Since the original wasn't broke, what's been changed are really just touches to the game; it got new looks, it's got new turf and it's got a new interface, but at it's core it's still the same fast paced, grab and kill, smart-bot filled unreal tournament. Veterans and fans of the first one should have no trouble jumping into the action immediately.

Getting started is easy. All the menus are self-explanatory; simply fill out the forms to create a profile for single and multiplayer. Whenever you fire up single player it comes back to your profile, letting you view your record, prioritize weapons to your preference and adjust the team lineup before you hit the arena. Very nice.

Before you get your hands on a team, though, you have to qualify for the tournament league. These "qualification trials" are the easy, introductory battles, designed to ease new players and returning veterans back into the game. It starts with 1 v 1 and slowly ramps up to a full-scale death match. Once you've met league standards, the last step before ladder competition is to draft a team and then beat them in order to prove your worth as a leader. Drafting isn't just another sports gimmick-the AI is no longer just a bot with a name, but now possesses unique scores for such things as accuracy and aggression, and often has a weapon preference. Before each match, you can select who sits on the bench and who plays-and what their default assignment is; after a victorious match, you are often given a chance for a player-trade. This selection is essential to success, as various maps will be favor different skills and your opposition will be making the most their given strengths.