UT2004 MegaPack



The UT2004 MegaPack - an early Merry Christmas from the folks at Epic Games and a thank you to all of the Unreal Tournament 2004 owners out there. This long-rumoured and surprise pack is comprised of a number of Make Something Unreal Contest winners and a handful of unreleased maps from contracted level designers.

Not content to just zip a nonet of third party maps, Epic took these promising maps and helped polish them to a shine. If you've played an earlier version of any of these maps, you'll find most of them altered a good deal. In this feature we'll serve up a few screenshots and a description of what's in store.

If you're new to Unreal Tournament 2004 or just don't have the Editor's Choice Edition downloadable content, you'll want to download the full MegaPack above, as it includes the latest patch and the Editor's Choice Edition assets that many third part add-ons require.

Check out our review of the Editor's Choice Edition for all of the details on the characters, vehicles, and Onslaught maps that it brings to the table.

Now, on to the newness...

CTF-BP2-Concentrate





Returning from Community Bonus Pack 1, with a new skybox, smart new lighting, and a cleverly integrated flagroom antechamber that provides new gameplay. My beloved Flak is slightly harder to grab, but it may be a better map in the long run because of the changes. Time will tell.



CTF-BP2-Pistola





I had this to say about Pistola in our review of its first appearance in the CBP2 Pack, and it pretty much holds true as the map is virtually unchanged.

An instant classic. This is one map that probably will end up on ladder play. It's balanced, sharp, optimized well, and has just enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. Like the other maps with the abundance of overhead indoor architecture, be sure and look up if you can't find that pesky flag carrier.





DM-BP2-GoopGod





This map is just dripping with style. The visuals are very pleasing to the eye, with some great texture and lighting work. The gameplay is very decentralized... the main rooms are fairly difficult to control, so this map should be better suited for larger player counts. There are a few trouble spots, though. For example, you can get stuck behind a few crates and the only way to get out is to suicide. Other than that, this is a great map.



DM-BP2-Calandras





If you're a fan of unique maps that ooze with custom content, this map is for you. The quality of gameplay is, of course, nowhere near the quality of the visuals in this map, so you may find yourself taking a quick look around then deciding to move on. The architecture is well done, with seamless integration of natural elements like terrain and trees. The texturing and lighting are also top-notch.

NEXT: ASSAULT MAPS!