Hot on the heels of Team X-Box's preview of Epic Games's Unreal Championship 2, GameSpot has posted a new preview of Unreal Championship 2 which gives more details concerning the game, especially concerning the inclusion of Mortal Kombat's thunder god, Raiden! From the article:
Our demo of the game consisted of looks at the Remnant and Praxis levels (a ruin and a space station, respectively) for updated looks at how the gameplay and graphics are coming together. In addition, we got a quick overview of the multiplayer modes. The two levels offered the expected sweet visuals, but more importantly, they featured architecture that is tailor-made for performing the crazy acrobatic moves that are a key aspect to the experience. As for the multiplayer games, Epic is pulling out all the stops by offering a mix of the expected modes, like deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture the flag, along with some unique new modes, such as "Overdose" and "Nali Slaughter." Later in the demo, we were able to get our hands on Raiden to try him out against a good selection of foes. The MK thunder god handles well and can mix it up nicely with the UC2 crew. While not as tough as Skaarj, Raiden can take a fair amount of punishment, which puts him in the midrange of the fighter's roster. His unique weapons are pistols, but in a nod to his powers, the guns are electrically generated and fire charges of lightning that look pretty cool.

The graphics continue to be tight, and they show off Epic's proficiency with the Xbox hardware. The varied environments we've seen are rich in detail and run an inventive gamut of locales. You'll see space station interiors, ruins, and seemingly benign outdoor locations that serve as backdrops for the intense carnage the game is known for. But while you'd think the character models may suffer some due to the attention lavished on the backgrounds, that's anything but the case. The eclectic roster of fighters in Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict, including the familiar races from the series, all look stellar. Newcomer Raiden ends up fitting in nicely with just a slight tailoring of his outfit, which ends up giving him a trimmer look. His animations are looking good, and his weapons look suitably cool. Epic's nod to Raiden's arcade moves are smart choices that fit the action. As a result, you'll be able to execute his Superman torpedo rush at opponents as well as his "shocker" fatality, wherein he explodes his foe using electricity.
Unreal Championship 2 will be released for the X-Box in March. To read the article in its entirety, click here.

Our thanks to forum members kingjolly and CAMK for the heads-up on this news story!