Facing Worlds Is The Greatest Multiplayer Map Ever Made
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.
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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
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