New Unreal II Shots and Details

PC: A batch of new Unreal II shots accompany our E3 impressions of Legend Entertainment's impressive Unreal sequel.

Shown behind closed doors at last week's E3 for the first time ever, the fate of the popular Unreal franchise looks to be in good hands at developer Legend Entertainment.

We were walked through several areas of the game, all of which made us sit up and take note that this wasn't going to be "just another pretty first-person shooter". Unreal II takes place in the same fictional universe as Unreal, but the main character and locations are different than those found in the first game.

The single-player game will be played out over a series of missions linked by a narrative driven framework. "We want to get as much variety in there as possible," Legend's Mike Verdu told FGN Online. "One of the most interesting options we’ve included in the sequel is the ability for the player to order his troops around. This opens up the game over the regular single-player experience."

Missions take place across a variety of locations, including the dense jungle of a tropical planet, the ancient ruins of an alien city, deep underground in a hive of tunnels, and on the molten surface of a volcanic world, to name just a few.

Along with the variety of locations, come specific impact effects for different surfaces. Don't expect to see a black explosions mark on all surfaces throughout the game. The final version, expected Q2 2002, will feature three main game modes: single-player, fight against bots, and the necessary multiplayer offerings.

With the disappointing absence of a Half-Life 2 announcement at E3, Legend Entertainment surely has the playing field to itself regarding the next generation of first-person shooters. We'll have more as soon as possible, but be sure to check these new screens out.

INC Staff