Enter the Championship

Unreal Championship (UC) was one of the first online games to test out the Xbox Live service. For the most part, the series made a nice transition to Microsoft’s machine. As for the game’s story, there’s really nothing going on. Players select a character, ranging from aliens to robots, and enter various competitions. The main objective is to earn the most kills in the given amount of time. Different variations of play, such as capture the flag and domination (occupying designated areas), are also present.

Gameplay
The heart of the game lies in the changing landscapes and advanced weapons. Players start a level with a specific weapon and make their way around the map trying to kill other contestants. Rocket launchers, toxic sludge, rifles, and lightning guns are some of the devastating weapons you’ll stumble upon. Levels, although not fully thought out, are diverse. An underground cavern is layered with giant boulders and lava pits, while a space station supplies narrow hallways, elevators, and staircases. However, many levels contain spots where players can rack up a bunch of cheap kills.

UC falls completely flat as a single player game. In this mode, you go up against computer opponents, and as you get deeper in the game you’ll be able to assemble a team. But the game just doesn’t work. Most of the time, you’ll find yourself doing more searching than killing, and sooner or later you lose interest. The Xbox Live multiplayer does relieve some of the issues. You can join deathmatches, jump into team battles, check your stats, and download new levels. Even with the above points, online gameplay isn’t as smooth as it should be.

Xbox Live
Playing an arena with ordinary weapons feels unbalanced. Weapons seem to do little damage to enemies. It feels like you have to go through your entire stock of ammo just to dispose one person. However, the most fun comes when everyone is playing with rifles (one hit kills baby!). The online play is a mixed bag. Even after all this time, the game is still extremely laggy. The screen jerks around when turning corners and opponents seem to fly out of the way when shot at.

Graphics & Sound
The graphics really don’t do much. Character designs are nothing spectacular, but offer enough variety to make things interesting. Levels have some nice details like statues, pipes, and ceiling fixtures. Oh yeah, there’s some cool violence like flying body pieces. The music consists of techno stuff that provides a cheesy, creepy atmosphere. There’s also a ton of voices for contestants. Rough comments by humans and intangible lyrics from extraterrestrial beings make up some of the game’s varied dialog.

Overall
UC feels a bit rushed. The single player route could have included more levels and strategic elements. The online play is fun in small doses, but the lag and weapon issues ruin the party. In the end, UC is a decent first-person shooter. Fans that flocked to earlier incarnations (Unreal Tournament) might have some fun with this, but most people will get bored with the game’s outdated gameplay.