[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/uc2_4244.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:330:It seems like the Nakhti [[{{Stripperiffic}} dislike clothes]].]]
->''"From the wind swept barrens, from their breathtaking ocean cities, they come. Brave warriors gathering forth in Noble Tradition, battling for Ascension. The greatest among them will be crowned Emperor. Today, with the sponsorship of the Liandri corporation. this tournament enters the twenty fourth century. Welcome to a perfect combination of Ancient Tradition, and high-tech {{bloodsport}}. Welcome to the Ascension Rites."''
''Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict'' is a first-person/third-person HeroShooter, the seventh game in the ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'' series[[note]]Eighth if you also count ''[[VideoGame/UnrealI Unreal Mission Pack]]: [[ExpansionPack Return to Na Pali]]''[[/note]], and the second console-exclusive game of the ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'' series, also for Xbox, after the original ''[[VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004 Unreal Championship]]''. Released in 2005, it was developed by Creator/EpicGames, and was also the first Unreal game published by Creator/MidwayGames, otherwise known for the ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' series.
The game is notorious in the series for its departure from the FirstPersonShooter formula. Its combat system has a strong emphasis on melee combat and mobility, to the point of having a wider moveset and more adrenaline abilities than those of ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004'', with the player being able to alternate first-person (non-melee mode) and third-person (melee mode) views. Each melee weapon has an alternate fire which can stun the opponent, a requirement to do the [[FinishingMove Coup De Grace]]. And, unlike other instances of the Unreal franchise, each character is radically different, with weight classes (light-medium-heavy), starting meleƩ and ranged weapons, different adrenaline abilities and a custom Coup De Grace.
Basically, ''Unreal Championship 2'' can be described as cross between an FPS and a FightingGame. In fact, the character roster includes a GuestFighter in the form of ''Franchise/MortalKombat''[='=]s own Raiden, alongside Shao Kahn as an announcer.
The story focuses on the Nakhti empire, an Egyptian-based civilization whose Ascension Rites' Tournament decided who was [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership the one who would rule the Empire]]. It has the player taking the role of Anubis, a member of the Imperial Legion, while he tries to stop [[FemmeFatale Selket]] from becoming the Emperor. He's one of the first people to be aware that she's a puppet of the [[MegaCorp Liandri Corporation]], who wants to control the Nakhti people. So, Anubis and his friend Sobek sign up for the Tournament in order to stop her.
Check the [[Characters/UnrealChampionship2TheLiandriConflict game's character sheet]] for character specific tropes.
Followed chronologically by ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII''.
!Playable character roster
* From ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'': Malcolm, Brock, Lauren.
* From ''Unreal Tournament 2003'': Arclite, Gorge, Sapphire, Jackhammer (DLC), Lilith (DLC), Syzygy (DLC), Corrosion (Bot), Hyena (Bot), Memphis (Bot), Nephthys (Bot).
* From ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004'': Kraag (DLC).
* [[OriginalGeneration New to this game]]: Anubis, Selket, Sobek, Szalor, Torgr, Raptor, Devastation, Apophis (DLC), Calypso (DLC), Garek (DLC), Merc Anubis (DLC), [[spoiler:Necris]] Selket (DLC), Darius (Bot), Mirage (Bot), Ra (Bot).
* GuestFighter from ''Franchise/MortalKombat'': [[VideoGame/MortalKombat1992 Raiden]].
!Gamemodes featured include
* '''Deathmatch''' and the team-based variant '''Team Deathmatch'''.
* '''CaptureTheFlag'''.
* '''Overdose''', a mix of [=UT200X=]'s Bombing Run and Mutant. It's a free-for-all match where all the players battle for the control of a ball, which gives its holder several Adrenaline abilities at the same time. The ballkeeper must carry the ball to the objective in order to score points while everyone else must prevent this.
* '''Nali Slaughter''', the game's version of [=UT200X=]'s "Invasion" gametype. The differences are that the game is free-for-all (meaning players can frag other players for points), [[MultiMookMelee melee-only]] and that instead of monsters players must destroy Nali.
* '''Survival''' is the same as in the first ''Championship'': players battle in 1on1 matches in a "winner stays, loser goes spectator" fashion. Each match won scores a point to the winner, and the objective is to reach the point limit.
----
!!This game shows examples of:
* ActionGirl: All of them.
* ADayInTheLimelight: 14 of the characters have their own ladders. These expand their backstories, and the backstory of the series a bit, though they tend to contradict with each other every now and then.
* AnnouncerChatter: Par for the course for the series. Even [[Franchise/MortalKombat Shao Kahn]] joins as one.
* AnotherSideAnotherStory: The game has the individual ladders, half of which are unlocked by beating either the game's main story mode (the Ascension Rites), the Challenges or other character's ladder, the only exception being Malcolm[[note]]Unlocked by completing one match of each gametype against human opponents[[/note]]:
** Anubis: Beating the Ascension Rites. His ladder takes place after the Rites.
** Brock: Beating Lauren's ladder. His ladder takes place after the Rites.
** Devastation: Beating her in Ascension Rites rung 14. Her ladder takes place at the same time than the Rites.
** Gorge: Beating Malcolm's ladder. It's unknown at which part of the Rites his ladder takes place.
** [[Franchise/MortalKombat Raiden]]: Beating the Challenges. Non-canon.
** Selket: Beating the Ascension Rites. Takes place at the same time than the Rites [[spoiler:right to the final rung]].
** Torgr: Beating Szalor's ladder. Takes place at the same time as both the Rites and Szalor's ladder; their final rung is even the same match.
* AppliedPhlebotinum: The Necrification process, which uses Nanoblack as its technology.
* AscendedExtra: Due to the way the fighting system works, several characters from both ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' and ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004'' get the ascension to playable characters. Also, some of them have (although slight) relevance to the history of the game and/or the entire series.
** Malcolm's, Brock's and Lauren's case follows the evolution from simple selectable skins in ''UT'' to full-fledged characters in ''2003/2004'' to main story characters in ''[=UC2=]''.
** Sapphire, Gorge and Arclite were just selectable skins with something of a backstory in ''[=200X=]''. In ''[=UC2=]'', they're ascended to full-fledged characters, with their own ladders, and their significance to the story.
** Regarding DLC, there're also Kraagesh, Syzygy and Lilith, who were ascended from just selectable skins with a barebones backstory ''2004'' to full-fledged characters as DLC, with a short name change in Kraag's case, in ''[=UC2=]''. Jackhammer's case goes even further than that, as he was just an AI bot, using Cannonball's bio and model.
* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: The Nahkti ascension rites, where the winner is crowned emperor.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: [[spoiler:Anubis]] in his ladder proceeds to dish out enormous damage to enemies and rival teams. There's a reason, after all of why [[spoiler:he was offered a spot in Thunder Crash by way of Malcolm himself]].
* BadassFamily: Judging by Malcolm's words, Anubis's family has a history with the Rites. This is true as well for any family in the Nakhti Empire, which may be the reason why Liandri is sponsoring the Rites.
--> '''Malcolm:''' ''This competition may be small, but it won't leave you disappointed. Ancient traditions, a final match to the death, and all the carnage you expect from a sanctioned Liandri tournament. Heh... I can't wait.''\\
\\
'''Robot commentator:''' ''Malcolm, are you surprised to see Anubis in [[spoiler:the semi-finals]]?''\\
'''Malcolm:''' ''Nah! He has fighting in his blood - from his grandmother, the late Empress Seshafi.''
* BittersweetEnding: In the aftermath of the Rites' finals, [[spoiler:Anubis]] is in mourning after [[spoiler:killing Selket]]. Then, a Liandri Officer approaches, and gives him the choice of bringing [[spoiler:her]] back to life [[spoiler:as a Necris]], betraying everything he held dear, or leave [[spoiler:her]] dead. Needless to say, he chooses the first option.
* BlatantItemPlacement: Not so much this time, as the players get to choose their arsenal before the game begins. The ammo packs, health items and powerups are still there, though.
* BloodSport: And in ancient rite form, no less.
* BondOneLiner: The victory taunts.
* TheCameo:
** [[Franchise/MortalKombat Shao Kahn]] as an announcer.
** Malcolm has no playable appearances in the Ascension Rites while almost every other character (sans Gorge, Brock and Raiden) does.
** BossTease: The game has Apophis and Selket appearing throughout the entirety of the Ascension Rites (though only in cutscenes), only to be fought at the semifinals and finals respectively.
* CaptainObvious: While some of the individual ladder challenges have creative names, others are limited to " In