I see why this game was not a huge success. I finished it and was kind of sort of fun, but the story was incredibly weak and cliche, the graphics... mediocre, and the action repetitive. Not really recommended.
Have you enjoyed KOTOR? Loved Mass Effect? Are you a reader of Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy? A fan of Farscape? Then buy this and play it now! A great sci-fi plot (no spoilers, but it has to do with the origin and end of the universe itself), an amazing cast of characters (one of your party members will be a shrinked planet), an interesting JRPG-style combat system (turn-based with fun combat scenes), lots of minigames, and an incredibly varied set of quests (follow an informant; snap pictures of thingies; etc. in addition to the usual quest types) makes this one of the best RPGs you can play. And one of the top 3 sci fi cRPGs ever, along with KOTOR and Mass Effect. The only downside? The story ends hanging - the sequel was never made... :(
The only reason I've played Unreal 2 is that there aren't many decent space opera games out there. I mean, there's KOTOR, Mass Effect, Halo, Dead Space, and a few others. But really, there aren't many virtual opportunities to don a sci-fi combat suit, wield some plasma-laser-blaster, and visit a few planets while solving galactic mysteries. Unreal 2 is one of these games: you have your own ship (which you can roam through, Mass Effect-style), complete with alien crewmembers, you visit a few very different planets, and you solve a mystery involving an ancient Precursor-Forerunner-Prothean-type race. Bonus points for the final level: micro-singularities + damaged ship gravity generators + race against time. Otherwise, the plot is quite thin (and very short!), the AI quite stupid, the weapons either unimpressive or overly flashy. Buy it if on sale.
KOTOR is one of the few sci-fi RPGs out there, and one of the best. It's also an amazing RPG regardless of setting. The solid gameplay, the immersive music, the breathtaking (for its time, and still holding today) visuals, the well-fleshed characters - everything comes together beautifully. The best part of it, though, is the story. I really wished the movies were as complex and atmospheric as KOTOR's. Another great thing about KOTOR is that you can see the origins of BioWare's later signature gameplay (paragon vs renegade system, romance within party, etc.) right here. It's like a journey in time, and after playing it every BioWare RPG becomes, in a sense, predictable - from Dragon Age and Jade Empire to Mass Effect. What else can I say? If you're an RPG fan, play it! If you're a sci-fi nerd, play it! If you're a Star Wars buff, play it! If you like great music, play it! If you like video games, play it now!
I've played most of the strategy games on PC (and some on Android). Fantasy, Sci-fi, Historical, you name it. With a few exceptions, most of them have been uninstalled or ignored after less than an hour of gameplay. In many cases the graphics were the reason, in some the gampeplay. So why does a game with such dated graphics and classic gameplay (note: I've played many other TBSs before this, so it's kind of retro-gaming) keep me so entertained? Well, I don't care, this game is absolutely awesome. I have a good mind on making this with improved 2015 graphics. Or at least Disciples II graphics. That would be fantastic.
