YEEEEESSSSSS!!!!
Midway and Epic are on a killing spree, announcing massive Unreal Tournament 3 DLC and Trophies to come March 5th. Oh, and yeah: IT'S FREE!
Published: February 21, 2009
Downloadable content has changed the industry like few other novelties did this generation of console hardware. Not long ago expansions and map-packs came boxed, likewise updates and patches were PC exclusive luxuries many console gamers could only dream of, and games hardly had a chance of keeping an audience hooked for a longer period of time. Especially with so many great titles hitting stores each month it's hard to stick around playing a game forever (a few exceptions set aside). Unless of course, the studio and publisher decided to go hardcore, and released every single update and map pack for absolutely free of charge. One of those fantastic examples is last year's Burnout Paradise, though after months of constantly adding more value to an already great game, the folks in charge decided they had to switch to the dark side and start releasing DLC with a price tag on.
Then there are other examples like EA's Need For Speed series, which is audacious enough to offer players the possibility of buying cars one could simply unlock by playing through the game. I really can't see anyone buying into that. Well at least I hope no one is.
Epic and Midway however not only blessed (and spoiled) us with free added content, no, they also introduced console players to the infinitely creative worlds of game modding. Making the tools for UT3 level creating accessible to anyone who is willing enough to dig into it, ensured that content would keep coming for ages (Note: The Xbox 360 version does not support mods due to Microsoft's weird "no user generated content" policy). Now sadly our review of the game, in which Sam gave it a 9.5, did not help ensure the commercial success Epic hoped for and that makes the following even more noteworthy in terms of fan service:
Coming March 5th 2009, Epic and Midway are bringing us yet another map pack, and this time it's one you do NOT want to miss my friend. Accurately titled Titan Pack, the update brings about Trophies, 19 (!) new multiplayer maps (eight of which are formerly exclusive Xbox 360 maps), two new game modes (Greed and Betrayal), new units, new vehicles and new characters.
Greed is "a "tug of war" style kill points battle", while Betrayal does what the name already suggests, it makes players betray their team mates and lets them switch sides in the midst of a battle.
This is what Epic had to say about a couple new units and a rather powerful new vehicle in the game: "New units are one part of this mammoth download. The new X-Ray deployable field can be used to lay waste to foes since enemies inside it are extremely vulnerable, while the Link Station, a temporary repair unit, can be deployed to keep vehicles in top fighting condition. The Stealthbender comes equipped with a Link Station, an X-Ray Field, spidermine traps, and an EMP mine, but what makes this new vehicle especially lethal is its underlying Necris stealth technology, which renders it invisible for surprise attacks."
Also very interesting in this early easter present is the Titan mutator: When equipped and combined with enough fragging power it turns the player into a supposedly 15-foot tall Titan, that has the effects of every power up in the entire game at once making the player (almost) invincible. NOTE: It has come to our attention that there are some contradicting claims about the actual size of the Titan. While some other gaming sites claim a 30-foot tall Titan, the info we have says it is half of that. We will most definitely keep you updated on this urgent matter. Until that is clarified, consider the Titan to be huge, plain and simple.
There's a lot more to talk about, though I should probably stop right now, otherwise this can't be identified as news any longer.
What's left is to say: It's huge, it's great, it's fucking free and it's probably the best reason to get that thick layer of dust off your fragging skills. Or in other words: DOUBLE KILL, MULTI KILL, MEGA KILL, ULTRA KILL, MONSTERRRRR KILLLLLLLLLL!!! Hearing that voice just makes my spine tingle everytime...
[UPDATE] - According to Epic the filesize of the update will be more than 1 Gig large! Yeah, go ahead. Start cleaning up your hard disk already.
Then there are other examples like EA's Need For Speed series, which is audacious enough to offer players the possibility of buying cars one could simply unlock by playing through the game. I really can't see anyone buying into that. Well at least I hope no one is.
Epic and Midway however not only blessed (and spoiled) us with free added content, no, they also introduced console players to the infinitely creative worlds of game modding. Making the tools for UT3 level creating accessible to anyone who is willing enough to dig into it, ensured that content would keep coming for ages (Note: The Xbox 360 version does not support mods due to Microsoft's weird "no user generated content" policy). Now sadly our review of the game, in which Sam gave it a 9.5, did not help ensure the commercial success Epic hoped for and that makes the following even more noteworthy in terms of fan service:
Coming March 5th 2009, Epic and Midway are bringing us yet another map pack, and this time it's one you do NOT want to miss my friend. Accurately titled Titan Pack, the update brings about Trophies, 19 (!) new multiplayer maps (eight of which are formerly exclusive Xbox 360 maps), two new game modes (Greed and Betrayal), new units, new vehicles and new characters.
Greed is "a "tug of war" style kill points battle", while Betrayal does what the name already suggests, it makes players betray their team mates and lets them switch sides in the midst of a battle.
This is what Epic had to say about a couple new units and a rather powerful new vehicle in the game: "New units are one part of this mammoth download. The new X-Ray deployable field can be used to lay waste to foes since enemies inside it are extremely vulnerable, while the Link Station, a temporary repair unit, can be deployed to keep vehicles in top fighting condition. The Stealthbender comes equipped with a Link Station, an X-Ray Field, spidermine traps, and an EMP mine, but what makes this new vehicle especially lethal is its underlying Necris stealth technology, which renders it invisible for surprise attacks."
Also very interesting in this early easter present is the Titan mutator: When equipped and combined with enough fragging power it turns the player into a supposedly 15-foot tall Titan, that has the effects of every power up in the entire game at once making the player (almost) invincible. NOTE: It has come to our attention that there are some contradicting claims about the actual size of the Titan. While some other gaming sites claim a 30-foot tall Titan, the info we have says it is half of that. We will most definitely keep you updated on this urgent matter. Until that is clarified, consider the Titan to be huge, plain and simple.
There's a lot more to talk about, though I should probably stop right now, otherwise this can't be identified as news any longer.
What's left is to say: It's huge, it's great, it's fucking free and it's probably the best reason to get that thick layer of dust off your fragging skills. Or in other words: DOUBLE KILL, MULTI KILL, MEGA KILL, ULTRA KILL, MONSTERRRRR KILLLLLLLLLL!!! Hearing that voice just makes my spine tingle everytime...
[UPDATE] - According to Epic the filesize of the update will be more than 1 Gig large! Yeah, go ahead. Start cleaning up your hard disk already.
