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My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

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wfank30
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My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by wfank30 »

I am a huge fan of the original Unreal game, played it between 2001-2013, for 12 years, my most favorite game ever. I no longer have the game as my old PC broke but still have fond memories of it, and i just wanted to do an analysis of each map based on how great it was (rating on a scale of 10) and the difficulty of all maps , all are in Level 3 Unreal difficulty but how difficult are each map compared to the others? The difficulty scale is: E: Easy, M: Medium, H: hard and U: Unreal. This is entirely imo and am sure other players had different experiences, short summaries of my own experience, but on with my analysis:


1. Vortex Rikers (excellent opening, great intro, beginning of a long journey, nothing much to do but dodge electric wires and read about the crash landing). Difficulty: E. Ratings: 7.

2. NyLeve's Falls (dramatic change in atmosphere, as you escape the congested space craft and see the beautiful waterfall and blue sky, and some fun fights with lesser brutes). Difficulty: E. Ratings 8.

3. Rrajigar Mine (a long, tedious and intensely difficult level. Yes the creatures aren't tough, but neither are the only 3 basic weapons you have, the first skaarj battle in the dark with just a simple automag is a horror show. Also the fatal unforgiving lava, this is the level that discouraged most of my friends, if you pass this you can do it all in the game, if you fail this Unreal isn't for you). Difficulty: H, Ratings: 6.

4. Depths of Rrajigar (Rajigar isn't over, but this is far less complex. Finally two tough opponents, a real Brute and a tough Skaarj Warrior appears, but the ASDM is just was too good for them and loyal to me, good music). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 7.5.

5. Sacred Passage: (Finally out of the unforgiving mine, back to the the open beauty, I loved this, fun battle with the skaarj warrior and lesser brutes, the beautiful water passage and the temple, nice level). Difficulty: E, Ratings: 8.5.

6. Chizara: (Tough and complex, a long ride, and introduction of the brutal Sliths, yet I like the environment of the temple, the secrets, riddles and mysteries and finally the destructive 8 Balls). Difficulty: H, Ratings : 9.

7. The Ceremonial Chambers: ( Having the 8 balls make the Sliths and Skaarj a peace of cake here, if you passed Chizara, the tasks here are a lot easier). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 7.

8. Dark Arena: (This level was just epic, back under the open sky, the Colosseum interesting chambers and dungeons, storires of the prisoners, the redy to fight skaarjs and finally the first true difficult battle in the game with the Titan, the pillar is useful to dodge, it may not be for the impatient, but for the skillful they would love the challenge). Difficulty: H (Titan Fight alone), Ratings: 10.

9. Harobed Village: (A nice environment, cool to explore, not very challenging, but here you collect best weapon in the game imo, the Flak Cannon). Difficulty: E, Ratings: 8.

10. Terraniux Underground: (Hated this congested environment, disgusting green slime, stupid robotic music, at least the Mercenaries here are weaker than whats to come soon). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 4.

11. Terraniux: (extremely complex and difficult, the Mercenaries are badass difficult even with the Flak Cannon (also limited ammos here), the sliths are immune to the new GES bio rifle, and the tasks are complex and difficult. A very difficult level indeed and only skills and ability to trick mercenaries gets one through). Difficulty: U, Ratings: 6.5.

12. Noork's Elbow: (finally I cried to God, out of the filthy terriniux. the mercenaries here are way too weak and less healthy than what i just over came. Nice environment, and beautiful view of the next temple. Like to do a little swim before entering the next big level.) Difficulty: E, Ratings: 7.

13. Temple of Vandora (Another awesome temple, bigger but less complex than Chizara. The music on this map is just epic and beautiful. The skaarj fights are cool, and finally i fight my most fav skaarj sub type, the never backing, unforgiving Skaarj Berserker meets my Flak Cannon, plus brutes and weaker skaarj (the trooper kind emerges too) and finally another badass Titan fight, but with less space to dodge. A brilliant map over all. Difficulty: H, Ratings : 10.

14. The Treanch (Might look tough, but what I do is just kill the gasbags shooting them down from the cave and do a sneaky dodging avoiding angry Titans to get to the ISV Kran. Alternatively you can easily shoot them down from the top before jumping down). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 6.5.

15. ISV-Kran Deck 4 (You might have suspected I don't like trapped environments and space ships, but the ISV Kran is just too cool not to love, the electric environment and technologies here are awesome. Difficulty: M, Ratings: 8.

16. ISV Kran Deck 2 and 3 (This was amazing, the environment, the skaarj battles, the cool robot suits (though you never use them), the stories of the fallen, the pool of acid, great stuffs. Long map with difficult stuffs, my type of thing.) Difficulty: H, Ratings: 9.

17. ISV Kran Deck 1 (the last decks were cool, but this one feels congested and the frequent shakes signaling the ship getting unstable just make you wanna leave as quick as possible, the blobs and acids are nasty if you dont have the anti toxic suit). Difficulty: H, Ratings: 7.

18. Spire Village (cool night sky of Na Pali, the Titans seems significantly diluted in power and easy to slay with 8 balls/Flak cannon + you have invisibility). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 7.5.

19. The Sunspire (not much, kindacomplex temple in the game, just be careful of the lava wile taking the narrow path, fight the skaarj, gasbags, and the most annoying creature in the game Pupae. Weapon 10 Minigun is hardly better than the automag, the same ammo used, a disappointment). Difficulty: H, Ratings: 7.

20. Gateway to Na Pali (beautiful sky cave, be careful not to fall, its a beautiful level, lovely music, kralls are interesting creatures, Weapon 9 Rifle is great, league with Flak cannon and 8 Balls as the three best weapons in the game). Difficulty: E, Ratings: 8.

21. Na Pali Haven (sky town, the most beautiful and peaceful level in the game. the music is kinda romantic, I feel in love with the game. This place is just a beauty to explore and cool fights with kralls and skaarjs. The ending is a cool twist, where you have to swim the beautiful lake to the next level, I wish i could swim in space water for real, I can't describe my love for this map with words [ch128150]). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 10 + .

22. Outpost 3J (sky base, this is the nastier part of our beautiful experience in the outer space trilogy, swim to the surface before running out of scuba gear and continue the merciless war against the skaarj and kralls. a cool space jet you will see in action later. the teleportation is a cool spot). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 8.

23. Velora Pass (back to the surface of Na Pali and you are on imo the toughest encounter in the game with the gigantic Stone Titan. But plenty of places to dodge, and I mostly use a trick to push the bench again, continue to dodge until the bridge which sank into lava rises again, cross, hide behind, pull the leaver as soon as the stone titan steps in and he is roasted in lava). Difficulty: H, Ratings: 8.5.

24. Bluff Eversmoking (on first look it looks huge and difficult, but with the stock of weapons, and you getting used to the tricks and tasks and the Nalis guiding, its way easier than it looks. The ghost Nalis are pretty cool). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 8.

25. Dasa Mountain Pass (dispersion pistol wielding skaarj gunners are tougher than 8 balls wielding ones, the rockets are easier to dodge than the speedy blue beams, also the rockets can be shot down with ASDM, but the blue beams nothing to do but dodge. Its a congested and ugly level). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 5.5.

26. Cellars at Dasa Pass (by far the most difficult level in the game imo, very long, Stone Titan, Behemoths, swarms of skaarjs, brutes and kralls and all the complex tasks and exposing secrets you have to do, this is the peak of difficulty of Unreal, even the huge stock of weapon isn't much help, skills, patients and determination is what this monster map takes). Difficulty: U, Ratings: 7.5.

27. Serpent Canyon (nice boat ride, great music, just one flyand only two skaarjs to know out. Easy level, a deserving rest bite after its predecessor and before its successor.) Difficulty: E, Ratings: 7.5.

28. Nali Castle (the heart of the game, the into in the castle, some complex tricky tasks and tough skaarj, kralls and brutes to fight. The Giant Gasbag is a piece of cake with the flak cannon,
the sufferings of the Nali are unbearbel, watching them beheaded, tied up rosting in fire and all, and the one you chase only to see him shot down by the jet you saw earlier (funny thing, if you get killed by the jet, the message says you were killed by the Nali. Could this possibly have been an evil Nali, having lost faith on the messiah, trying to lead you to your death? Anyway great level wit complex tasks and cool fighting actions). Difficulty: H, Ratings: 8.5.

29. Demonlord's Lair (the Warlord's a tough beast, this is one tough battle, unless you use the amplifier, but theres no fun in that, so dodge his deadly rockets, avoid lava and do the brutal fight, till he teleport away...) Difficulty: H, Ratings: 6 (the battle cool, the environment? nothing but rock and flame)

30. Demon Crater (pupaes are the most annoying creatures here, the skaarj are tough but no prob with the high tech weapons and plenty of places to dodge, still congested.) Difficulty: M, Ratings: 6.5.

31. MotherShip Basement (beginning of the finale, welcome aboard the mothership, just a few skaarj, imo the easiest map in the game). Difficulty: E, Ratings: 7.5.

32. MotherShip Lab (Amazing level, love to see the skaarj experiments, the skaarjs, mercaneris and blobs inside the barrier, the blue skaarj one looks ready for a fight already... epic encounter with the cool golden skaarj berserker, the map length is great and fitting and the music reflects the intensity). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 10.

33. MotherShip Core (This is similar to the previous, but a lot more twisted and complex and the skaarj here are more aggressive. One last fight with my beloved Brute, r.i.p). Difficulty: M, Ratings: 8.5.

34. Skaarj Generator (with the swarm of skaarj lords and assassins it might sound tough, but they arent a challenge as you dodge, fire and teleport. The real challenge is the WarLord, again I don't use amplifiers, and this time its a fight till death, so a tough and brutal battle). Difficulty: U, Ratings: 8.

35. Illumination ( run as far as you can from the generator you just destroyed, cool seeing the ruins wiped out by blue lightning aurora.). Difficulty: E, Ratings: 7.5.

36. The Darkening (the mothership lab and mothership core are combined here, only the lighting is out. The search light is so useful, never runs out like the flash light did. Ihe green and blue laser Sakaarjs are tough, then there are pupaes and even the mercenaries, but you don't have to explore all and can easily avoid them, but I chose to explore everything. Finally the blue, Ice Skaarj textured Skaarj Berserker, the toughest in the game, who hated me the moment he saw me is lose and waiting, guarding the final gate. Six perfect shots from the flak cannon, this guy keeps going. Its a tough level overall, and this ultra tough Skaarj gives it a fitting ending). Difficulty: H, Ratings: 9.

37. The Source Antechamber (nothing much, kill a skaarj lord, get to the transporter and get redy for the final battle). Difficulty: E, Ratings: 6.5.

38. The Source (the final destination, the music is ffitting to get you redy and fired up for the final battle. Grab all the cool stuffs laying there and enter the Source. Then emerges the Queen, along with the swarm of pupaes. She is tough. She can teleport inside you, bursting you out. What I do is jump to the center pillar with the jumping boot, thankfully the Queen doesnt teleport there, so just keep shooting and dodging, till she is dead and Unreal is over. A great journey coming to an end as you board the space craft that would take you home). Difficulty: H (out of respect for the Queen), Ratings: 8.

39. Ending Sequence (Think about your amazing accomplishment as you hear the awesome final music congratulating you and rejoice as you see Na Pali where you encountered so much action from outer space, you might not return home for fuel shortage and are trapped aimlessly in space, but you got out of where no other humans managed to). Difficulty: N/A, Ratings: 9.


I am not including the Return to Na Pali expansion with it, it was good, but a let down compared to the original. This is my analysis of the original Unreal game, the best game I ever played! In summary:


Easiest Map: 31.
Hardest Map: 26.
Worst Map: 10.
Best map: 21.

The End...
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by wfank30 »

I just love this game, super amazing! The three toughest maps are 11, 26 and 34, I have rated all three U, 26 is the toughest of them all imho.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

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Interesting read. Thanks for the post.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by Smirftsch »

haha, great work. This almost looks like volunteering to usermaps, which have been abandoned long ago....
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by Krull0r »

Hey welcome to oldunreal.com

Thanks for sharing your impressions.

I enjoyed reading your thread. By reading it I had a play through of Unreal in my mind :)


I removed the other two topics in the other boards because they had the same content. I guess this board is the right one.


Last edited by Krull0r on Sat May 12, 2018 6:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

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[postsmovedhere1] 1 [postsmovedhere2] Anything else ? Krull0r.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by wfank30 »

My most favorite creature from the game was by far the Skaarj Berserkers, the golden one at Mothership Lab is by far my most favorite!
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

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Hardest Map: 26.
Maybe it takes much time due to the amount of mobs (113), but I'd call this level easy (it's not difficult even in case of starting with Dispersion Pistol only). Most of the enemies on DasaCellars are just weak Kralls, while you have a lot of possibilities to recover - the map has 4 Super Health packs (more than any other classic level), 2 Armors, 1 Shield Belt, lots of Nali Fruits, and a huge amount of ammo boxes for Flak Cannon.
30. Demon Crater (pupaes are the most annoying creatures here, the skaarj are tough but no prob with the high tech weapons and plenty of places to dodge, still congested.) Difficulty: M
This level is the hardest one, IMO.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by wfank30 »

The quantity of Kralls in that level is crazy. But other tough elements a Stone Titan, tougher skaarjs (lords, berserkers and assassin) and the deadly Behemoths, and also there are may complex and tedious objectives needed to be figured out. Different peopel have different experiences. I heard many say level 6 Chizara is hard but it was easy for me especially after I figured {"the stick with six fires" is actually the 8 Balls Rocket Launchers. But level 26 Dasa Cellars was by far the toughest level in the game for me, and I say that having beat the entire game countess times on Level 3 Unreal difficulty, which is attributed as "death wish"....
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by Hellkeeper »

The Na Pali Haven is by far the most atmospheric level of the whole game, it's wonderful. The great music complements it very well, I fell in love with the game at this point too.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by wfank30 »

The Na Pali Haven is by far the most atmospheric level of the whole game, it's wonderful. The great music complements it very well, I fell in love with the game at this point too.
Totally agree with that, if it was possible to travel to one of those maps for real, Sky Town (NaPali Haven) would definitely be my pic Smiley, just love that map :)....
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by wfank30 »

Out of all the battles I had in the game, my first encounter with the Titan in level 10 is my most fav. Eightball and ASDM combo and plenty of dodging to take this monster down. In later levels Titan fights gets too easy with dispersion pistol power ups and the Flack Cannon. But the Dark Arena Titan fight  is super challenging and that's why I like it the most :).
Last edited by wfank30 on Sun Jul 22, 2018 6:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by Masterkent »

But the Dark Arena Titan fight  is super challenging and that's why I like it the most :).
It could be challenging if the arena had no a solid obstacle in the centre (like in beta version). All you have to do for a easy combat there is just hiding from the Titan's left hand (which is throwing the rocks) and shoot his right side with any weapon.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

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But the Dark Arena Titan fight  is super challenging and that's why I like it the most :).
It could be challenging if the arena had no a solid obstacle in the centre (like in beta version). All you have to do for a easy combat there is just hiding from the Titan's left hand (which is throwing the rocks) and shoot his right side with any weapon.
You are right the pillar is protective, but wrong about the weapon choice which is limited to the 8 Balls which only carry 48 ammo, the ASDM just 20 ammo and the Stinger which isnt that tough, and the rest is mehbut you have to be good at dodging and hiding behind it every now and then, something I can do easily if I played now, but in my early days it was tough. Maybe you are right, The Temple Of Vandora Titan is tougher battle, with no obstacle to hide behind. But then again you have tougher weapons: DP+Power ups, GES and ofc the Flack Cannon. Still you and I are masters of the game now, but the Titan fight at the Dark Arena is a real challenge for early time players and I wrote in terms of my early days. In fact I found the Stone Titan fight from Valeora Pass easy as there is so many place to escape and dodge, compared the the Titan fight in Dark Arena which require great skills to master, and dodging the rocks is harder than you think, one strike, you are finished., thats he beauty of the Titans ;).
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by Masterkent »

You are right the pillar is protective, but wrong about the weapon choice which is limited to the 8 Balls which only carry 48 ammo
47 grenades suffice for killing him on difficulty 3 (difficulty levels are counted from 0).
the ASDM just 20 ammo
Max ASMD ammo amount is 50.
and the Stinger which isnt that tough
Against Titans, Stinger has nearly the same damage rate (damage per second) as the primary fire of Eightball. This is because damage to Titans from explosives is reduced by 30%.
and the rest is meh
Well, sometimes I killed him with only a non-upgraded Dispersion Pistol (and without using amp) for lulz. It's not difficult, just takes a lot of time.
The Temple Of Vandora Titan is tougher battle, with no obstacle to hide behind.
There is a strategy that lets you use a good obstacle there too. After meeting the last Brute you can return to the room with a button on a wall and proceed to the grating through which you can see the arena and safely shoot the Titan until he starts whining. Then go to the arena and finish him (If you kill him through the grating when playing without map-fixes, then the door to the arena will be closed, so a tricky weapon-jumping over the grating will be the only way out).

Last edited by Masterkent on Tue Jul 24, 2018 8:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

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You are right the pillar is protective, but wrong about the weapon choice which is limited to the 8 Balls which only carry 48 ammo
47 grenades suffice for killing him on difficulty 3 (difficulty levels are counted from 0).
the ASDM just 20 ammo
Max ASMD ammo amount is 50.
and the Stinger which isnt that tough
Against Titans, Stinger has nearly the same damage rate (damage per second) as the primary fire of Eightball. This is because damage to Titans from explosives is reduced by 30%.
and the rest is meh
Well, sometimes I killed him with only a non-upgraded Dispersion Pistol (and without using amp) for lulz. It's not difficult, just takes a lot of time.
The Temple Of Vandora Titan is tougher battle, with no obstacle to hide behind.
There is a strategy that lets you use a good obstacle there too. After meeting the last Brute you can return to the room with a button on a wall and proceed to the grating through which you can see the arena and safely shoot the Titan until he starts whining. Then go to the arena and finish him (If you kill him through the grating when playing without map-fixes, then the door to the arena will be closed, so a tricky weapon-jumping over the grating will be the only way out).

Sorry for late reply, I only checked back to this post after a while, but I CLEARLY mentioned I spoke in terms of the first time I played the game back in 2001, did you know that it takes amount of ammo when you first fought the Titan in the Dark Arena lol? Did you know all the strategies the very first time you faced him? Like I said in my after days he became a piece of cake, and I cud really beat him with a DP or even a max ammo Automag by themselves dodging with ease even on level 3 Unreal difficulty, but my main aim was to share my experience of the first time I played the game Btw ty for the Temple of Vandora tip, never tried that. But I like the challenges, and no better way to show your skills in Unreal than a face to face fight with a Titan imo , especially with my favorite Flack Cannon the ultimate Titan slayer ;) . Anyway am retired from playing the game now but talk just out of good old memories. Think this is my last post this year, wish all the best to you and all others still playing the awesome game. Bye.*
Last edited by wfank30 on Tue Dec 11, 2018 11:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: My Map by Map analysis of the original Unreal PC game

Post by wfank30 »

After 7 years, on January 24, 2021 I restarted playing the game and am going through all these again, (incidentally this is almost 20 years after I first played). i never expected it, but my schedules are lot more flexible now, and I want to relieve the days when I was happiest. I can't find any new games interesting, I am just replaying my old favorites. And the nostalgia and the happiness of going through all these again. Also back then I never played the multi player, now I visit sometimes, sad my internet was very limited in Unreal's prime days, my parents didnt want me to skip on studies with the internet, they didn't know that offline games could be just as addactive, I spent nights sleeplessly playing this. There are very few who play online now, but I can only imagine how the prime days of the multiplayer was.... Regardless, as for the offline part gone through the entire game again, and Napali Havean is still my most favorite <3. The nostalgia of swimming on that beautiful lake of sky town <3. Mothership Lab is a close second, still <3 that Golden Skaarj Berserker!
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Re: Kann sein

Post by wfank30 »

Thomasjough wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 2:39 am This topic is simply matchless :), it is very interesting to me.
Thanks, this game was my heart and soul 2001-2013, before entering the darkest phase of my life..... Lifes been stable since 2018 and now I even restarted this game after 7 long years. I have played many games in my life, Doom 1993 (played in 1999, my first game) to GTA 5 pc edition 2015 (my last "new game"), even other games in Unreal UT 1999, UT 2004, Unreal 2, etc but nothing comes close to the 1998 original Unreal, I have such an attachment to this game that I have to no other game, wrote this post with pure passion. Glad ou found it interesting :) .
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