The new interface is a remarkable improvement, especially the display for your teammate's status and location. The bot interaction is even better than Unreal Tournament's. The runes and the two new powerups are balanced additions (unlike the relics in Unreal Tournament), but they're nothing you couldn't get with some of the better mods. The three new weapons are disappointing. It's a mystery why the Nailgun is called a Nailgun, since it's nothing like the Nailgun we know and love from Quake; instead, it's merely another shotgun. The Prox Mine launcher is a variation on the snot gun from Unreal Tournament. The Chaingun, however, has a lot of kick and is easily Quake III's most dramatic weapon. It chews through enemies, and ammo, in short order. In fact, considering the otherwise carefully balanced arsenal, it seems inordinately powerful.

Some of the new maps are indeed gorgeous -- the chasm between two bases in Assassin's Roost, the vertical bases nestled in the craggy terrain of Final Strike, and the catwalks and girders in Teamwerkz -- but the level design is mainly a variation on the tired and old industrial Gothic factories, all carefully crafted to be balanced for two teams. The level design here is all gameplay and very little soul.

Oddly enough, one of the best features in Quake III Team Arena is a smaller touch. A new scorekeeping system awards you points as you play. The front end then keeps track of your high score for each level and each game mode. Trying to beat a previous high score is a staple of gaming that goes all the way back to quarter-fed arcade machines. It's surprisingly compelling to watch your points accumulate in the lower right corner of the screen as you play, particularly if you're trying to beat a high score.

But it's questionable whether the good touches like the outdoor maps and the scorekeeping are worth the price of admission. Is Team Arena a good add-on? Yes. In fact, it's a very good add-on. Is Team Arena a rip off? Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times, yes. Id is showing up a day late and a dollar short and they're charging too much. If Quake III Team Arena were a free add-on along the lines of the Bonus Packs for Unreal Tournament or Counter-strike for Half Life, it would get an enthusiastic ‘thumbs up'. But as a retail box with a $30 price tag on the front, it's a big ‘thumbs down'.