[Shock Value is a bi-weekly segment which runs down inexpensive titles that are more than worth the money spent.]

  • Title: Unreal Tournament 3
  • Developer: Epic Games
  • Publisher: Midway Games
  • Genre: FPS
  • Release: November, 2007
  • Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
  • Pricing: Used: $7, $10 New: $20, $15

Unreal Tournament 3 is an awesome, awesome game. Developed by shooting genre vets Epic Games, this game is everything I think you can fairly ask for in a shooting games. Before I get started, the PS3 version of this game is extremely superior to the Xbox 360 version, although you can always just get the PC version for the consummate experience.

Console wise, you'll want it on PS3. You may write UT3 off as a cheap thrill because of its unbelievably low price, but I assure you this isn't the case. The game comes equipped with a campaign which can be enjoyed with local multiplayer, as well as a sea of online multiplayer modes.

The most amazing thing about this game is the amount of support it has gotten post release. I mean, it's practically unheard of, except for LittleBigPlanet. The first thing you'll want to do after you boot the game up is start downloading the staggering amount of additional content. Characters, game modes, maps, you name it and there's a mode for it. They even have a mod that turns the game into a 2D side scroller.

Aside from that, the on-disc content is still meatier than most shooters released today. You've got the standard death match, team death match, and capture the flag game modes. Then you've got the insane vehicle based capture the flag, the unique and fun warfare mode, and more. This is just the on-disc stuff too.

The game play is rich and fun. There are a variety of different guns, all of which have multiple utilities. The link gun can be used to fire off quick blasts or a concentrated beam, for example. The power-ups give an incentive to move quickly and strategically. Picking up the super health will give a player double the amount of health points, so it is obviously worth taking a risk to get.

Another thing that makes the combat fun is the wealth of mutators that can be added to matches to make them more interesting. For example, turning on the weapons respawn mutator will give all gun spawn points a recharge period, severely limiting the amount of weaponry on the field and as a result makes each kill extremely important. My favorite mutator is the low gravity, which allows you to bound across the field.

There are also a ton of stages. Stages like Hydrosis and Reflection are just excellent. Did I mention how beautiful the games visuals were? It's funny, the game shares its name with the fabulous Unreal Engine that powers it.

The aural and visual theme this game has going on is really unique and cool. If your tired of or simply don't appreciate the similar visuals in military themed shooters, then you may want to give this game a try. It's like something between Halo and Gears of War, except UT has been it doing longer and arguably better than both of those series.

It's unfortunate that the PS3 version has just soooo much on the Xbox 360 version, because I wished that they were equal, but unfortunately they aren't. That doesn't keep the 360 version from being beyond worth the money though. I have owned the game on both consoles.

I can barely imagine a better way to spend ten dollars. I don't consider myself to be a big shooter fan, but even I can see the amazing value, creativity and fun up for grabs in Unreal Tournament 3. Worth a look for both fleeting and serious fans of the genre, UT3 is a timeless classic that hasn't been dethroned after four years of “flavor of the month” shooters. Do your self a favor and pick this one up.