Should I get Unreal Tournament 1999 or Unreal Tournament 2004?

[Ambitious Cheesecake]

What are the major differences? Which one is better and why?

[RedXIII]

Neither one are really played much anymore, but if memory serves correct 99 is actually more populated still. Reg weopons, instagib, and combo gib are still a thing in 99. You'd be hardpressed to find a game in 04 though at the time it was still a great game.

[OfiȚeru]

ut99 is the correct answer, you won t regret

[Reginald CZ]

Because I don´t want to write something twice, I am going to copy my post from the same thread in UT 2004 forums:

First, there is demo version of both games, so you can try it.

Second, to try to sum it up somehow, UT 2004 has more content and gamemodes than first UT, which has only Deathmatch, Team deathmatch, Domination, Capture the flag and Assault. UT 2004 also has Onslaught and more game modes.

And about gameplay: UT 1999 is more slow paced, there is even more complex armor system, in which the protection of armor depends on the type which you collect (there is for example shield belt, which makes you invincible, until it gets destroyed).

UT 2004 is more arcadey, fast paced. Here you have adrenaline points, which if you collect enough , you can then activate some powerup. Also armor system has been very simplified there just to armor points, not types of armor. And you have there things, like double jump and in some gamemodes controllable vehicles, turrets.

Also both games have single player ladder, in which you compete against bots until you win the tournament. In case of UT99 you just play in one of the premade teams and fight against either everybody or with your team against oponnent teams in maps.
UT2004 has it much better, as here you can create your own team, manage your team members, as each player (bot) has his own stats. You can also pay sometimes for change a map for a match and enemies, which you fight are randomised, at least in team matches. And you can also challenge there opponent teams to fight for their member or challenge one of the opponent team´s leader to 1vs1 duel for money. Opponents can do same thing to you too.

Graphics are in UT 1999 dark, while in 2004 they are much more colourful.

And about mods, UT 1999 has much more single player mods (also better and working) than UT 2004. As I didn´t check multiplayer mods much, I don´t know which game is better.

But you should really get demo version of UT 99 and UT 2004, play them both and then decide, what to buy. I personally recommend you to play both games, and before them play Unreal Gold edition, which is the precursor of UT, as UT was originally supposed to be multiplayer expansion pack to Unreal. And Unreal has old school single player campaign, but weak multiplayer.

And in my personal taste, I like more UT99 if I want just play some single player mods or just for sake of nostalgia, but UT2004 for multiplayer content.

[Tapasvi]

Played both of them a lot. I'd say buy both, but if only one of them then definitely 99.
It's much faster than 2004. Smaller maps also increase speed in general.
Less noise such as vehicles, adrenaline, double jumps, etc. Which in turn, somewhat counterintuitive, gives more fun.
It somewhere on the same shelf with Quake 3 and Quake Live.

I kinda don't know what to say about 2004 even though I played it a lot.

[Mortis]

Agreed, get them both, or if you are short on cash, get UT99.

UT2004 is pretty good, but is not near as good as UT99.

UT99 is faster, more crisp and well balansed.

UT2004 comes close, but the game itself is too 'console like' for my liking. too bulky, too much bling..

UT3 is just a mod for Gears of War. IT looks the same, it feels the same..
Very slugish, graphics are very washed out with very high contrast.

UT3 is very, very bad..

UT4 is better, it comes close to UT2004, but is an alpha game, not finished, not polished and pretty much all over the place, and most of all, pretty much abandoned by epic..

[GamingWithSilvertail]

Originally posted by KillRoy1972:

Agreed, get them both, or if you are short on cash, get UT99.

UT2004 is pretty good, but is not near as good as UT99.

UT99 is faster, more crisp and well balansed.

UT2004 comes close, but the game itself is too 'console like' for my liking. too bulky, too much bling..

UT3 is just a mod for Gears of War. IT looks the same, it feels the same..
Very slugish, graphics are very washed out with very high contrast.

UT3 is very, very bad..

UT4 is better, it comes close to UT2004, but is an alpha game, not finished, not polished and pretty much all over the place, and most of all, pretty much abandoned by epic..

"Console like". Eh, How do you mean? :o

Are you comparing it to Unreal championship? Just curious behind the reasoning.