It's reassuring that the publisher that has actually splashed out for the official Olympic license has actually spent some money on making the best multi-sport game this year. Compared to 49 Games' unofficial attempts, this comes away looking like the most accomplished game on the planet.
Marvel at the fact it doesn't play like a smashed piano! Gasp at how the athletes look like actual human beings! Gaze in awe at the usable interface! In reality, it's just a decent sports game. Some events are better than others, but none of them make you want to destroy something beautiful. Highlights include a reasonably engaging recreation of table tennis, dramatic white-water kayaking and the slightly incongruous 25m Rapid Fire Pistol - we had no idea first-person shooting had become an Olympic sport.
But ultimately it's still a collection of relatively shallow events competing against other sports games, such as FIFA, that have the luxury of offering vast depth within a single sport. As a result even though this is the best multi-sport game we've played in an age, it still feels more like a platter of hors d'oeuvres than a gut-filling steak dinner.
5 comments so far...
KernowDevil23 on 29 Jun '12 said:
7/10 for an official Olympics game? Gotta be the best score ever?!
I'm almost tempted to put it on my rental list............
SidTheSloth on 30 Jun '12 said:
It could have got a ten and i still wouldn't bite, i was 'mugged' with the one for the last olympics because i switched my brain off before buying! Hard to see how it could be as fun as mario & sonic 4 player olympics too? 4 man swimming relay with jagermeister for the loser? You can almost chew the tension!
The fact i seem to have a problem with controller reliability lately is another good reason to stay away!
bamozzy on 30 Jun '12 said:
To be honest I have no interest in the Olympics or games like this at all. In fact I think the last game of this nature I enjoyed was the old Track and Field arcade button basher so that shows how long ago it was!
TinnoUnited on 2 Jul '12 said:
With that half-decent score, the buttons on controllers around the UK are shaking with fear...
Captain_Chao5 on 2 Jul '12 said:
I've actually got this, and it isn't too bad. Visually it's better than I expected, and gameplay is not completely button battering. For example - during the running events, you do repeatedly press the A button - BUT you have to keep the 'speed gauge' within the last 20%. Too fast and it goes red, too slow it goes amber - both resulting in slower pace.
Not tried the Kinect element yet, but TBH not really bothered about that anyway.