Unreal 2: The Awakening Review

Game:  Unreal 2: The Awakening
Year (s):  2003
Company:  dev.  Legend Entertainment
            pub.  Atari
Engine: Unreal Engine 2.0
Type:  FPS
What I Paid:  NA, package deal
Game Time:  first time, 9.5 hours (on easy)


Plot

I would like to point out first that Epic Games developed all other games in the Unreal franchise.  This, however, was developed by a different company.  It's the kind of plot a twelve year could come up with.  There's seven ancient alien artifacts scattered across the galaxy.  Nobody knows what they do, but some of the corporations and alien races are trying to collect them all, so you should too!  I am not joking.
This has three things in common with other Unreal games: the Skaarj, the Liandri Corporation, and the Izunagi Corporation.  Otherwise, nothing.  Not even a Bio Rifle.  Fortunately, the plot is entirely self-contained, and Unreal titles have little to no story, so questions of canonicity are irrelevant.


The Little Things

There were three small things this game did not have that would have made 15% better.  The first two are taken for granted now: a flashlight and a map.  My third annoyance involves dodging, where  you hit a directional button twice and you leap in that direction.  This has been utilized in Unreal games since the beginning.  In Unreal 2, hitting a directional twice is incredibly sensitive, though.  I found myself vaulting in to pits completely on accident too often.


Combat

Weapon selection is surprisingly cumbersome.  A few times, you can set up forcefields and automatic turrets to help defend.  Otherwise, nothing new.  No vehicles.


Final Thoughts

This was a bit buggy (enough that I'd recommend the occasional hard save), and certainly not a great game.  But I wouldn't call it awful.  If you buy (or have bought) the Unreal complete pack, it'll give you something to do for a weekend.  Otherwise, don't bother.

Legend Entertainment existed from 1989-2004.  Other than this and the earlier Unreal expansion Return to Na Pali, they developed a game (1995) dealing with Piers Anthony's Xanth world, and a critically-acclaimed but unsuccessful game (1999) about Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.