Purposefully held over to take full advantage of next generation PC graphics cards and the new consoles, this latest sequel in the Unreal Tournament series is looking to set new standards for multiplayer first person shoot ‘em-ups. Considering developer Epic Games’ Unreal graphics technology is used by so many other companies you always know a new Unreal Tournament game is going to look good. There’s tons of new features beyond just eye candy here though, including a whole new game mode called Warfare, which works like a combination of the existing Assault and Onslaught modes, with more involved mission goals that make team play absolutely essential to success.As you’d expect there’s a hanger full of new vehicles and weapons including some nifty hoverboards for when you’re just on-foot and a number of new robot mechs for you to drive; all with varying numbers of legs including tripods and four-legged walkers. The enormous Leviathan tank is particularly impressive, with four independently manned turrets and a giant energy weapon. Considerable work has also gone into providing the game with a decent single player mode, never one of the series’ highlights, with newly improved artificial intelligence that allows you to simulate a multiplayer game properly even when you’re playing on your own. User created modifications (mods) will also continue to play a hugely important part in the game’s success with the game shipping with a new version of the Unreal Editor for both PCs and consoles. After a quiet 2006, it seems like 2007 is going to be the best year ever for PC gamers.HARRISON DENT