Unreal Gold

After playing the travesty that was Daikatana, I needed to remind myself that FPS games from that era could actually be good. I’m pretty sure I played Unreal in the early 2000s. I don’t know if I ever finished it though.

It’s definitely not the most story-rich game but Unreal makes up for it in fast and challenging combat, a large variety of weapons, tricky enemy AI, and visuals that hold up pretty well. This was the first time we ever saw dynamic lighting, reflections, and rippling water. The developers don’t waste any time getting to show you how awesome they were by opening the game with an impressive fly-through of a Na-Pali castle before you even click Start Game.

The levels vary between futuristic interiors, ancient temples, and vast outdoor spaces. The large areas can feel a bit empty but they offer a bit of a break after fighting through dark, tightly-spaced environments, seeking out secret levers and push buttons. There’s a level about an hour into the game that’s just awful with lots of swimming and backtracking that can make even the most dedicated players rage quit, but once you get past that hurdle the game opens up and becomes more manageable and fun. I even went on to play the expansion pack called Return to Na-Pali which puts more effort into telling a story via voice-over recaps at the end of every level.