A Love Letter to Unreal (1998): A Retrospective Analysis

[@U.F.O_0908]

I'm playing Unreal now for the first time (January 2023). Playstation was my poison as a kid, just some PC games here and there. This game is a beautiful masterpiece, a cornerstone of a bygone era. The music, the level design, the art direction - all crafted to make a believable world. A magical atmosphere of discovery. The player is thrown into the world with no hand holding, left to explore, and to learn by trial and error. The music makes me so nostalgic. This is what videogames should be. Thank you for sharing your love for this piece of Art.

[@maltewolfcastle4306]

Aaah yes, that Nyleve Falls-moment when you step out of the space ship... I think everyone remembers that... was literally the moment when first person shotoers stepped from dungeon-esque level design of the past to the vast new unreal levels... I think they should remake that level as a tech demo for each new unreal engine.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I’ll play devil’s advocate and say that Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight (1997) was the first game (that I remember) which played to a sense of grand scale. Unreal was much prettier and interesting to look at though, and it was the watershed point in gaming.

[@simongravel7407]

@@HeyBlondieGamer The Valley of the Jedi and the Imperial palace come to mind.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Among many other levels in that game. Nar Shaddaa, the irrigation channels, Into the Dark Palace, Fuel Station. SW:JK had some huge levels. It’s another personal darling of the era. I’ll cover it soon.

[@simongravel7407]

@@HeyBlondieGamer Oh for sure! I love it too. :)

[@morkgin2459]

What about Duke Nukem?

[@Jayy997]

The music in this game is beyond sublime. All these years later and they still evoke the majestic awe inspiring locales and vistas from the game.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I don’t think a game soundtrack has ever captured a setting so well.

[@Juwce_86]

Being close to 40 this retrospective hits hard to me. I remember playing this on a 200mhz celeron CPU and a voodoo 2 graphics card. The water, was absolutely a standout. The fact it had fish swimming around blew my mind. It was absolutely my preferred experience over HalfLife.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

The added surprise of realizing that the fish would nibble you as well. I wonder if we’ll ever get to experience a gaming moment like this again.

[@Juwce_86]

@Hey Blondie it didn't hit as hard but I found Horizon Zero (steam release) to have some absolute astonishing parts to it. The way the machines interact with the world, day night cycles, wildlife. Monster Hunter World (again steam release) was also up there when simply exploring the maps. But thinking back to it I remember seeing the glass and shatter physics in Shogo:MAD and thinking to my young 16 year old self that games could not possibly be better. Again, thanks for the video. Glad your channel got recommended to me!

[@sylviam6535]

I played it on a PIII 450 and Voodoo 3 3000. I preferred Unreal to Half Life. I also preferred Half Life 2 to Half Life because it was less of a platform game.

[@SaltyCuntno1]

mine aswell, was never a huge fan of half life not until half life 2 came along anyways

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Unreal got there first which is why it made a bigger impression on me I suspect. That, and it was graphically head and shoulders above everything else on the market.

[@chefnerd]

Hearing the music again after SO many years still brought me goosebumps.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Definitely. I took my time with the opening levels to soak it all in anew. The nostalgia hit hard.

[@soth897]

@@HeyBlondieGamer I LOVE that you highlighted the composers. That explains a lot, too, as to why the Deus Ex soundtrack is soo good. Never realized they were the same guys, but it makes perfect sense now.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Every game I cover gets a nod (or more) to the OST. It plays a pivotal role in the emotional aspect of an experience. In Unreal’s case, it elevates the experience well beyond what gameplay alone could achieve. I wasn’t as in love with DX’s OST. I still like it, but there aren’t as many hits as the Unreal soundtrack. There aren’t many tracks in the Unreal OST that I’ll skip.

[@lobot6894]

I'm 33 so I was about 8 when this game came out. I didn't really know the technical side of things, but I knew I was looking and playing something that was paving the way for the future. My neighborhood friend had it too and we used to do co-op all the time playing this game. Such a great adventure with so much awesome action and wonder. Then unreal tournament came out. I was totally blown away by the fast paced arena twitch shooter. The music and sound effects were so iconic. So many Endless Facing Worlds CTF matches played and Deck 16 TDM matches. I've played ever Unreal game because I just loved the series so much. Unreal and the expansion, Unreal Tournament, UT 2003 & 04', Unreal Championship 1 & 2 the third person one, Unreal Awakening, UT 3. Tbh, I think Unreal Tournament 2004 was my favorite in the series. I absolutely loved that game so much. The music, the characters, the banter, the sound affects, the graphics, weapons, the maps and gameplay. I wish Epic didn't abandon this franchise for Fortnite. Breaks my heart. I just imagine what this series could be with todays technology and if they gave players a forge mode like Halo Infinite with custom games. It would be the King of shooters again and I probably wouldnt play anything else. A man can dream. Thanks for the nostalgia trip!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

In terms of gameplay, UT2004 was my favorite too, I burned a lot of hours in that game. I think that it’s safe to say that Epic has abandoned the Unreal franchise. There are some great mods being worked on which will revitalize it, but they are some way off. Fingers crossed that they’re finished one day.

[@Indigo_Gaming]

This is a great breakdown of what made the original so important. I love both, but regret how the arena spinoff Unreal Tournament overshadows the original, and its underrated sequel. Excellent work, and needed now more than ever now that Epic is trying to erase the series.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers, Indigo! It’s crazy how little the original Unreal is talked about. The narrative of a glorified tech demo persists which undersells the true impact of this title on the industry. I don’t know what Epic are trying to achieve, but it makes me happy to see so much of the community coming out in support. Perhaps now, as it’s threatened to be removed from gaming history, Unreal will be rediscovered and appreciated. Na Pali awaits our return.

[@abomination482]

This Game is a unique Masterpiece in a class of its own, there will never be another one...

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

And I don’t know whether that should make me feel sad or happy. 🥲

[@pnastysavage5510]

I loved the mystery, horror, scifi and fantasy hybrid that unreal built ! It's unforgetable !

[@dylanbarnett6099]

One of my all-time favorite games ever, always thought it was interesting that this game had some horror elements thrown in at times, like the beginning of the game and the first encounter with a skaarj always creep me out as a kid, and the fantasy level design meets science fiction really is just amazing, love the video🤘🤘

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

They clearly had a lot of fun crafting situations to scare and test the player. You can see the passion put into the game, the creative flair in the locations, encounters, weapons, and geometry. You can tell they were having fun, and it's becoming increasingly rare to *feel* that in a video game now. Thanks so much for the comment! 👍

[@schakalix]

My friends pranked me with that first encounter with the Skaarj, let's just say I will never forget it. I will also never forget the first time I saw the game, I was blown away!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

My friend did the same, the cheeky taffer 😂 The pupae always creeped me out, I found levels like the spire really tough because of them. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@Krull0r]

Amazing video! Thank you for your great retrospective and mentioning Unreal Redux ♥️ Take care and keep up the great work!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you! I can’t wait to explore Na Pali again with Redux, it’s going to be incredible. Unreal, even ❤️

[@joe--cool]

@@HeyBlondieGamer Too bad it's still not out. I can't wait.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I have no doubt that the wait will be worth it.

[@NeilForshaw]

I'm curious about this Unreal Redux as well. I'll be keeping my eyes out for it. If it's out before the 25th anniversary I'm debating whether to play vanilla unreal or go straight to redux. :D

[@Krull0r]

@@NeilForshaw hey 👋🏻 Sadly I can’t manage to finish the projects till the 25 anniversary ☹️ 16 more maps have to be reworked 😞 But I keep going so you guys can experience it one day! 😃

[@TastelessSoftware]

I remember looking at that waterfall and thinking how amazing it looked on my new PC back in 1998.

[@Pyro-Moloch]

"That's where the best stories are told: in your head" This is what makes video games the greatest form of art in my opinion. Art is all about transformative experiences. Experiences that essentially happen in your head. Film and literature provide you stories that are meant to immerse you in such experiences, but video games are immersive by their very nature - by making you the protagonist. Thus the experience you get from a game is a reflection of your inner world. This creates a greater potential for introspection and transformation.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Video games will always struggle to be accepted in this light when all the public see is Call of Duty and Fortnite. I think there’s also a clear delineation between telling a story and crafting one. The closer a protagonist is to a blank slate (nameless, voiceless, absence of agency or opinion etc), the easier it is for players to imprint themselves into an experience. Doubly so with open worlds and sandbox gameplay. We have barely scratched the surface of what games are capable of.

[@Pyro-Moloch]

@@HeyBlondieGamer Indeed, video games have a nearly infinite untapped potential. It's a shame that most people treat them simply as entertainment.

[@faisalwho]

@4:42 one of the most mind blowing gaming experience in my life. That feeling. That and the skaarj jump scare.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

There’s not a single person who witnessed that moment back in the day who wasn’t fundamentally changed by it. Everyone knew what it meant. There was no going back.

[@NicholasBrakespear]

An understated aspect of this game's significance - the sense of journey. Half-Life gets praised a lot for its "realistic", continuous approach to level design, where one level seamlessly leads into the next... but Unreal did this too. Even when it uses teleportation, it does so in a way that makes it clear exactly where you came from, and exactly where you went. And there was nothing quite as epic as reaching the top of the Sun Spire, boarding that floating lift, reaching the floating town above the clouds, and realising how far you'd actually travelled continuously on foot.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

A great observation! It did feel like this dangerous epic journey through hostile territory, something which could be tangibly measured in the environment itself. It was always exciting to see something in the far distance and know that you’d reach it soon.

[@epicbacongaming2k117]

This is really well articulated. You are a talented orator!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you 🙏

[@warmth_97]

I thoroughly enjoyed this return to NaPali! Was just thinking about how much I missed this franchise, so I'm definitely going to have to check out this Redux project too

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’s a shame that the entire franchise has been dropped. I can appreciate how hard it would be to create the ‘wow’ factor now, but Unreal doesn’t deserve to fade into the sunset. Epic have made it harder now that most of the franchise has been delisted from online stores.

[@jonrambos1976]

What an incredible video! Your analysis is spot on and highlights everything that made Unreal so memorable and amazing. It is such an underrated gem and it will probably be my most favourite game of all time. It reminds me of a simpler time, when games were far more exciting, imaginative and adventurous in their design. This was the Golden era, when games still had a soul. I was very fortunate to have grown up during the 90s and 00s. You got my sub, keep up the great work!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

There was still a great deal of ‘theatre of the mind’ going on back then, usually due to hardware limitations, which has rarely been captured since. They truly were simpler, amazing times, where every technical advancement wowed players, and large open spaces were jaw-dropping. For the slew of new titles which hit the market, it’s always the old school originals that I return to.

[@Magilla.Guerrilla]

The appreciation for this game is unfathomable, I love it as much too. Great vid.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers!

[@dreamhive]

I'll never forget the first time I saw that intro scene. Those reflections on the bridge in that fly-by made my jaw drop. (yeah, I'm old) Great video!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It was incredible. And working your way through the game for the first time was an ongoing chorus of “wooow”s. Each level there was something new and impressive to see. And the colour palette…👌💯 Glad you enjoyed it!

[@du0lol]

Unreal was the last game I ran on my 1996 Compaq. I got it in 1999 and it ran okay on my PC, as long as I put it in, like, 320x240 or so. It was very playable and I went very far into it before giving up because the game was too dark and I couldn't play at night back then. I also tried to play UT99 but it didn't perform as well as Unreal. Eventually I got a new PC and restarted playing Unreal for the first time, now on 1024x760, and damn, it looked amazing.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

That leap in fidelity came to define Unreal. It was worth the effort to get it running well.

[@martheunen]

Might be an excuse, but the lack of processing power to add more 'props' in scenes actually worked out for me back in the day... The whole game feels like a liminal space. That was very effective at drawing me in to the world that was UNREAL.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I agree for the most part. It made it much easier to draw attention to things and get players curious about the world.

[@foju9365]

Wow, this is a game I grew up with. Now a greying, middle aged guy with all that nostalgia buried deep down somewhere, you helped me rediscover this game once again. Thank you, this review was beautifully written and narrated and you deserve more views on this one.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you 🙏 There were so many watershed moments in this era of gaming as it rapidly evolved. I have nothing but fond memories of this time. I’m glad they resonated with you. It’s funny how the childlike sense of wonder for these experiences never dulls with time.

[@fireant353]

I missed early fps games because we didn't have a computer when i was a kid (I am 31 now), so these kind of reteospectives are something of a new nostalgia for me. Great video, first one of yours I've watched. Excited to check out more!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’s interesting to go back and compile info on them beyond the personal experience. Glad that you enjoyed it!

[@MystifytheGreatSaint]

I really enjoyed this video. This was the best advertisement and “love letter” for Unreal and all its glory, and your vocabulary is as poetic as the game’s own stunning visuals and immersion. Bravo! This game actually released the year before I was born and I got hooked on it thanks to my dad. I still play to this day on a Windows 11 gaming laptop, believe it or not (although some chicanery was required to retrofit these old Unreal series games to a modern machine and it’s not 100% without the occasional hiccup, but it works pretty well 98% of the time). I’m actually somewhat of a collector now and have every title from Unreal Gold to UT3 in the “big box” edition (Thanks, eBay!). This is a nostalgia and greatness which I will preserve forever. And thanks to the community’s endless creation of custom add-on campaigns, the journey never ends as I can always explore new adventures in a familiar world!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you so much! 🙏 I wasn’t expecting so many people to find this video, but it’s heartening to know that you’re all out there and that you love Unreal as much as I did. Also, hats off to you for you seeking out and preserving the original copies, that’s something I should have done a while ago.

[@nucleja]

insanely underrated. keep up the good work mate!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers, much appreciated!

[@Yellowswift3]

Well-written and thoroughly enjoyable to watch, thanks. One of the greatest memories I have of PC gaming. :)

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you 🙏 The same for most here I imagine, an unforgettable experience.

[@Planetdune]

I stayed with my Amiga for a very long time, Unreal wasn't the first game that made my jaw drop (Tomb Raider 1 and Carmageddon were) but I remember playing this with my shiny new 3DFx card and was blown away. Really great game.. Played it many times single and coop. Can't believe Epic removed the game from all digital storefronts, as in trying to erase the thing that made them what they are today. It's a piece of video game history, a legend that should be hold in great honor, not brushed under the carpet in favor of Fortnite and the epic store.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Couldn’t have said it better 👏 The fans will keep it alive, as they do for all games which publishers have left to the dusts of time.

[@Ovog95]

I got this video recomended randomly, and what a wonderful thing I found. Your voice, the way you structure things and explain things, it's really soothing and informative, and your video was really complete. I'm glad I found you

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, and thanks for taking a chance on my video! 🙏

[@jeanfrarugama3423]

I love this game and I love that it is still relevant today, thank you for keeping this master piece alive for other generations to enjoy

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

You’re welcome ☺️

[@Baker8933]

Epic has shut down all of the Unreal games and removed them from all stores. They just did this recently.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Yes, and we still have no explanation as to why. I’m sure that the fandom will do what it needs to to ensure that players will always be able to find and play Unreal. 🏴‍☠️

[@DarkFire515]

Imagine what could be done if the original Unreal was re-imagined with UE5 technology. That would be an amazing game. I was deeply in love with Unreal - that first time stepping out of the Vortex Rikers and staring in awe at the sky is a moment I'll never forget. Such an incredible game.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

There’s the Unreal Redux project which is going to great lengths to modernize the visuals, add more clutter etc. For a remake in the latest UE…that’s a dream worth dreamin’.

[@NicholasBrakespear]

@@HeyBlondieGamer The fear I'd have is that by adding more prefabricated clutter, or updating the engine entirely, the beauty of the original level design would be lost. If you haven't seen the video about use of negative space in level design (one of the GDC talks, by one of the Epic level designers, discussing the success of CTF-Face)... he points out exactly why later titles (and indeed, later iterations of the same map) somehow didn't work so well, when visual detail increased; it's all about signal to noise, about contrast. So I'd say the optimal path would be modernisation of the old engine, with some optional visual enhancements (like the optional addition of detailed real-time shadows in the Shadow Man remaster), but with a very careful and selective deployment of any additional visual clutter.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I agree with you to a large degree on this. I haven’t seen that GDC talk (I must watch more of those) but it’s absolutely true. Think about modern games and how they must highlight stuff now to catch the player’s eye thanks to all the clutter. I’ve seen Krullor’s work and I think he’ll do a great job. Even if I agree with you about increased clutter 😉

[@NicholasBrakespear]

@@HeyBlondieGamer Here's the talk in question - it's a really interesting one, given that it's a person at Epic basically admitting they got the design of a level wrong even when they were basically rebuilding the original: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYucapp3l5mHZtE

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, my friend, that’s greatly appreciated! The stuff I wish I had found before making this video… 😅

[@jeanfrarugama3423]

Man I come back here from time to time you do great justice to this master piece !

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you 🙏

[@faisalwho]

Just started watching so I don’t know if you’ll bring it up, but unreal had an amazing software rasterizer that used dithering to achieve amazing visuals. I know Quake and John Carmack always come up because he pioneered 3D rendering that laid down the foundation for 3D graphics cards, but unreal took it to the next level. Unfortunately, GPUs were popping up more and more that this went unnoticed. I remember back in high school when I play Unreal for the first time, minimizing in and out of the game would sometimes cause the renderer to switch and the only way I could tell the difference was the graininess. The music, graphics, environment… Unreal was a mood.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Man, I remember that effect, that aesthetic was a huge part of the visual charm. The difference between a software and hardware render was staggering at the time. I don’t think Tim Sweeney gets nearly enough credit for pushing game development to the next level.

[@thesummerofmark]

Spoken with a lot of passion and skill. Great job. I’ve never played Unreal but now I want to after watching your video.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, my friend. That means a lot ❤️

[@Cyfrik]

I've never found any other game that feels the same way Unreal does. The atmosphere, the feeling of going on an adventure, and even though it's an FPS it lets you breathe and explore and take in the environments instead of being constant uninterrupted action. I've seen games that have some of those qualities, but none other that embody them all together to the same extent as Unreal.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Unreal has always felt like one of a kind, a perfectly timed blend of technology and creative vision.

[@Nohahio]

Thank you so much for reliving my teenage memories. And congratulations for the epic work in bringing this video friend.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you! It lives among the cherished memories of many which is great to see.

[@chozochiefxiii3298]

I long for games like unreal....where there was real level design. The puzzle like water temple is something you dont see in fps games anymore. I do like the key hunts in a maze or hallway leading to a kill box type fps but unreal (and to an extent half life 1 as well) are just a different breed that i don't believe has ever been replicated. Unreal felt like an action adventure platformer as much as it was an fps.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It borrowed a number of elements from other genres which is why there’s nothing else like it. If we’re lucky, an indie dev will take inspiration and try to recapture this magic.

[@chozochiefxiii3298]

@HeyBlondieGamer This is a prayer I have every night. We have devs carrying on F.E.A.R.s legacy, and now a new game inspired by turok, I just need unreal now.

[@Crimzan4]

What a gorgeous, in-depth video about one of my favorite games. Thanks so much for this, was great to watch!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you! I’m glad it spoke to you. I’ve haven’t stopped thinking about this game ever since I was introduced to it. The OST is part of my regular ‘concentration music’ rotation.

[@Crimzan4]

@@HeyBlondieGamer I find myself getting back to the OST every now and then as well, it's just too good! Hard to pick a favorite! My grandparents live on a beautiful island and when I was riding a bike there along the coast i was always listening to "Journey" / The Nagomi Passage (Day). Made such a cool atmosphere! Definitely going to remix that and some other songs in the future :) What are your favorites?

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Wow, it’s tough to pick a favorite with so many great tracks. The one that hit me most, then and now, is the track titled ‘Hub 5’ (I think??) which plays in Harobed Village. I also love the Sunspire track. Both evoke that whimsical and mysterious feel that defines the Unreal experience, and I’m still hit with wonder over 20 years later when they play.

[@Crimzan4]

@@HeyBlondieGamer Oh yeah, gorgeous tracks! I especially enjoy Sunspire. Sometimes I wonder what the "identity" of Unreal's / Deus Ex' music is, they are truly special and I wish they'd make more music like that nowadays!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I wonder if it’s a property unique to the engine and the simulated instruments. It’s a shame that there aren’t more tracks composed this way.

[@0500AlphaWolf]

Your retrospectives are so enthralling, keep it up

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers, that’s much appreciated!

[@Luuw]

Glad there are still new vidéos talking about Unreal 👍

[@unfa00]

Thank you for this in-depth look at Unreal. Learning how Tim Sweeney made his tech top notch while believing he's just imitating someone else is hilarious and fascinating.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Not what I expected to find when I began research for the video. Unreal innovated in many ways we didn’t see. Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@fazzeaibrag]

I just watched Diablo 1 video, and to my surprise, you're author of this banger Unreal video too. Man, you just can't catch a brake. I finished Unreal just now, and yes, it's magical at times, and very immersive. Glad I've experinced it.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I'll keep 'em comin' as long as people are watchin' 😄 Glad to hear that you enjoyed Unreal. It's harder to appreciate in modern day, I get that, but it was a huge leap for its time.

[@electricmiragemedia]

After watching more of your videos, as a writer, I have to take my hat off to you. Your writing is superb. I will be learning a lot from your videos!

[@TheRenofox]

These were all my thoughts too. Beautiful, fascinating landscapes, and weapons that were all unique and memorable.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’s almost an unspoken understanding among fans. Everyone who loved Unreal knew why, and knew how pivotal the game would be.

[@ClarkKentai]

When I was younger I had a headcanon that the Stinger was an ore grinder with part of the grinding component removed, causing it to spray large jagged chunks instead of dusty gravel.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

The barrel definitely has that ‘toothed’ look of crushing gears. I see it, that’s pretty cool head-canon.

[@Aquarium78]

In that time, I've made and printed out a collage of skyboxes from Unreal in A3 format as a poster. I've spend quite some time playing deathmatches with bots - internet was only available at high school then. But there i could download many fan-made DM maps.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Some of those fan DM maps were incredible.

[@iQuitGirls99]

Well I’ll chime in with the nostalgia. Played this in my early teens and was blown away by the graphics and world. The scene at the beginning when the lights go out scared the crap out of me. Your first steps out of the ship, amazing. I remember talking to my uncle (who was into gaming and who I got all those games from) and praising the atmosphere of Unreal. Then he told me that he’s got an even better game for me, which I refused to believe. That game was Half-Life and it blew my mind. Both such amazing titles.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

There’s no reason for the 2 to fight. They both accomplished something different and groundbreaking in their own right.

[@prefontaine9940]

I remember exiting vortex rykers ship and seeing the waterfall, thinking that "this is so real", in 90's that was the pinnacle of realism and I was like "graphics can't get better than this"...

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I reckon everyone felt that way 😆

[@CultoftheCyberSkull]

Outstanding video! Couldn't have asked for a more deeply detailed analysis of the game, and thoroughly entertaining to boot! And I especially loved the reenactments of true historical events. Really added a bit of authenticity to it ;) . Keep up the excellent work!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, my friend, much appreciated! This one was a true pleasure and a work of passion. Unreal deserves that at a bare minimum.

[@CultoftheCyberSkull]

@@HeyBlondieGamer Especially considering how much it paved the way for arena shooters and even game development. A sleeper to be sure, but still a very important title.

[@redresseurdetorts172]

I played with my pentium 166 MMX overclocked, 24mb ram and my 3DFX Voodoo. Love the music and ambiance. My favorite game with Quake 2 and Half Life in the end of 90's.

[@robertrenbris2334]

I really like that someone gives the magnificent skybox of Unreal some credit.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

One of the top things which spring to mind when I think of Unreal.

[@V0lk]

I worked for Electronics Boutique when this was released. I remember getting a special shipment in on launch day and getting a lot of calls from customers looking for it. I picked up my copy at the end of my shift and went straight home to play. I think I spent the entire evening playing it and just being amazed at the graphics & environments.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

And a strange and sudden illness overcame you which prevented returning to work for, ohhh, roughly a week? 😉 I love the buzz around game launches in brick-and-mortar stores. I was up early to pick up the CE of Doom Eternal and the area was packed with Doom and Animal Crossing fans alike. Despite the games being polar opposites there was a mutual respect and kinship in the air. The gaming community can be fantastic when it wants to be.

[@obscillesk]

The ISV Kran trench, and the Sun Spire had me wanting to be a game developer for a long long while

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

They were amazing levels.

[@agnosticlibertarian175]

saw your anomaly play through, and you do a review of unreal, one of the games from my childhood, you're either psychic or something else, also i'm a beta tester for GAMMA for anomaly, you should give it a try

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Unreal is special to a lot of people, hopefully for at least some of the reasons in the video. I have played GAMMA and love it! I’ll probably do a playthrough for season 3 on Blondefire. Cheers for your support 🤘

[@MystifytheGreatSaint]

The voice logs not playing between levels in RTNP is indeed a glitch. Every level has a voice log at its end. If they aren’t triggering, you can try exiting the level a different way, such as lunging into it quickly, walking into it slowly, or even using ghost mode to approach the level end from behind. This is probably a result of the audio logs sometimes being triggered by a hitbox too small to always touch.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Good to have that confirmed, cheers 🍻

[@TheSektor13]

My favorite game. Level design with music has best atmosphere i have ever experienced. It really is Unreal !

[@fuzzyillogic]

A Brilliant work of scholarship blondie and a truly formative gaming experience! Wonderful memories.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, my friend! 👍

[@blakecollins3037]

Fantastic video dude, videos like this one where so much passion and hard work is put into it is the main reason why I bother to open youtube. I can only pray they keep coming.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thanks for the feedback! Comments like this go a long way to ensure they keep coming 👍

[@BaconJets]

I played Unreal when it was given for free a while back, and I wondered why I'd never heard of it. It gave me the sense of wonder that Halo gave me, before Halo even came out.

[@abysswalker8498]

I'm almost certain that Halo got its inspiration from the Unreal series. I truly hate to say that I hate what Epic games is doing to this franchise.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I’m glad it’s not just me that feels this way 😅 I wouldn’t surprise me if Bungie were taking notes. Mind you, they were already pioneering space with the Marathon trilogy and so were well acquainted by then. Check out my Marathon video for more on that story😁

[@shandyykh]

That Skaarj first encounter scared the shit out of me when I played Unreal Gold for the first time, when the music stopped I thought my game broke lol

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I bet they had fun designing that encounter, it was one of those great ‘oh shit’ moments.

[@nickysimi9866]

1998 seemed like a crazy year for gaming, Unreal, Half Life, Thief, Rainbow Six, Resident Evil 2. Ofc i never got to appreciate most of those having been born in 99, but ive grown to appreciate them over the last decade (well, half-life, R6 and RE2 and Unreal anyway)

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’s nice to see that newer generations are able to appreciate what these games meant to industry when they released (or, in some cases, well after release).

[@nickysimi9866]

@HeyBlondieGamer it helps that I had 2 older brothers and my dad who was very much into those kinds of games. As a result, I grew up on some tom Clancy games and always hearing about the OG Resident evil series. I got into UT99 back in 2013, especially with mods, after watching your video I'm now thinking of grabbing this game to do a playthrough.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

@nickysimi9866 You’ll need to get your skull-and-bones on as Epic yanked it from digital storefronts. I did find a site which still hosted it as abandonware but can’t remember the name of it now. I’m sure you’ll have a blast if you can get your hands on a copy.

[@koneet757]

Recently discovered this channel, was going to sleep but you had to upload a new video just before. Not that I'm mad cuz I'll still watch it fully. Loved your older videos too btw

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

You get something nice to doze off to 😋 Thanks so much for the support!

[@JohnGaltAustria]

Alexander Brandon is to be commended for his masterful work in this game's soundtrack.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

He managed to capture the mystery and whimsy of an alien world, imparting the gravity of a beautiful environment as much as the impact Unreal had on the industry.

[@AngelArm1110]

Well well, until now I had no idea the razorjack secondary fire was steerable. Amazing!

[@Syt1976]

Thanks for the video! I admit I never really got much into Unreal, but I did buy my first gfx card for it (one of the early 3dfx ones, I think? It's been a bit) - and I remember how blown away I was by the gfx at the time, and especially the lighting effects. The exploration was fun (the mystery and lack of exposition would later draw me to the Soulsborne series, naturally ...), but I'm never been great with shooters, so I needed cheats to make it through the game. :D

[@Mau5ron]

First time coming across your channel and I really enjoyed this retrospective! You put it all into words really well and super coherently, loved having the music play throughout in the background too, instant subscribe as soon as I heard the "dramatic re-enactment 😂

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, I’m glad it resonated with you 😁

[@andpcandpc3520]

brilliant video. a real "loveletter". I am feeling the same towards Unreal.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

This video is for the fans. I’m glad it spoke to you 😁

[@strayling1]

When Unreal came out I bought it and wasn't satisfied with the way it looked using my old graphics card, so I went out and bought a Diamond Monster 3D for that sweet 3D rendering. The same afternoon I went back and bought another, hooked them up as an SLI pair and was in heaven. Most expensive impulse purchases I've ever made, but I just had to see how good Unreal could look. Totally worth it.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Wow, that’s dedication. You’re right though, totally worth it.

[@tehsma]

This was the first game I loaded up where It felt like I couldn't see the individual pixels on the screen. Of course that was because I had a voodoo 2 graphics card, but seeing that intro cinematic and it not looking like DOOM was mind blowing. Also that first scripted scene with the lights switching off, I had never seen anything that dynamic before. The Unreal Editor, it was so easy to use that an amateur with no mapping experience could create a rough map in the first night. Compare that to half-life, where it felt like you had to have a PhD to make a damn map in that thing.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

The 3d accelerated graphics were something else. I wish I had got into UnrealEd, but my potato couldn’t handle it at the time.

[@Demonanimator]

I forgot about this game for the past 26 years, and wasn't reminded about it until 2024. Even after NEVER playing it or even seeing gameplay, something about Unreal has intrigued me to play it, despite how old of a game it is. Even with the Quake 1 and 2 remasters, I still find myself playing Unreal Gold over those, just because it was just that much more impressive, interesting, and I dare say, better of an experience to play in comparison.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’s a curious timepiece that is unique, I’ve never seen a game replicate the original Unreal. I’d like to believe that this is why new players who never grew up with Unreal still decide to play it.

[@IdahoBookworm]

A Marathon II reference? Nice! Unreal and Marathon are both favorites of mine for their rich atmospheres, different but similarly cosmic in scope.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It makes me happy when people get the references, well spotted 😄 Marathon is covered on the channel too. I’ll get to Durandal and Infinity sometime soon.

[@thewhyzer]

I sometimes wonder if the Skaarj AI was partially inspired by that of Hexen 2's Were Jaguars, who were admittedly melee-only but were also very fast and IIRC loved dodging projectiles. Also, TIL about the 8-ball launcher's secret fire mode, the ability to drop that one big guy into a chasm, and the fact that some of Return to Napali's end-level screens had voiced dialog (I always skipped those immediately as I thought they only had kill stats.)

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’s clear that the dev team were watching the competition very closely throughout Unreal’s dev cycle, so it’s possible. Oh man, that secret firing mode was great!

[@umegadarkstar2657]

Unreal for me was the first proper computer game I played back in the late 90s on my friends' computer. I still consider it as one of the best games I have ever played. I LOVE the music and the atmosphere of the game. Playing other games, I couldn't understand why they had a draw distance limit or "fog" when it was seemingly easy for Unreal to do it.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

That accomplishment alone seems massively understated.

[@amarkrecinic931]

Unreal released at a time where imagination still played a key role in the gaming experience Yes! This sentence is golden my dude, good job!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you! 🙏

[@lucky88shp]

Creative Art direction, atmosphere, music, lighting...Unreal did it better than anything out there at the time! It was just a technical marvel unlike anything else! The Castle flyby is hands-down the most impressive thing I ever saw when it comes to gaming...it was just jaw-dropping to see it back in Summer of 1998! These days I always have Unreal (amongst other classics from the time) installed on my PC...

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

That castle flyby. We must have stared at it for ages the first time we saw it.

[@deimos2k6]

I love this game. even today I can see the beautiness of the graphics and muic soundtracks that hit me back in the days. Believe it or not, I'm still playing it from time to time, it so nostalgic for me to live it out again and again. Truly a masterpiece of that era.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I can believe it, and I completely get it. The memories of that time are imprinted perfectly by the impact this game had on many.

[@electricmiragemedia]

Great video my friend. I played this on a powerbook 2400c at 320 x 240 and 15-20 fps. I still loved it.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’s amazing what we tolerated back in the day to play the games we loved.

[@DasIllu]

Unreal spawned Unreal Tournament. Half life spawned Counter Strike. Among us UT players it was understood that we could play UT on the main screen while playing CS competitivley with our feet navigating by sound only, because there wasn't much to look at in the fist place :D Oh how i miss the constant teasing on lan parties. It was fun.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Lol, that’s fantastic. I wish we had thought of that for our lan parties 😂

[@UgglemannenFTW]

Really great review you captured everything perfectly. One thing i think which would help is if you turned up the brightness in game just a tiny bit.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers! Yes, that was noted by many. I’ve taken it onboard as an improvement for future videos. Thanks for the feedback 👍

[@edwardroy3401]

I'm still SO in love with this game

[@CocoaBeachLiving]

I played it when it came out so long ago (still do sometimes) and it's still one my all-time favorites.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’s one of those games I can’t resist returning. No matter how old it gets, the magic is still fresh each time.

[@tw7092]

great video, nice job! looking forward to your next video

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank ya kindly 👍

[@Planetdune]

Such a shame Epic chose to forget their Megagames legacy.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’s baffling when you consider how fondly their early games are remembered.

[@lazeez_k]

Finally somebody voiced my memories of this game, even if it was glitchy at the start, it was the best thing made me forget about quakes and half-lives

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

And still not replicated to this day which is criminal.

[@NeilForshaw]

Yip. Unreal wowed me more than HL2. Played it again a few years ago and yes, the outside areas can look a bit spartan and blocky at times but the art of the game is timeless. Those skyboxes, flames ect... Also fighting the Skaarj still feels like playing a more modern game. Oh and the music is God tier.... if there's a tier above that then... XD Going to have to play through it again for the 25th anniversary in May. Can't wait. :)

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Well put. The music is one of the best examples of a game OST ever produced. Funny how most of my memories of Unreal are colour ed by the soundtrack.

[@germantru3f4n]

THE game of my childhood...I didnt know what my hardware back in the day was...But it ran the game and that mattered...It was awesome, also Online was fun. There was that server with realistic weapons...felt like Counterstrike before Counterstrike. 😅

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I remember watching it run gorgeously on my friend’s kitted out gaming rig. Then I watched it run in low res software rendering on my potato 😂 Still an amazing looking game.

[@BoneyKingOfNowhere90]

I can't believe I just discovered this beautiful video now! The greatest game ever made, 'nuff said.

[@unfa00]

Too bad you're a month too late to get a legal copy of it ;(

[@zoiuduu]

amazing vidoe sir, is kinda rare to find unreal videos on yt

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers! If ever there were a game which deserves more attention than it currently gets, it’s Unreal.

[@phoebedaemon]

You're not wrong about the algorithm with that joke; wish I'd seen this sooner! As a big fan of Unreal and the series in general, this video was incredible! I grew up with Unreal, UT99, UT2k3/4 on a hand-me-down PC, and even UC on the XBox!

[@Puxi]

bla bla bla. Stop watching videos about gaming and get out your favorite game patch it and start playing!

[@phoebedaemon]

@@Puxi I have been playing a bit of 2k4 lately actually, and do intend to play through Unreal again :D

[@Puxi]

@@phoebedaemon Get all the achievements. I made some for you they are in the game. Check you steam.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

The algorithm works in strange ways. It’s been promoting this video like crazy over the last couple of weeks which has been great for the channel. 2k4 was my go-to for blowing off steam. Good times.

[@Luke77777771]

25 years ago, i played unreal,It was so great! The Sound, 3D, the Grafic. Very, very good! Luke from switzerland

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Those were good times. Thanks for the comment, Luke!🤘

[@dtech86]

Thanks for this video, it is really great. 👍 It is so long time, but Unreal is still my most favourite FPS game ever, it has an unbeatable atmosphere.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Glad you enjoyed it. I’m glad that it’s brought so many fans out in support, especially in light of Epic’s decision to delist the franchise from digital stores.

[@stonetic2515]

All that nuance and polish given to the weapons continued in Unreal 2004. There's never been a FPS that has such perfect balance between different vehicles, and vehicle vs foot combat.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

My group always gravitated to on-foot combat so I don’t remember much about the vehicles. The weapons did feel well balanced though.

[@sylviam6535]

I always saved up the flak cannon for the tough enemies, and it always did the job.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Yeah, I think that’s what it’s for - the scrappy indoor fights against waves of enemies. That’s where it shines, when every piece of white-hot metal has a chance to shred flesh.

[@sylviam6535]

@@HeyBlondieGamer - It was also my default. If I suddenly got ambushed, I could always get out of it with an alternate fire to the chest.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Not to mention that it was damn fun to use.

[@tomheeks2830]

A proper epic mega game 👍 when you first meet the Skaarj, with the lights going off one by one...

[@Gr3gYx]

What a high quality documentary. Amazing!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, that’s very kind 🙏

[@digitalintent]

I bought this game release day. Was not prepared for how... unreal... the levels were. I remember playing Half-Life and not getting the same level of excitement that everyone else was getting. All the major bullet points that people were clamoring over were done 6 months earlier in this amazing game. Good AI? This game did it first. "Seamless" level to level transitions? This game did it first. Long opening sequence without any fighting? Again, first. If any game truly deserves a remake, this would be it. I would love to see this planet in Unreal Engine 5.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

All great points. Could you imagine how Unreal would look in a current engine? One of the key components which defined Unreal was the colour palette and saturation, something that fan teaser remakes overlook. It wouldn’t feel like Unreal if these weren’t present.

[@rafinery576]

Oh no, the skies are rendered incorrectly! :P Those milky white clouds are an artifact of modern APIs handling multi-texturing differently, try to use DX10 renderer and toggle multitexturing in advanced settings - some levels come across much different with correct skyboxes (Dark Arena). 2023 is the 25th anniversary isn't it? Remaster would be a nice way to celebrate...

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Say it ain’t so! XD If that isn’t an enticement for another play then I don’t know what is. Thanks for the tip, I’m curious to see how this changes the look of the skyboxes now.

[@sylviam6535]

The Skaarj ambush is my most vivid memory of playing this game.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

No-one forgets a moment like that. The Spire and Bluff Eversmoking also stand out as amazing memories.

[@sylviam6535]

@@HeyBlondieGamer - I should play it again, but a BIOS update needed to upgrade to a Xeon destroyed my Windows XP partition through the AHCI settings. So I need to rebuild it, but I’m being lazy.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Unreal could be worth the effort 😉

[@sylviam6535]

@@HeyBlondieGamer - Unreal probably runs on newer OSs. I need XP to run Urban Assault with a Force Feedback joystick attached to a 15 pin game port, which means that I have to track down an old Soundblaster card…

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I’m sure that they’re out there. I don’t know how much you’d expect to pay for them though. Good luck. I’ll stick with Unreal Gold for my fix 😝

[@rekware9320]

That tracker OST though 😍😍

[@dienand_]

Must confess I never got into Unreal, but Unreal Tournament is one of my favourite shooters of all time

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

UT was great for blowing off steam.