Pure Pool on PS4 review

 

There's nothing to beat a round or two of pool when you're out with friends having a few jars at the pub and game developers have from time to time tried to recreate that sense of fun and competition on consoles and PC.

The latest incarnation is Pure Pool from indie developers VooFoo Studios who also gave us Pure Chess and Hustle Kings and their emphasis is on creating as realistic an experience of the game as possible.

 

The first impression that strikes you is how photo-realistic the table and the balls are, with high definition sharpness, accurate colours and shadowing, plus a high gloss on the balls that reflects the bright lights in the venue.

The background music score is convivial without being obtrusive (although lengthy exposure proves irritating) and the background images are similarly blurred to keep the focus on the table while suggesting a variety of settings. In-game sound effects receive the same authentic treatment as the graphics, ranging from the soft smack of ball on ball to the satisfying clunk when you pot a shot.

 

Single player action offers four game modes - American 8-Ball, 9-Ball, Killer (where you can forfeit lives) and Accumulator (points grow depending on which balls you hit). In addition, there are four challenges which include speed potting and potting all the balls which will increase your skill level.

The AI is pretty demanding at first but as soon as you pass your 'apprenticeship' you can throw yourself into multiplayer contests where the so-called 'DNA profiling' is designed to match you against similar opponents.

 

Controls on the PS4 are pretty simple - three buttons for placing, fine tuning and adding spin to a shot as well as pausing to stand up and walk round the table. Aiming and striking the cue plus elevation are handled by the two sticks and there are guide lines to help you line up the perfect shot (which sensibly become less visible the further you are from the target ball).

The gameplay is effortless and the great thing about Pure Pool is you can tailor your involvement according to your ability - go full-on for the career tournaments (with over 100 matches) or just dip in and out for a leisurely friendly with a pal. As a non-pool expert, the idea of shelling out about £8  for this kind of classy casual entertainment strikes me as a good deal.

 

Score: 4/5

Sacred 3 review

 

It's been 10 years since the original Sacred burst on to the gaming shelves as an epic fantasy RPG set in the kingdom of Arcania. This was Hack 'n' Slash with a bit of dash that offered a large campaign with stacks of side quests, 4-player co-op and up to 16 contenders in PvP.

There were 6 hero classes - Gladiator, Seraphim, Battle Mage, Wood Elf, Dark Elf and Vampiress - each with their own combat arts, magic spells and fighting skills. There were 50 levels to ascend to and - oh joy! - you could even ride into combat on an upgraded steed and dish out death and destruction. Ok the graphics were  a bit tame but it was a lot of fun.

Spin forward 4 years and up steps the sequel, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. Arcania is in ruins, split between forces of light and dark fighting over powerful T-Energy and you now have the option to join one of two campaigns for victory and explore 500 quests. Of the 6 classes, only the Seraphim remain and they are now joined by High Elf, Dryad, Temple Guardian, Shadow Warrior and Inquisitor.

 

Co-op is now drop-in/drop-out, you still have PvP and PvE modes for 16 players and there's even an in-game concert by a rock band! And if you thought riding horses was a blast, then how about screaming into battle astride a Shroud Spider, Hellhound, Sabretooth or Wind Serpent?

Six years on and fans now have the chance to see how Keen Games has progressed the saga. The trailer looks fast-paced, colourful and stuffed with spectacular effects but by the end there's a  feeling that something appears to be missing. Once you engage with the full game, it's clear that sacrifices have been made and we're not talking about dicing trolls on a High Elf altar.

For a start, initially you are only presented with 4 classes - Seraphim (naturally), solidly built Safiri, spear-wielding Ancarian and bow maestro Khukuhru. A fifth class of blood magic and blade-slashing Malakhim can only be accessed via pre-order and will probably only come into their own properly when the DLC arrives.

 

The paper-thin story has Ancaria cowering before the might of the evil Emperor Zane (should that be Ming?) and your mission is of course to save the world and kick serious ass. Now it's clear that Sacred 3 was conceived primarily as a multiplayer game with strong emphasis on the four-player co-op mode.

Certainly the beginning stages can be quite demanding in single player and the designers chose to keep the chests and loot for the end of each level rather than being collectible on the journey. Only gold, health and power orbs can be picked up as you advance and checkpoints are spaced quite wide.

Attacking strategy involves left clicking for basic attacks and right clicking for more powerful results. Enemies can be grabbed and hurled at others with explosive effects and satisfying concussions arise from execution moves and 'bashing' to break shields. The big difference in Sacred 3 combat is the use of Weapon Spirits which tend to appear at random on the battlefield and offer buffs and debuffs that may significantly alter the balance of the conflict.

 

Most of the gameplay is linear and while you can level up and vary your skills, choosing a class is ultimately not as important as being quick on the button-mashing and dodging. The control system is much improved on the previous games, though, and co-op fighting when surrounded by swarms is the high point of the game. There are repetitive areas such as turning wheels to release more enemies which are annoying but once you get a head of steam, then the adrenaline rush can kick in.

But just as several other features have been curtailed, so is the game length which may not last more than 10-15 hours on first playthrough. And seriously, Deep Silver, what did you do with the mounts? Could you not even spare a moth-eaten donkey? As for the in-game humour, all I can say is, the constant 'wit' is about on a par with the last Duke Nukem reboot.

Don't get me wrong - if this is your first experience of this genre, then grab some pals and have a furious hour or two of furious foe-smashing. But for Sacred aficionados, however dash the slash, less does not mean more.

 

Score: 3/5

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode 2 review

 

 

One of the initial delights of BioShock Infinite was the sudden overpowering burst of colour the moment Booker steps into the sky city of Columbia and this final chapter in Ken Levine's surreal story begins with a similar rich palette of colours as Elizabeth walks through a Paris scene straight out of an Impressionist painting.

But as you'd expect, within seconds the tone of universal bliss and well-being rapidly descends  to fear and uncertainty as colour bleeds out the screen and Elizabeth comes to in the nightmarish situation that ended Episode One.

 

If you're not already up to speed on the complex, intricate and often unfathomable strands in this multi-layered tapestry, then you'll be hopelessly adrift here. For the diehard fans, though, this is Levine's attempt to tie up many of the loose ends in both the original BioShock and Infinite and explain Elizabeth's role in the grand scheme.

Booker no longer has an active role except as a voice on an audiotape encouraging Elizabeth as she picks up his mission to find kidnapped girl Sally. Apart from one brief journey back to Columbia, the principal action takes place in the waterlogged halls and offices of Rapture where a lot of time, audiologs and conversations are spent filling in back stories.

 

This works extremely effectively in the context of the new gameplay that has been developed specifically for this last chunk of DLC - where stealth is given major priority over gung-ho blasting. Elizabeth's former powers from the original Infinite are considerably reduced and walking on broken glass or water will alert enemies to her presence.

She's aided in this sneaky approach by some new plasmids which allow her to see the presence of foes through walls and even to remain invisible when motionless. Shades of 'Thief', too, with a crossbow that fires tranquiliser darts as well as gas darts to take out groups at a time and noise distractions so you can divert round trouble. In addition, she can use a plentiful supply of vents to cross high danger areas.

 

Completing this episode thus takes much longer than its predecessor which seemed to be in a rush to get to the denouement. The stealth approach means you can take your time to appreciate the stunning sets which have always been one of the strengths of this franchise.

There are a couple of sequences in this final chapter that are definitely not for the squeamish (including a particularly nasty torture scene) but the new vulnerable Elizabeth means there's a greater degree of humanity in this episode - so saying farewell to what has been a fascinating journey becomes that much harder to do.

 

Score: 4/5