at 4K on my old 970), so you will have no problems with any kind of lag due to performance.”
- “Great gameplay, not just for being entertaining, but also thanks to perfect graphic optimization.”
- “The maps are well designed, the gameplay's definitely still Unreal Tournament, and the graphics are outstanding (especially considering the great performance!).”
- “If warfare is so much of the game, then the performance of AI bots is critical.”
- “The performance is barely playable on my laptop with an NVIDIA GT 635M graphics chip with the same quantity of RAM, but I wasn't expecting good performance from a laptop.”
- “The performance is barely playable on my laptop with an NVIDIA GT 635M graphics chip with the same quantity of RAM, but I wasn't expecting good performance from a laptop.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity and over-the-top violence, with players finding amusement in chaotic physics, exaggerated character antics, and the ridiculousness of tournament rules. Many reviews highlight the enjoyment derived from the game's darkly comedic elements, such as the graphic depictions of combat and the absurdity of certain gameplay mechanics, making it a source of both laughter and entertainment. Overall, while some aspects may frustrate players, the humor remains a significant draw, contributing to the game's appeal.
- “I like to jump off of the towers in Facing Worlds and hit feign death for funny physics shenanigans.”
- “The one amusing element is that making it an actual conflict necessitates explaining away all the obviously arbitrary tournament rules as actual tactical options and technological requirements, which is hilarious in how forced it becomes.”
- “This game is a must play for those who want to shoot to blow people up into random bits of blood and guts strewn across the place because it's funny.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, describing it as tedious and unenjoyable, particularly in the campaign mode, which is marred by boring maps and ineffective AI. The multiplayer experience is also criticized for being lackluster and lacking depth compared to older titles like Unreal Tournament. Overall, the grinding feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “The war gametype is super tedious to play, even more so with stupid bots on your team; you probably won't complete the campaign because of that.”
- “The maps are boring and tedious, the AI is useless, the multiplayer is dead, and the singleplayer is okay.”
- “The campaign is so boring and tedious; it feels like a console port with very few options compared to UT2004 GOTY, and the multiplayer doesn't feel solid.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game generally performs well on older hardware and is praised for its gameplay, but it suffers from significant stability issues, including crashes, freezes, and sound problems due to recent Windows updates. Additionally, the friends system is notably unreliable, making it difficult for players to connect with friends.
- “Runs great on old hardware and is a fantastic shooter in every respect.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I experienced no crashes or bugs, making for a smooth and enjoyable gameplay experience.”
- “Online servers are empty, and Windows updates have broken the game on a technical level (crashes, freezes, no sound, etc.).”
- “The game is buggy.”
- “The only real problem for me is that the friends system is incredibly buggy; half the time you can't even add a friend.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its expansive and visually impressive maps, even after 15 years since its release. Players appreciate the dark ambiance, which complements the first-person shooter experience, alongside new weapon textures and unique map objectives that enhance the overall mood.
- “The maps are big, atmospheric, and still look fantastic, especially for a 15-year-old game.”
- “If you like first-person shooters and a dark atmosphere, then this game is exactly what you need.”
- “New weapon textures, a darker atmosphere, unique map objectives, a few new game modes, and new vehicles...”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The monetization model for Unreal Tournament 3 X is praised for its absence of microtransactions, offering players a completely free experience without any hidden costs or conditions.
- “No microtransactions and no strings attached.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development has been criticized for its lack of distinctiveness and appeal, with designs described as unattractive and blending in with the game's gear rather than standing out. This has contributed to an overall perception that the game's charm is diminished.
- “Character design is almost indistinguishable from gear.”
- “The character designs are ugly, the worlds look ugly, and the charm is virtually gone.”