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Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict
Developer(s)	Epic Games
Publisher(s)	Midway Games
Engine	Unreal Engine 2.5
Platform(s)	Microsoft Xbox
Release	April 18 2005
Genre(s)	First-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer

Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict is a first-/third-person shooter video game part of the Unreal series of games. It was developed by Epic Games and published by Midway Games for an April 18 2005 release on the Xbox game console. It is a direct sequel to the 2002 game Unreal Championship, which itself is a console version of its PC counterpart Unreal Tournament 2003. Unreal Championship 2, to a much larger degree than its predecessor, is specifically designed from the ground up for the Xbox console and takes full advantage of the Xbox Live gaming arena.

Gameplay

In the game a player can choose from fourteen different characters from the Unreal universe. Unreal Championship 2 features the new gametypes Overdose and Nali Slaughter, new weapons; including the use of never-before seen melee weapons, and more adrenaline moves than ever before.

Unreal Championship 2 attempts to combine the genres of first-person shooter with third-person fighting games like Soul Calibur. To aid in this new kind of combined gameplay, a secret character is included in the game from Mortal Kombat, another fighting game, specifically, the Thunder God Raiden.

Players can use mêlée weapons only in third-person mode (choosing them will change the mode automatically), but can switch between first- and third-person mode on the fly while using guns. Many players learn to use guns in third person because of the extra sense of their surroundings it gives, as well as the ability to switch more easily to mêlée mode which can literally deflect bullets. In fact, one can redirect a rocket or sniper bullet directly back to the person who shot it.

The game also features, in addition to the classic multiplayer, a single player story spiced up with cut scenes, story specific missions, and tournament ladders for each character in the game. All of the characters have the adrenaline moves "Speed" and "Nimble", as well as race specific moves, started with a sequence similar to a combo. The player can modify gameplay with mutators such as "High Speed Mode", "Low Grav", "Big Head" (each kill increases the size of your head), "Vampire" (steals life from your victim), and more.

Introduction

Another Tournament hosted by Liandri Mining Corporation, one of the richest organizations. Like every Tournament hosted, they always have new weapons, armors, competitors and arenas. The Liandri Corporation is proud to announce the new competition is being held in concert with the Nakhti Ascension Rites. This ancient tradition is a battle to death, where Nakhti warriors meet to choose the strongest among them to be their new Emperor. And more importantly, they get a chance to compete in the Grand Tournament!

For the first time in the tournament history, there are full selection of melee weapons. With this the competitors can get close and personal, and slice and tear each other to pieces.

Rosters

Throughout the Unreal Universe, several species from round the Universe come to Liandri to compete on a match, each with different skills type and race. The feature to the game is the different type of characters, each character are favored to be one of the following

• Light: Speed in movement & acrobatics but weak attack rates.
• Heavy: High in attacking but slow in movement and double jumping
• Neutral: Medium attack rate, medium speed in movement and performing some acrobatic moves

Bots

NAKHTI

• Darius
• Hyena
• Memphis
• Nepthys
• Mirage
• Ra

NECRIS"

• Calypso
• Judas
• Lilth

JUGGERNAUGHT

• Jackhammer

SKAARJ"

• Karrg
• Korig
• Garek

LIANDRI

• Szyzgy
• Corrosion

Weapons

There are three types of ranged weapons. Energy weapons, powered by tarydium crystal, Explosive weapons, powered by explosive ammo, and a set of unique pistols. Different characters have his/her own unique weapon depending on their race. For example, a Nakhti will use a set of small duel pistols while Robots which are made by Liandri Corp, will use a Rivet Gun.

Melee

The melee have the same moves but the special abilities depends on the character to perform their own Coup de Grace. The melee also has the ability to deflect projectiles aproaching the wielder, if timed correctly the projectile will re-direct to the opponent causing higher damage. It can also be used has a shield, but the shield takes up energy.

• • Nakhti Staff: A staff used by the Nahkti for centuries, Anubis uses this staff.
  • Legion Sword: A heavy sword used by the Imperial Legion, Sobek favors this weapon
  • Nakhti Swords: A duel sword becoming popular among the Nakhti race, Selket uses these duel swords.
  • Thunder Staff: Raiden's main weapon, carried and used for centuries, this staff brings him victory
  • Nakhti Axe: An axe used by Apophis.
  • Liandri Hammers: Pounding weapons used by Liandri Mining bots, used by Corrosion, Raptor, and Szygzy.
  • Necris Swords: Duel swords coated with nanoblack, used by Lilith, Lauren, and Calypso.
  • Molten Kama: Short duel knives designed by Liandri Corporation, a weapon for Devastation
  • Dark Staff:A staff coated with a nanoblack, this is used by Judas & Brock.
  • Juggernaut Fist: The hands of a Juggernaut, used by Gorge, Arclite, and Jackhammer.
  • Cryo Swords: A set of duel swords used by Sapphire, these can freeze an enemy.
  • Skaarj Claws: The traditional Skarrj weapon, can freeze enemies with poison. It is used by Torgr, Szalor, Korig, Karrg, and Garek.
  • Cryo Staff: A staff that freezes enemies, it is only used by Malcom.

Pistols

Pistols are used for 2 things, to freeze an enemy in order to perform a special move, or to destroy the opponent with it.

• • Nakhti Scorpions: this Rapid pistol fires an energy ammo while using one pistol. Using the Alt-Fire will cause the opponent frozen for some few seconds, this can be performed with both pistol. This weapon can only be used with a Nakhti Race
  • Skaarj Razik: fires a poison projectile from a far distances, while using the alt fire will cause the opponent to slow down for a few seconds. This weapon can only be used by a Skaarj Race.
  • Duel Enforcers: they are back and used for decades in the Tournament. Necris, Juggernaut, and Human can use this pistol which with different attacks. The Necris alt will stun opponent with a nanoblack infection while the opponent fights for it. The Juggernaunt's spray a bullet which is unstoppable to control while the Human an ice that freezes the opponent.
  • Lightning Bolts : a special weapon only use by Raiden, created by him and it shoots lightning bolts while the alt shocks the opponent.

Energy weapons

Unlike the other titles of UT series, in this title players have to collect ammos for the selected Energy to appear, if the weapon has no ammo it will not be selectable. The ammos are Tarydium crystal, with a different weapon, the crystal color will be different.

• • Sniper Rifle: This is an advanced sniper, it does not shoot 1 bullet at a time, but a normal primary fires, fires 3 shots at a time. With the alt fire, it activate the scope mode. This weapon can cause instant death if it is a head shot.
  • Shock Rifle: AMSD will always be back in the Tournament, instead of using the double combo to instant kill the opponent, they can be frozen by it
  • Bio Rifle: this acid ammo can be used to spread dozens of blobs when fully charge, fired at limited distance at an opponent or an air detonated poisonous mist
  • Stinger: continuous fire of this sharded Tarydium crystal will even cause it to be more deadly. Using the alt fire will cause a large amount of firing and even follow the opponent to a locked on target

Explosives

Explosives require explosive ammunition, and can only be used by skilled players who know how to frag opponent and not themselves.

• • Rocket Launcher: The standard weapon and know to Fighters, this weapon will always be avaible in a Tournament. In this title, it has a new changes, it can now fire a two missiles locked together, which can be split for a drunken fire mode.(Just like the type for Unreal II: The Awakening
  • Flak Cannon: This is the best weapon to use at tight corridors because it deflects and bounces narrowly. This can be done by the primary fire, while alt fire shoots a lob explosive.
  • Grenade Launcher: Using the alt fire, will shoot a mine and it can be detonated by the primary fire. It can also be detonated in mid air. Players will have to find a skill to use on detonating it on their opponents.
  • Rip Jack: Is back from the last Tournament taken 4 years ago. The weapon has same type has of before, but the primary cannot instantly be fired, it takes about 1 sec to refire, one shot on the opponents head will cause instant death. While the alt fire, will charge the blade when fired it explodes on touching.

Controls & moves

Just like the basic controls for other Unreal titles, lies in the First Person View spectative. Since this game features an orginial First Person View and also an additional Third Person Shooter, players can perform acorbatic moves and put off unbelievable skills.

Like before no changes were made for the First Person view, just the similar basic controls. The only cool thing a player can do is to lock on their traget, and switch between First Person View & Third Person using a weapon

What mostly take the major part in this game is the melee control. Even though using a weapon in FPS, players can pull off stunning moves, but have some disadavantages. While in melee mode, players can only fight in a Third Person mode, with this, players can perform such skills like:

• Pounce Attack: Uses 2 adrenaline space, this attack makes a character pounce on their target with full force, doubtfully no need for charging the melee weapon.
• Heavy Attack: Launches a alternate heavy attack version of the normal straigth slay attack. Note that, using this attack, it also gives opponent an open space and time to attack. Using a Heavy character, will lose down their speed when attacking.
• Coup de Grace: Once the player freezes an opponent, if the player switches to melee mode by locking on to the target. A code on screen will display but needs to be entered, once input correctly, a cutscene will take place, making the player perform a devastating finishing move on his/her opponent. Note that when playing online, if a player uses a Coup de Grace on another player, other players televsion set will not play a cutscene, accept for the player using the Coup de Grace, also they won't be able to hurt that player. Different character have his or her Coup de Grace, accept for bots who use similar Coup de Grace
• Deflect & Sheilding: Players can deflect projectiles and bullets, if timed correctly, not only the player will knock away a projectile, but also send that projectile directly back to that user. Using this causes some energy Pistol to decrease. Shielding is every effective, it protects the player from certain arm against explosive weapons, energy weapons, melee, pounce attacks and pistols. Note that this also consumes some energy maintain for the energy pistols.
• Dash/Charge: Dashing is every effective and also comes in need up help! If a player's health is at a low rate, the player can charge up is melee weapon and sprong away. This move can also be used as an attack! When charging the melee weapon, there is a certain time to release, when released at a correct time it even causes more damage.
• Wall Jump: Another thing bought to this game is the ability to wall jump at narrowed spaced walls. With this skill, players don't need to elevate via the jump pads, but can elevate using this skill. This move can be excuted when double jumping.

Changes to Unreal gaming

Throughout the Unreal titles, new concept and gameplay has been added to make the game more better, action packed and online gaming. This title is totally different to the other Unreal titles, this list shows the added concept and gaming to the Unreal series:

• Players can switch in between either Third Person View or First Person View
• Melee weapons can now be used for combat
• Different Adrenaline combos can be performed with different characters
• Two adrenaline fill ups, once activated, it decreases, but the adrenaline powerup finishes at a certain time, unlike previous Unreal titles. When adrenaline as been activated the countdown begins while that is the chance for the player to perform his combo, once the count drains adrenaline finishes
• Before the start of the game, players can now select their desire weapon of choice
• Players can only carry 3 weapon at a time, one for Melee, Explosive and an Energy Weapon
• Fusion between Mortal Kombat World and Unreal World combined together
• Survival Match as been added, if a player as been fragged, the player has to Spectate and wait for his/her turn
• Nali Slaughter, slaughter as much Nali as the player can
• Finishing move can be excuted when an opponent is frozen, similar to Mortal Kombat series finishing move
• Shield Barrel and ability to deflect projectiles and bullets
• Using skills to elevate through or above a narrow wall
• Adrenaline can even be builded up without collecting adrenaline pills

Game types

While new things has been added to this game and differs from other Unreal titles, the Game Type will be the same, but with different name and concepts. These list are the Game Type that can be played either offline or online:

• Nali Slaughter: a game invented by the Skaarj, Players has unlimited time to slaughter Nalis for scores, different Nali give different points. If a player slaughters an invincible Nali, it will give a 6 points, henchmen Nali will give 3 points while normal Nali gives 1 point
• Overdose: Similar, actually extractly like Bombing Run, but acts are different. Players will collect either a Gold ball or Silver that respawn at a certain location. If a Gold ball has been delivered to its place which is the Gold Section, it will give the player 6 points but if deliverd at a White Section it gives 3 points. If the ball's radiation is full, when deliverd at an either any location, the character gets an Overdose, which turns them invincible and gives them double damage
• Survival: Similar to a Deathmatch, but when a player has been fragged, he/she will have to wait for his/her turn
• Deathmatch: No changes made, just like the rest of the Unreal series.
• TeamDeathmatch: No changes made, just like the rest of the series
• Capture the Flag: No changes made, just like the rest of the series

Ascension Rites

Ascension Rites is a single player Campaign mode for Unreal Championship 2, in which combatants of many races and types fight within the Liandri sponsored Grand Tournament. In the particular game year featured, the Grand Tournament is held in concert with the Nakhti Ascenion rites. Ascension Rites take place on the Nakhti World, where the strongest fighter will be crowned Emperor.

Anubis is featured in the Ascension Rites storyline as the main character. Anubis ran away from a older tournament taking place long time ago, and also abandoned the woman he was to marry, Selket. For ten years, he has served in an isolated military outpost. Now he returns to the capital and to the Grand Tournament. He had no choice but to participate on the Liandri tournament, because Selket was to be made emperor if she wins the Ascension Rites, her family only wants the sekptor but not the duty of the throne. Sobek partners with Anubis in this tournament while Apophis is the guard of Selket.

Tournament

Tournament mode is just like Ascension Rites (Campaign mode), accept no FMV or Cutscene can be seen in this. This mode features all characters and their storyline. In this mode players can also unlock other characters linking to them. For example Players will need to finish Malcolms tournament if they want to unlock/ play Gorge's tournament. This tournament takes place after the Ascension Rites.

• ANUBIS: After winning the Ascension Rites and crowned emperor. Anubis once again had no choice but to participate in this tournament, just to see is beloved wife Selket again. If Anubis keeps on winning, the Liandri will keep paying him, making him able to afford the necris process.

During is winning, Anubis as been husled by Malcolm to join him and his team,"The Thunder Clash". Also Anubis enemies kept on increasing, when joing the Thunder Clash, because he refuse the Nahkti Team. Anubis final encounter is Brock & Gorge in a Survival match.

• Sobek:
• Selket: Although in the finals of Ascension Rites, Selket failed through the hands of Anubis, she died. Players will be able to play with her in the Tournament, but basically she is Necris, however players can switch between the Necris Selket and original Selket. But through "Xbox Live" players will have to download a skin for her "Necris Selket".
• Malcolm:
• Sapphire:
• Lauren: Once rode with the Thunder Clash before her death. After Brock died, she couldn't take the pain any more and decided to commit suicide. Her ratings are so high, fans were shock for her death, Liandri decided to pay the Phaydier Assasins to bring her back to life. Now back she doesn't remember who she was before, the Thunder Clash and the man she loved "Brock". During the tournament instead of joining the Thunder Clash, she formed her own team "The Black Legion". Her final encounter of the tournament is Brock.
• Brock: After the defeat of Malcolm by Gorge, Brock's anger drove him off leading him to a evitable death. Bought back to life by the Necris Process, he doesn't remember who he was, The Thunder Clash and even Lauren. Brock formed his own team, and his final encounter is Lauren.
• Malcolm:
• Szalor: His team was slaugtherd by Torgr's team, he was later enslaved. Instead of killing him in an instance, Torgr decided to imulate him in an embrassing way. By entering Szalor in the Tournament, if he is wins the tournament, he will be freed. If he doesn't, basically he will die trying, earning him a honor. Szalor's final encounter is Torgr.
• Torgr: He also enters the tournament just to see Szalor die trying to win the tournament. During his time in the tournament, Torjr skills and strength couldn't be matched with other fighters, he even told the Liandri he wants a better challenge. Liandri even enter 3 bots of Devastation. His final encounter is Szalor.
• Devastation:
• Raptor: Works as a minning bot. Liandri entered Raptor to give fans more slaugther and blood.
• Raiden:

Challenges

This is partically a different game session, it's basically a challenge. For players who are advanced and want a better challenges. This as nothing to do with the characters, but it does add a little story of what happen during the tournament.

Critics

Among criticisms about the game are problems related to what within gaming is called how the game is "balanced". The legitimacy of such issues is argued both for and against by proponents and detractors. The only real gauge for such legitimacy stands within general reactions of players and how they, collectively, perceive the game. Without hard data broadly and scienfitically measuring players' reactions, assessment of true legitimacy in game balance issues is impossible to resolve.

While some complaints could be seen as the begrudging whining of inferiorly skilled players, the same complaints could be perceived as legitimate concerns that detract from a game's enjoyment. Among such perceptions by some players of legitimate balance issues are the following examples, though counterresponses (not discussed here) exist for each complaint:

• Players using a Rocket Launcher can fire at the ground, not affording an opponent the opportunity to Reject (deflect) the rocket back.
• Players who singlemindedly exploit the simplest and most direct means of killing frustrate other players whose interest in the game goes beyond the immediacy of a quick victory. (For example, players who exploit the Melee attack are often referred to by other players as "Melee Whores". Melee combatants tend to more easily escape other players' using ranged weapon and have an easier ability to pounce upon their opponent and generally sustain continuous and heavy attacks.)
• Some players complain about how, in using rejection to deflect a shot back, the deflection cannot be avoided depending on the way the shot was first fired.
• Many opposing players have come to despise Anubis-character players' using Energy Burst. While opposing players can use a shield to block the attack, the attack happens very quickly, causing the opposing player to massively lose health.
• Some players complain of how when engaged in completing a kill a third-party player can exploit the kill in progress. This third-party technique is sometimes called "vulturing". Any player engaged in completing a kill, having spent significant resources in destroying the opponent and unable to do so quickly enough, risks exploitation of the kill in progress by yet a third "vulture" player, who swoops in between the two weakened combatants to make an easy kill of one or both.
• Players can in some situations lock on to an opponent in order to kill them. Some players complain about this because a successful lock-on cannot be avoided. For example, using a lock on with a Rip Jack weapon, once it has be fully charged and fired, cannot be escaped because the blade hovers around the player and explodes.

Kill awards

Just like the rest of Unreal series, each kill bring an award depending on the players lasting longer and without being fragged. Since this game brings new element to gaming, the kill ratings names has been changed.

Special ratings

Brain Surgeon: 5 fragged players using Sniper Rifle/Ripjack causing a Headshot

Cavalier: fragged players using Jump Dash

Combo: rejecting Lauren's freeze attack back to her

Flawless: winning a match without the opponent winning any rounds

First Blood: first player in a match to frag an opponent

Headshot: killing an opponent by shooting thorugh his/her head causing instant death

Interception: freezing an opponent, collecting the dropped ball, killing the opponent (but doesn't have to) and delivering it to the ball point!

Jumpy Bitch: Jumping A lot

Rejection: Player rejecting a fired bullet back to the owner

Samurai: using a samurai skill to frag an opponent with melee

Smack Down: two players using a pounce on each other

Wasted: charging the melee attack and missing an oppponent

Weapon ratings

Biohazard: 7 Kills, or 5 alt-fire kills with the bio rifle

Blue Streak: 10 players fragged

Disk Jockey: 10 kills with the ripjack

Eight Balls: 10 kills with rockets

Flak Monkey 10 player fragged with the flak cannon

Goop God: 15 kills with the bio rifle

Landmine: 5 player fragged using Alt Fire mines

Rocket Scientist: 20 kills with the Rocket Launcher

Sharpshooter: 10 kills with the sniper rifle

Shock Therapist: 10 players fragged with the shock rifle

Kill ratings

Ratings Per Frag | Killing Opponents without being fragged "Spree"

• Double Kill : 2 kills- If the Player lasts 2 kills - Killingspree
• Multikill : 3 kills- if the player lasts 3 kills - Rampage
• Mega Kill : 4 kills- if the player lasts 4 kills - Massacre
• Monster Kill: 5 kills- if the player lasts 5 kills - Dominating
• Ultra Kill : 6 kills- if the player lasts 6 kills - Unstoppable
• Unholy : 7 kills- if the player lasts 7 kills or more - Godlike
• Impossible : 8 kills
• Unpossible : 9+ kills

Stages

During the game, some stages will not be available, due to the gametype. For example a player will not be able to participate on a certain level depending on the Game type selected.

DEATHMATCH

• Acid Rain
• Apex
• Ascension
• Decay
• Sovreign
• Whisper

CAPTURE THE FLAG

• Downfall
• Gauntlet
• Total Control
• Turmoil
• Viperpit

OVERDOSE

• Apex
• Cancer
• Praxis
• Recoil

MULTIPLAYABLE

• Azure
• Cold Fusion

Graphic Engine

Mentioned above, the graphic engine used to power up this game was bought by Unreal Engine 2X. It is the advanced version of Unreal Engine 2. Earning more up to 3-4 times polygons. Unreal Engine 2X supports the fixed pipline and programmable pipeline. It aslo supports vertex and pixel shaders support.

Unreal Engine 2X as different special features which can be seen during the game:

• Full Scene Light Bloom and Emissive Materials

Both emissive materials (materials that appear to emit light) and full screen light blooming are two of the post processing effects that UE2X supports. The full screen light bloom uses the luminance of pixels in the scene to determine whether or not they are “hot.” “Hot” pixels are then manipulated using image space techniques resulting in a soft light blooming effect. Emissive materials are handled in a similar way, except that which portions of an object that give off light are completely under the control of an artist.

• Depth of field

UE2X supports two different modes of depth of field. The first mode is always on, is based upon an absolute depth/blur amount, and enhances z-depth perception. The other mode is used to focus on specific objects in the scene, blur objects outside the focus depth planes, and give the player the feel of looking through a rifle scope.

• Image Space Effects

Distortion, controllable filter kernel blurs, radial blurs, and color space manipulation are some of the image space effects supported by the UE2X engine. Distortion can even be applied on arbitrary geometry, for dynamic explosions, character effects, and the like. This can be noticed, when a player uses "concussion" (Gorge's Adrenaline power) on another player. When respawning, speed dashing and using the "Speed" Adrenaline power. Certain levels have Ocean designs, stages like Praxis, when a player looks out the window, the Distortion emulating water can be seen. Even using the Shock Rifle's alternate combo firing, the special effects on the shocks can be seen, velocities passing along the sphere.

• Dynamic Gamma

Dynamic gamma correction is used to keep textures crisp on televisions and is used to calculate the overall luminance of a scene for light blooming (an ocular adjustment effect).

• Advanced Projected Lighting/Textures

UE2X improves projectors by handling them on the GPU to free up precious CPU cycles. Additionally, projector rendering batches multiple projectors into a single pass using specialized vertex and pixel shaders. If a character stands on a certain distances of light, he/her shadow will display on the ground. Each interactive movements caused, also makes the shadow to interact just like the character.

• Efficient Player Shadows

UE2X uses special texture formats to make higher resolution shadows affordable on the Xbox. These shadows are 1/4 th the memory of the same resolution shadow without this optimization. Also, an optimized render path is used to give nice soft edges without multiple passes. If a character stands on a certain distances of light, he/her shadow will display on the ground. Each interactive movements caused, also makes the shadow to interact just like the character.

Xbox Live

Additional maps and characters can be freely downloaded via Xbox Live.

External links

• Unreal Championship 2 official website
• Planet Unreal

• Unreal Engine 2X Page

• Unreal
• 2005 computer and video games
• Xbox games
• First-person shooters
• Midway Games