There isn’t some clear-cut formula for making a great game, but Epic hasn’t ignored bullet-point features in expanding the Unreal Tournament series, which is now in its third installment. The multiplayer-focused first-person shooter series started off in 1999 with great graphics, crisp control, solid networking (which led to smooth online gameplay), and hectic action.

These basics haven’t been neglected, even as expectations have changed–and have significantly increased–over the last five years. However, UT has never been just about settling for the basics, and to this end, the new Unreal Tournament 2004 has a tremendous variety of maps and modes of play. In the same package, you’ll find cutthroat deathmatching as good as it’s ever been, plus large team-based modes in the style that’s become so popular lately. Simply put, this is the multiplayer action game that offers something for everyone–even those who prefer playing offline, since the UT bots are better than ever and are still the best in the business.