Ultimate 8 Ball
Score: 94% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: THQ Developer: Mirage Technologies Media: CD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Sports (Table Games)/ Simulation
Graphics & Sound: Ultimate 8 Ball’s graphics are sparse, but they get the job done. The balls look suitably round for polygonal objects, and the character models are rather detailed. Overall, the graphics are pretty basic, but they’re perfectly playable. The menus are a highlight -- very well done, with a nifty fade effect, they are clean and crisp, with a tight presentation. The sound effects in this game are good as well, with realistic sounding bounces and cracks and such. They do a good job of immersing you in the game. The music... what music? It was so generic that I don’t even remember what it was. Put on some good garage rock or blues or something while you play this game -- it adds to the ambiance.
Gameplay: The gameplay for Ultimate 8 Ball is very easy to figure out, especially since there’s a Training mode that teaches you all sorts of tricks of the trade. The control’s tight as well. You can use either the analog or the digital pad, and holding down another button slows your stick to a crawl, so that you can get pixel-perfect positioning. You use a power-meter to indicate how hard you want to hit the ball, and you can adjust just where you hit the ball as well. The physics are awesome, with extremely realistic rack-breaking and bouncing and such. The fact that they included some crazy trick shots in the tutorial shows just how good the physics engine is. There are tons of modes of play, from 16-player tournaments to against the computer and American eight-ball to one affectionately called “Killer.” There are plenty of oddly-shaped pool tables as well, to add spice to your gaming life. This game has gameplay in spades.
Difficulty: Once you figure out the correct amount of power to apply to the cue ball to break the rack and do tight shots, the difficulty is purely based on the skill of your opponent. Some of the single-player pool sharks are deadly, and some are easy. Ultimate 8 Ball is definitely a game to play with friends, though, and you can have a blast playing with three or four other people, trying to beat the snot out of them.
Game Mechanics: Ultimate 8 Ball’s mechanics are tight and solid. It’s easy to control just where your shots are going, just how they’re going to move... everything. The game’s only real flaw is the drab graphics. If there were a tad more detail, and if the analog control was a tad tighter (I always end up using the digital pad because it’s more precise), this game would be the best pool game available on the PlayStation. As it is, it’s a top contender with Backstreet Billiards. Rent this game -- or if you like pool, buy it. It’s a sure shot.
-Sunfall to-Ennien, GameVortex Communications AKA Phil Bordelon
Twisted Metal III 1602 A.D.