The genius of classic multiplayer map Facing Worlds lies in its simplicity. Set on an asteroid spinning in a balletic orbit around the Earth, it's essentially just two towers linked by a rocky bridge. But, somehow, within this seemingly limited geography lurks an endless, exhilarating supply of strategy, tension, and excitement. Unreal Tournament is one of the best multiplayer shooters ever made, and Facing Worlds—designed by Cedric 'Inoxx' Fiorentino—is a big part of that. It's just one of many maps, but so perfectly, pristinely designed that, for me, it defines the entire game. Facing Worlds is Unreal Tournament.
You can figure Facing Worlds out in a minute. Maybe less. You have to fight your way into your opponent's tower, capture their flag, and bring it back to your own. But the remarkable thing about this deceptively straightforward map is how you can play it for hundreds, even thousands, of hours. I did back in '99, refusing to play any other maps. It was Facing Worlds all the time, every night, repeatedly—and we never got bored of it. Granted, there were fewer games around at the time, but I had plenty of other shooters—and other UT maps—I could have been playing. Yet I always found myself back on that rock.
One of Facing Worlds' cleverest features is the bridge connecting the two towers. This zig-zagging stretch of land is slightly raised in the middle, meaning you never know what's waiting for you on the other side. As you crest this unassuming wedge of geometry, heading towards your opponent's tower, you could find a clear dash to the flag—or the entire enemy team charging at you, flak cannons puking up hot chunks of deadly metal . If that's the case (and it often is), you can only pray you have some steady-handed snipers perched on your own tower to cover you. It's a tiny piece of level design, but a monumentally significant one.
This bridge is where Facing Worlds' most intense firefights inevitably break out. When explosives are introduced into the mix, it's not uncommon to see players being launched off the map and into the cosmic abyss below. The map is a floating island with big, gaping holes in the middle, which makes ring-outs a constant, nerve-racking possibility. Making it across alive, barging into the enemy tower, and stealing their flag is a feeling like no other—even if you only last a few seconds and the flag is immediately returned to its pedestal. But the map's neatly compact size means you never have to wait long for another shot at glory.
This makes for a gloriously fast-paced map, but you don't always have to be part of the ground assault. Facing Worlds is a sniper's dream, and I love lingering at the top of those towers protecting my teammates and enjoying the cathartic pop of a successful headshot. Also, if you're lucky, teleporting to your tower's mid-point rewards you with the map's most hotly contested weapon: the devastating Redeemer. Firing this portable nuclear warhead launcher at the opposing tower and racking up multiple kills is immensely satisfying. Whether on the frontlines or in the rear with the gear, Facing Worlds is FPS perfection.
But even if you do manage to grab the Redeemer, or find a nice sniping spot, it never lasts long. Facing Worlds is completely symmetrical, which places both teams on equal footing. There's always an enemy sniper across the way, which means you have to spend your time up there wisely. You don't have much of it. This adds to the frenetic pace of the map, but also prevents players from camping or getting too comfortable playing a certain way. It's a map designed with equilibrium firmly in mind, and the layout naturally keeps things balanced and fair. It's impossible to feel hard done by fighting on this map.
Facing Worlds is an incredible piece of design, and it's beautiful too. The great glowing sphere of the Earth looms massively in the distance, tumbling dramatically in and out of your field of view as you bounce around the map launching rockets. Its superb musical theme, , is a stylish collision of squelchy acid synths, gliding pads, and extremely late '90s drum 'n' bass. Facing Worlds is perfect in every way, and I don't think I'll love another multiplayer map to quite the same degree ever again. It does a huge amount with very little, and I still don't know how Inoxx pulled it off.