In what could be the most interesting and closely-contest show-down in ages, it was revealed by today that the impressive-looking (at least from the demo) Unreal Tournament 2004 is now complete - or gold - and will be released worldwide on March 15th. This news comes just a day after and Digital Illusions spread the word that Vietnam is also golden in hue, and that it too will be hitting retailers globally on March 15th. It's going to be a very interesting contest indeed. EA offer us this on their hopeful:

The Battlefield franchise is entering a new era with more firepower and beautiful yet ferocious new combat settings. Offering an arsenal of weapons and vehicles authentic to the Vietnam conflict, players will battle in first-person perspective. Staying true to the over-the-top, action-packed multiplayer style that gave Battlefield 1942 its critical and commercial success, Battlefield Vietnam will drop players into some of the Vietnam War's fiercest battles. Fighting in theatres from jungles surrounding the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the city streets of Hue, players will choose from two well-equipped forces, the United States or the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Vietcong. All of this will be accompanied by the sounds of an authentic Vietnam era soundtrack to immerse the player into an experience similar to that of a Hollywood film.
Whilst Atari retaliate via this:

In the game, players suit up as the ultimate techno-gladiator of the future, taking their fates into their own hands as they battle up to 32 other players in action-packed, frag-filled arenas. Unreal Tournament 2004 contains new maps for all established game modes, including Capture the Flag, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Bombing Run and Double Domination, as well as all new arenas for the new styles of play. In addition, Unreal Tournament 2004 contains all of the maps, mutators and game types -- such as Mutant, Last Man Standing and Invasion -- from Unreal Tournament 2003 and the free downloadable bonus packs for that game.
I haven't been so excited since the last Bass Fishing title was released. No, really.

By Luke Guttridge