Blogcritics Category: Gaming: Xbox

The Evolution of a Gamer: Part 3 - The Gamer Evolves

Michael Prince — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:34:50 EST

How does one become a dedicated and obsessive gamer? Read on to see how a gamer evolves with the times.
This is the third part of a four-part series that will look at how I became the nutball, Sony fanboy, obsessive gamer I am. As you read this, if you have similar thoughts or your own stories please add them to the comments. If you are so inclined you can read part 1 and part 2 of the series to see what led me to this stage of my evolution as a...

GamezNFlix.com May Be Dead

Mark Buckingham — Thu, 4 Dec 2008 15:38:22 EST

It�s like they�ve dropped off the face of the Earth.
About a month and a half ago, after years of satisfied service, GamezNFlix.com sent me the first damaged disc I’d ever received from them. I e-mailed them promptly, figuring they would call shenanigans and accuse me of some wrongdoing (Gamefly did this to me several times, prompting me to abandon them and use GNF in the first place). To my...

The Skeptic's Guide to Violent Video Game Studies

Nathaniel Edwards — Fri, 7 Nov 2008 15:05:39 EST

Why you should doubt what you read about the effects of violent video games.
A few days ago, The Washington Post published an article entitled "Study Links Violent Video Games, Hostility" that combined some fairly old American research with two new Japanese studies that claimed there is "conclusive evidence" that violent video games are a "public health risk". I propose that researchers who say they have conclusive evidence...

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Xbox Review: Thrillville

Matt Paprocki — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 17:17:42 EST

Thrillville is odd. It's a bargain with three completely separate games in one. Even better, they're three excellent games. Unfortunately, Thrillville mixes those games into a single package and convolutes a concept aiming for simplicity. While sitting in the kids market with its bright colors, overly happy people, friendly demeanor and generally suitable content, there's enough here to grab any simulation fans attention. Taking the best parts of EA's now archaic 16 and 32-bit Theme Park and the superb PC hit Roller Coaster Tycoon, Thrillville puts you in control of various parks. Your goals vary in each, though it generally comes down to staying profitable and making enough money to advance.Thrillville is unique with its interface. It's hard to imagine a better way to handle it on a console. You'll control a slightly customizable avatar from a third person perspective. Through this you can chat with guests, place rides or attractions, set prices, and manage all available aspects of your (hopefully) growing park. The somewhat bland graphics keep the tone light, though make it difficult to believe you're riding a roller coaster when you have the opportunity to do so from a first-person perspective. Managing all of that is fun. The easy to access and even easier to follow interface keeps everything within a few button presses. Things go wrong when you're asked to complete and keep track of too much at one time. Tedious quests and interface problems begin to seep in through extended play.Earning money in Thrillville isn't only done through ticket or attraction prices. You'll need to complete missions, which vary from something as odd as riding a ride (why would earn money for this?) to beating a high score set by one of your guests. Yes, Thrillville has a lot to do. That leaves hardly any time to focus on a specific aspect. Mini-games compound these issues. Hiring employees requires training, and to do so, you'll need to complete a specific mini-game. While fun on their own, especially with some peppy kid-friendly licensed pop music in the backdrop, you'll need to repeat this multiple times whether to fully train them or to hire more help. All of this happens as your guests roam the park, and addressing their needs ends up secondary to training your new mechanic or beating little Bobby's score in the arcade. Compounding these problems are interface annoyances. In order to place a new object, you need to physically walk your character over to the area. Given the surprising size of the parks, this wastes valuable time. It's worse when you reach your destination only to realize your dream coaster doesn't fit.Finally, the game has a bizarre conversation system with guests. It's not only tedious as you select random and flat out stupid questions that have nothing to do with anything, you can attempt to randomly create relationships between visitors. It's just a little creepy to flirt with a girl and then pick a guy you've never met to hang out with her. It supposedly makes the teenagers in your park happier, though the benefits to the extended conversations seem minimal at best. The flashes of Thrillville's success show through in the main menu. Here you can tackle the mini-games without any other pressure. Also, you can partake in the game's superbly intuitive roller coaster builder without the hassle of a budget or limitation. The latter is the game's strongest asset, allowing for wild designs with a few presses on the d-pad, and the ability for the CPU to take over at the end to make the track complete. Sadly, you'll need to spend some time in the main game to see some of these open up. LucasArts has a few products here, each perfectly acceptable as their own products. The multi-player mini-games are fun and addictive. With Xbox Live play, they could fit right in amongst the rest of the Xbox library. Shoved into a park simulation with only local play, they're merely an annoyance. Thrillville is worth a peek for curious simulation fans only. Thrillville is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) by the ESRB for Fantasy Violence, Mild Lyrics, Mild Suggestive Themes. This game can also be found on: PS2, PSP.

Matt Paprocki is the former reviews editor for Digital Press. The deep game collection, which spans nearly 30 systems and 2,000 games, lines his walls for research purposes. Matt strives to bring credibility to video game journalism, and to aid the industry in becoming respected with all forms of entertainment media. He currently freelances for GameArgus.com and MultiPlayerGames.com.

Xbox Review: Justice League Heroes

Blake Matthews — Fri, 3 Nov 2006 02:18:21 EST

Being the die-hard comic book fan that I am, of course I’d heard about the new Justice League Heroes Xbox game -- and could not wait to play. As a child, I grew up watching Super-Friends and always wanted to be a member of the Justice League of America. While that dream is impossible, Justice League Heroes brings you the next best thing: being able to virtually fight evil as the members of the Justice League. The second I dove into the game, I was reminded of X-Men: Legends -- another fighting game where you can play as your favorite mutants, which came out a couple of years ago. In Justice League Heroes, you get to play with your favorite characters -- like Batman, Superman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, and Zatanna -- but you can’t chose who you want to be. You start out playing with a Batman/Superman team, which allows you to switch between the two characters if you’re playing in one-player mode. But, if you wanted to make a Batman/Flash team-up, it isn’t possible. Then you fight your way through an intricate storyline that brings you to different areas of Metropolis and various parts of the DC Universe. The overall plot is to defeat Brainaic and other top level DC Universe villains. Using different super teams, you face different challenges, ranging from the classic save-the-citizen series to battling super villain Brainiac, who just might not be who he seems. As you gain more and more experience, you can add points to different slots and boosts to various moves, endurance, etc. Standard punching and kicking doesn’t take much of your endurance, but your special moves, like Superman’s super punch, will drain your endurance bar quickly. Then you must wait for it to come back, which could cost you your life! You also can’t really execute too many special moves in a row because your endurance bar has to be at a certain level for them to work. As you get too low, you do get somewhat corny lines like "I can’t continue at this level for long!" Word of advice: add to endurance as much as you can. The characters all have their signature powers, though some are more powerful than others. Superman's laser vision, for example, deals quite a bit of damage, but his cold breath hardly does a thing. Then, you have more interesting powers that produce pretty cool effects. As Batman, I loved being able to call on a swarm of bats to attack the various foes; and as Zatanna, I could turn all of my enemies into bunnies that needed a good stomping (any Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds fans out there?). Another great feature is the game's numerous checkpoints. Not only is your progress saved as you reach each one, but if one of your teammates dies, going back to the checkpoint will bring your backup back to life. This is extremely useful considering that each character does have unique powers and abilities and you might need to switch off in order to complete the level.While good old-fashioned pounding is the name of the game for Justice League Heroes, Batman leans toward the lasers, which deplete his life force. There were also times when it was easier to let one of my players die in order to defeat some foes. When battling Brainiac, Batman packs more of a punch, but what you need is distance, making Superman the better choice. Also, don't be afraid to run. It's a life-saving strategy to get out of the line of fire, or you can have the villains follow you so you can pick them off one-by-one.I know it's the natural choice to have Superman and Batman as the game's first tag team, and I admit it was fun playing both characters, but what really interested me was getting to play as the other characters. Superman and Batman are great, but they’ve had how many games made for each of them? After you complete their story, you move on to the Zatanna/Martian Manhunter team, which was definitely more interesting.The creators got all of the details right, from Martian Manhunter’s mind blasts to Zatanna’s reciting everything backwards for her magic to work. I started the game by myself, but it wasn't long before I was joined by my 7-year-old (all the time giggling at the sound effects). She liked Batman and Superman, but, like me, really got a kick out of watching Zatanna turn the villains turn into bunnies. But then again, she likes Chaos Bleeds, too. While it's a great play, the game does get repetitive at times. How many times can you punch the same (or similar in appearance) villain/henchman and rescue more hostages? But once you can play as second- and third-tier heroes, like Zatanna, and are working toward gaining access to unlockable characters, you have a good incentive to plug away at those robots one more time. The best advice for those whose appetites are whet enough to pick up the game: learn from your mistakes and add points to the stat slots for Zatanna you think will help. Because of the many unlockables, I wasn’t afraid to die, and in fact, it was sometimes easier since I knew what to expect and was prepared for it. The bottom line is this game is fun to play, and that’s what I would want a superhero video game to be: FUN. What would be great is if there could be a Justice Society of America companion game and then, like LEGO Star Wars I and II, you could use any of the characters at any level. Hey a fanboy can dream, can’t he?Justice League Heroes is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Fantasy Violence, Mild Language. This game can also be found on: GBA, Nintendo DS, PS2, PSP.

Xbox Review: Scarface - The World is Yours

Matt Paprocki — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 01:04:09 EDT

Becoming the longest alternate ending in the history of the film, Scarface - The World is Yours starts at the end of the movie. As venerable Tony Montana, players break out of the drug lord's mansion instead of falling face first into a puddle of blood. Losing everything, Tony starts over from the bottom rung of the Miami drug scene, and it's up to the player to gain it all back.This creates an interesting scenario for a movie based game. Besides rewriting film history and completely changing the point of the movie, Scarface has a lot riding on it to deliver as far as the story is concerned. Sadly, that's the one area the game misses out on entirely. Scattered between countless drug runs, murder, escort missions and other various side missions is a story struggling to keep pace with the rest of the game. By the time the next plot point arises, you've forgotten the previous cinematic. Thankfully, the game play is engrossing enough to keep things interesting through an extensive array of missions. An obligatory third person Grand Theft Auto knock-off, Scarface doesn't manipulate the formula enough to feel fresh. What it does is build on that same concept, and in the end, it's a better game for it. At the heart of the game is targeting, a multi-tiered system that allows for locking on and manual firing. Keeping the cursor locked on allows for precise shots that can lead to a number of gruesome injuries. Decapitations are plentiful, and other appendages end up on the ground with a few pinpoint shots. Manually targeting can produce the same effects, though it's far more difficult. To give a purpose to the manual targeting, doing so increases Tony's "Balls" meter. Yes, it means exactly what it says, and can also be filled by spewing vulgar taunts, risky driving or carrying on full conversations with civilians. When filled, Tony can enter a rage mode, making him a dead-on shot from a first person view and regaining life with each kill. The system works nicely to keep the difficulty fair. It takes a second to activate the rage, and a life can be taken in that time. It's well balanced to make the player feel both powerful and challenging at the same time. Not all of Tony's work is gunplay though. The game's concept is to rebuild Tony's empire, and this needs to be done the only way Montana knows how. Dealing crack is critical to earn cash and respect on the streets. Money can be used to dress up the mansion (with items that can be moved anywhere in the house through a clunky interface), buy businesses to take over turf, or bribe cops and gangs to keep them off your back. The more turf and fancy items you have, the higher your respect and the quicker the story moves along. The interface for buying is clean and simple enough to understand. Unfortunately, the on-screen map definitely needs some work, often confusing while failing to point out obvious short cuts. Driving through each area a few times is a better way to grasp the lay of the roads. This is especially critical when trying to evade police. If you're within their sights when caught for a period of time, you'll have no means of escape and be killed. Cops are inconsistent, appearing in a matter of seconds during one battle with a gang and failing to show up at all during another. Knowing when you're in trouble would be helpful since dying causes you to lose all cash currently on Tony. All cash must be deposited into a bank (which doubles as a save point) or you're at risk to lose it.With such a focus on cash, Scarface meanders around in dull side missions that become grating in later hours. Dealing drugs, laundering money, bribing cops, and intimidating gangs are all performed through a weak interface that mimics classic golf games. You simply press a button and time it correctly so you've filled it to the correct spot. These are the types of acts that need performed well over a hundred times each at minimum when playing through the full game. That said, Scarface is saved by satisfying shooting mechanics and a sense of taking one of the truly great film characters under your wing. Watching the empire grow, local gangs cowering in fear and owning businesses is enough to carry this title to success. The World is Yours ends up being nothing more than Miami, but there's plenty to do and most importantly, it's entertaining even with the quirks. Scarface - The World is Yours is rated M (Mature) by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, and a record number of uses for a word starting with "f." This game can also be found on: PC, PS2, PSP, Mobile Phone.

Xbox Review: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07

Matt Paprocki — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 02:08:36 EDT

Taking the term "everything and the kitchen sink" to heart, Tiger Woods 07 for the Xbox is the definitive version of the series. Tossing in nearly every feature ever found in a Tiger Woods game, this lively entry is a fine way to send it out on the current hardware before the focus shifts entirely to new consoles. This game is a total turnaround from 2006. Last year brought two utterly absurd changes to the game: "Tiger Proofing" and Gamebreakers. They contradicted each other; the latter allowing for a perfect shot when activated and Tiger Proofing was a desperate attempt to the make the game more difficult by adjusting the courses to your skill level as you played. Neither feature makes a return, and, instead, the focus is on the sheer amount of content that can fit on one disc. Aside from a few fantasy courses, this is a full roster, culled from each edition of the game since 2003. This brings the total up to a stunning 21, variety never seen in a Woods game. That same number can be used to represent the number of golfers found on the disc, including newcomers like Annika Sorenstam. As usual, there's a ridiculous amount of time-consuming features to experience. Finally admitting the game is shamefully easy, sliders can be adjusted to minimize the yardage of a drive, effectiveness of a player putt, length of the rough, and more. Some of these options have been included previously, though never at this level of customization.Gone is the oddball Rivals mode, replaced by another throwaway single player experience, Team Tour. Here you'll acquire different golfers to add to your squad as you travel the world and take on other teams. The team play adds a unique spin to standard golf since most of the games take place with multiple characters. This also requires playing alongside the AI, and while it's funny to watch them plop balls into the water four straight times when playing against them, trying to win with a performance like that can be nearly impossible. A full PGA Tour season is the better way to play.Besides that misstep, there's nothing to complain about here. The shape stick has been changed, borrowing, if not outright stealing, the system from recently released Pro Stroke Golf. Now the right analog stick stays in a position either over or under the ball before the swing instead of moving around prior to completion of the swing. Putting returns with the ridiculous aiming camera, showing the exact location needed for an accurate putt. As a complete game however, you can also choose the option to used caddy tips, which were last seen in 2005. While the mechanics have only been slightly switched (and a little beefier given the customization), game modes have been greatly added to. Whoever came up with the concept of One Ball not only deserves a raise, but a giant hug from every fan this series has earned since its inception. In this mode, up to four players hit a single ball. The idea is to be the last one and make the final putt to take the hole. This leads to some deep strategy as you try and keep the ball away from the hole so the other player(s) can set you up for an easy final stroke. The challenging portion is that the ball must be hit within a circled area on the course. Failing to do so awards back-to-back shots for the next golfer. Other fun game play options include T-I-G-E-R, a variation on the classic basketball playground game H-O-R-S-E. Everything is also playable online, with solid servers that keep the experience smooth. The graphics engines have been honed enough that anything less than 60 fps would be a mistake, online or off, and this version is wonderfully consistent. ESPN integration features ESPN Radio updates when you sign into Xbox Live and text stories from ESPN.com.This is a nearly flawless turn around from Tiger Woods 06, and a fine way to end a series on the aging hardware. This will most likely be the final entry on current generation systems to get the added attention needed to make Tiger Woods a success. This is an absolute must have, even in addition to the Xbox 360 version given how different the products are. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB. This game can also be found on: PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360 and Mobile Phone.

Xbox Review: NASCAR 07

Aaron Auzins — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 18:14:53 EDT

NASCAR, like all other professional sporting licenses, recently received its yearly iteration on the Xbox thanks to Electronic Arts. Unfortunately, with NASCAR 07, fans of the sport might run out of fuel fast as 07 leaves players with very few new game play features.That isn't to say, however, that EA didn't take some time to sprinkle sugar on everything that was NASCAR 06. EA Tiburon took what they introduced in 06 and built around it to flesh the game out even more.In 07, new driver ratings are introduced to indicate how well a driver handles different types of courses. A new adrenaline meter that increases or decreases depending on how well you drive during a race further beefs up these ratings and allows for clutch performances. A new adjustable car handling system allows players to tune their vehicle, as they deem appropriate with an easy sliding scale interface.While the attributes might not seem like a huge addition off the bat, it allows players to pick an appropriate driver and handling scheme for every possible situation. The adrenaline meter further encourages proper customization since the easier it is for the player to drive more efficiently on the track, the more they are rewarded with a boost in attributes. The features work hand in hand and are implemented nicely into the game.NASCAR followers will get a bonus in the Fight to the Top mode with new racing situations featuring Kenny Wallace in full motion video sequences. By showing Wallace your mettle in the Allstate Qualifiers, players will be awarded special contracts to race under through the duration of your created racer's career.Perform well in the qualifiers and you'll receive a much more lucrative contract. Through the duration of your career, you can earn career status and cash through races, own your own racing teams, settling rivalries and more.Everything else, however, is the standard fare that NASCAR 06 brought us - team controls, drafting, intimidating - it's all here in the same fashion. However, that isn't to say race fans won't still be able to get into the game. For those who give it the time, there is plenty of longevity in the career modes and the extra challenges and chase mode will add on a few more hours of playability.The game is presented well with a fitting soundtrack, NASCAR racers and logos abound and simplistic menus. A number of real-world professional drivers are represented in the game, all sporting the cars and teams they race in NASCAR. The Dodge Challenge mode creates scenarios narrated by NASCAR drivers in even more full motion video.Graphically, the title gets the job done without doing anything wildly impressive. The vehicles themselves have some decent detail and the smoke and sparks (pretty much all particle effects) have received a touch-up but everything else remains pretty much the same as last year's effort. The only noticeable standouts in the graphics department come in the advertised "increased sense of speed" motion blurring and the lens flare provided when driving against the sun.Sound wise, NASCAR 07 operates much like any other game in the series. The sound in the game relies heavily on the revving and roaring engines of the cars and 07 hits this right on the head. While the music might not be to everyone's taste, it fits the game well and provides for a backdrop when competing in qualifiers or any other race that doesn't have a full roster of vehicles. The crunches and scrapes of reckless driving are also intact and provide for believable wrecks.New car handling physics implemented in 07 makes the game a little easier on the thumbs as the vehicles tend to handle a little bit better overall than in previous years. My car went out of control less in 07 than in my previous attempts at playing 2005 and 06 and keeping with the pack seemed to be a tad easier this year. The more-friendly control allows for more of a pick-and-play aspect for first-time players (since there is no sort of hands-on training or tutorial in the game) and should shave some seconds off veterans' best times.Unfortunately, the game doesn't uphold as well online. The lobby is a bare-bones minimum offering but it does sport leader boards, chatting and career tallies. Xbox Live play, however, is hampered by lag and jumping vehicles depending on the game's connection to the servers. While it's still playable, it hardly stands out as an impassable feature.The bottom line is NASCAR 07 is an "update" of last year's release. While it improves upon what was introduced in the previous iteration, no new earth-shattering feature is included in 07. Although much-improved tweaking makes for a more solid game overall, gamers will probably debate whether NASCAR 07 is enough of a change to warrant another $40 purchase.Those who give it a chance will find a lot to do, however. There's plenty of fame and fans to build, skill points to accumulate and chase plates to collect through a number of different game modes. While it doesn't compare to EA's other racing franchises, NASCAR 07 should whet the appetite of fans of the sport as well as provide a solid title for those looking for a new race title.NASCAR 07 is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB. This game can also be found on: PS2, PSP.

Aaron Auzins, better known as "nestlekwik," is an avid gamer and collector who resides in Ohio. He has written video gaming reviews for The Northwest Signal, The Disclaimer, personal Web sites, GameFAQs, BitSmack and on Sony's invitation-only Web log - The Gamer Advisory Panel.

Xbox Review: Xyanide

Matt Paprocki — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:20:17 EDT

Wrapped around an intriguing storyline, Xyanide offers standard fare for the SHMUP genre, including almost necessary co-op play. It's obvious influences are spread liberally, and with only a few unique concepts to carry itself, even die-hard fans will have a tough time appreciating this title. Xyanide is a case of coming close without fully realizing its potential.Presented in multiple viewpoints to keep the game visually interesting, Xyanide uses both analog sticks for combat. The left stick moves, the right stick fires. On top of rapidly passing, nausea-inducing backdrops with nearly zero interaction programmed into it, players take on a unique roster of ships on their quest to deliver a witch to her execution (when of course things go horribly wrong). Boss battles are frequent, and actually require some strategy to pass through unscathed.Problems become apparent in single player. The games difficulty is near the ridiculous level, even on the easiest setting available. It's not a matter of lack of skill or abusive enemy patterns -- It's the amount of damage one player can cause. The first level boss requires an astonishing level of destruction before lighting up in a gorgeous fireball. A timer alerts the player to the hazard, and if it's not destroyed in time, it's an unavoidable death. With a partner, there's no need for the timer. You can take it down in record time.It's beyond frustrating to deal with cheap deaths, especially when the levels come dangerously close to setting world records for length. With some stages nearing the 20-minute mark, dying and replaying is not a strong prospect for enjoyment. This is especially dull when the environments constantly cycle through more times than you can count on your fingers. Certain moments in the game offer branching paths, though knowing where these come into play relies more on being in the right place at the right time than any conscious decision. Different areas never really look new or varied aside from enemy patterns or an additional boss fight. As such, the environments have no effect on game play to the average player. The lack of interaction takes away from the title, giving this budget shooter a "pasted on" feel.While adding collision to the level walls would only add to the difficulty, it would at least raise the game above the level of a generic FMV shooter from the early 90s. It's a shame, too, since Xyanide performs fine in the area of explosions, satisfaction, and weaponry. As a basic update to a classic genre, it has the basic mechanics down, while adding its own twist. With multiple types of weapons, each with their own tendencies against specific enemies, it keeps the players from simply holding down a firing button. The game creates an interesting visual change in your ship too. Picking up power-ups will slowly turn your fighter into an organic or mechanical firepower source. Your speed is likewise affected depending on the path you take. There's also the addition of higher power secondary fire, charged on the left trigger and fired at a locked-on target. This is hardly an original idea, though executed nice enough to prove satisfying when these shots land. You're also granted special moves that vary between offensive and defensive advantages on the face buttons.Only two modes of play are selectable, and sadly, neither one of those are online. Leaderboards are all the Xbox Live banner on the back of the box will bring you. Arcade mode takes you through the entire game in one run (with no way to save), while Level mode lets you take on an individual fight you unlocked by playing the previous game play challenge. To its credit, Xyanide does a stunning job of creating its world on a budget. The cinematics are worth watching again, and it may keep someone from putting down the controller when they're frustrated. Sadly, the same can't be said for the game play, which not only feels restrictive, but wasted. Xyanide's few new ideas can't keep it together in the long run. Xyanide is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Animated Blood and Fantasy Violence.

Xbox Review: ProStroke Golf - World Tour 2007

Matt Paprocki — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 14:41:16 EDT

Prostroke Golf is dangerously close to being the single greatest video game rendition of golf ever made. Its swing mechanic is deep, involving, and handles every aspect of the game properly. Unfortunately, this is a title that collapses on itself anywhere outside of the swing mechanism. It's apparent from the beginning how lacking Prostroke is. There's no player creator aside from a few standard models and an alternate outfit. Left-handers are left out entirely; Online play is absent; Only two real courses are included; The pros will only be recognized by die-hard golf fans; The career mode has numerous useless features; and there's only one music track for each portion of the game. The sad thing is, that's still not covering everything wrong with the game.Thanks to its ingenious swing system though, Prostroke Golf is saved from being a total loss. Aside from expensive arcade simulations that use real clubs, this is as close as it comes to the real thing when using an analog stick. Both analog sticks are used in conjunction with each other, which is what allows this to become a deep, challenging simulation.The left stick shifts your body weight; the right stick swings. As this is done from a stationary first-person viewpoint, the sticks need to be moved left to right instead of a more familiar up and down. Setting up a shot allows for the opportunity to pull out of any desperate scenario.It's not always a matter of pushing both to the right and then to the left while staying as straight as possible, that's the only way to attain full power, and of course, that's not always what you'll need. Spin is put on the ball by shifting your weight to either side and holding it there. An easy to use indicator lets you know loft, spin rate, or possible miss-direction.You can also hook the ball around objects using the left stick. As you move the analog, you'll see your virtual wrists move along with it, in addition to the weight shift. The d-pad comes into play to set your feet and their position for flop or punch shots, and can add to the degree of curve you need. Hitting X can adjust power on the swing when needed. Combined, this is as in-depth as video game golf can possibly be.Putting isn't quite as deep, however, as you'll be given a grid, green height, and distance. Break is rarely significant even though the moving lines on the grid make it seem like it. Obviously, spin, loft, and stance play no role here, so this is an activity set to the right analog stick only.Even for an experienced pro, Prostroke can be brutally difficult. Years of EA's Tiger Woods franchise has made a score of 48 possible and not that difficult to obtain. You'll be lucky to be under par after 18 in this Oxygen Games developed sim. As this is a solo experience for the most part (it does support four players in standard modes like match and stroke), your golfers' career is where your time will be spent. It becomes little more than a few random tournaments and challenges. You'll earn renown which is the only way to enter into higher tournaments. You'll also earn money, but it has no purpose in the game at all, since there's nothing to buy. You can only assume it's being given to the three man commentary team who are being paid to mumble and sound as uninterested as possible. Additionally, you're always be playing against a NPC character. This makes tournaments that should take 20-minutes run about an hour. If that becomes too dull to stand, you can create your own course. While obviously losing a lot due to the inability to share your creation with the world online, this is a deeply involving feature. The tools are logical, and aside from a few hints, you could quickly create a few holes to your liking without a deep tutorial. The ability to manipulate the shape of the green or fairway can lead to some involving designs.It's a shame your course will look like the rest of the game though. This is a hideous looking game of golf, one so awful it affects game play in multiple ways. With an overcast sky, for example, it's nearly impossible to tell water from a sand trap. The reflection of the clouds looks like the same texture used for the dirt. Trees are masses of pixels. Players look like they're standing in front of a still picture given there's no motion at all in the backdrops (not even with a high wind). Robotic and repetitive animation is the final point that completely causes the engine to crumble. Prostroke Golf is not a game high on the budget side of things -- that's obvious. Credit is due for the creators focusing their skills where they belong instead of padding the game with unnecessary extras. While that sadly destroys this product overall when compared to the competition, fans of video game golf will be thrilled with the original concept for swinging and probably stick around long enough to get caught up in the course creator too. This is a worthwhile purchase to the right audience. Prostroke Golf is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB. This game can also be found on: PS2, PC.