Epic Megagames built up quite a reputation earlier this decade for creating some of the most polished shareware games around, usually in the shape of arcade platformers or vertically-scrolling shoot-'em-ups. Then they went quiet for a while until, very recently, Unreal emerged as the latest candidate for 'Best 3D action game ever' title. Sometimes it seems that every new 3D action game is the best ever, but that's because the weaker titles are trampled underfoot by the likes of Quake II, Jedi Knight and now Unreal.

Although looking similar to Quake II initially, with the usual dank surroundings, gloomy lighting and haunting screams in the background, Unreal has a more involving plot than the id Software game. Where Quake II's appeal lies largely in the player's use of increasingly dangerous weapons to combat increasingly deadly enemies, Unreal starts off gently. You wake up on the floor of a prison spaceship, which has crash-landed on an unknown planet. To start with (being a prisoner), you don't even have a gun, so it's lucky that there's nothing around to attack you. You do catch a glimpse of one creature, but it scuttles away from you before you can see what it is.

But once you escape from the ship to the outside world, at the start of level two, things start to change. Small furry animals scuttle past your feet, birds circle overhead, insects buzz past your face, and fish swim in pools around you. Then, when you stumble through a foreboding doorway, the action starts, as a pair of hulking monsters attacks with missile launchers. There are many different types of alien creature in Unreal, all with different skills and weapons, but all have a good level of artificial intelligence that makes the game thoroughly entertaining even if you don't have access to its multi-player gaming options (via a network or over the Internet).

Supporting 3Dfx and PowerVR graphics accelerators, Unreal is breathtaking to look at, with many different locations that have all been lovingly created. This could be a showcase for 3D graphics design, rather than a game, which adds considerably to the player's involvement. Without strapping an electronic crash-helmet to your head, this is the closest you'll get to virtual reality. At least until the next 'Best 3D action game ever' comes along.

Combining the action of Quake II with the puzzles and atmosphere of Hexen II, Unreal gets the balance of gameplay and graphics just right. It's fun in multi-player mode, but more importantly, single players will happily lose themselves in the Unreal world for days on end. It really is that good.