Mark Botwright
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Reviewed by Ste Carter
Format - PlayStation3
Developer - Zindagi Games
Publisher - SCEE
Release date - 17/09/2010
Rating - 12 (PEGI)
Format - PlayStation3
Developer - Zindagi Games
Publisher - SCEE
Release date - 17/09/2010
Rating - 12 (PEGI)
Synopsis
So this is it, the next big thing in the on-going console war, motion control. Microsoft and Sony will now battle it out in the build up to Christmas in order to win the hearts of once loyal Nintendo Wii fans. And here we have one of the first releases from Sony to go along with the big launch of Move; Sports Champions (no guesses how the name was created.) We have known for some time now that this was going to be a launch title and that it would mostly appeal to younger audiences, but with current generation graphics and a more mature style, it promises to be accessible to a broader market than other rival titles such as Wii Sports Resort.
One potential weakness with this game is that the developer, Zindagi, have only been set up in order to create games for the new motion control functionality. This seems to suggest that they will have a limited knowledge of what games this generation need to have in order to be successful. On the other hand however, this could also be a good thing as they will only need to concentrate on creating titles solely for PS3 and games that use Move. So it seems unlikely that they will be distracted by faffing around with other titles and genres.
Relive those Top Gun moments!
With just a year or more in development, it may be evident that this title wont have as much polish as it can, with the developer utilising new technology. But if the mechanics and the technology work well together then most importantly it should be fun to play. So here are the potential flaws of Sports Champions (SC); with it being a launch title the technological side of the game could fail, the graphics may be off and the game may be a half-baked effort just to make it release in time for launch. But good approvals have been coming from the games conventions that Move has been demonstrated at, so hopefully this will mean that SC will be a launch title that doesnt have limited longevity. Will this live up to its name and be champion, or will it fall at the first hurdle?
Presentation
One thing must be said before we kick off here; the graphics on this are far better than what the Nintendo Wii can offer. Unquestionably, this is a big positive for newcomers as this is one thing that has put many people off the rival console with inferior graphics and a childlike demeanour. With actual life-like characters, not avatars, the game immediately feels as if it is aimed more towards the adult market as opposed to children. Thats not to say, however, that this wont appeal to kids, because it will. As soon as they see you play, they will want to. Monkey sees and monkey does. The suitable music and effects will also enable you to immediately get on with Champions as you can hear every background noise you should, such as the waves crashing on the shore as you play volleyball or the satisfying thud as your arrow hits its target, whilst the invigorating battle music will prepare you for the upcoming challenges you will face.
The graphics arent the best quality youll see around, as you can appreciate due to this being a relatively new studio that produced the title and, more importantly, the actual gameplay is more important than its aesthetic value. These graphics give the game a more relaxed feel though, and makes it more accessible to a wider audience, which is also reflected through the menus throughout the game. After calibrating the controller, youre treated to a horizontal scroll selection of the games available to you; Beach Volleyball, Gladiator Duel, Archery, Bocce, Disc Golf and Table Tennis. The icons resembling these are enlarged on the main menu which makes the selection process easy by eliminating the chore of selecting a small box with the motion controller. Having said this though, once into the sub-menu for each sport, there are a couple of instances whereby you can struggle to press the correct arrows etc to choose which number level you wish to play. One minor gripe yes, but this is simply down to the accuracy and sensitivity of the Move controller and that is very much a credit to Sony.
Russell Crowe eat your heart out
In order to mix things up throughout the game, Zindagi have designed some cracking levels for when you advance into the latter stages of the champions cups. For example, when playing Bocce, you encounter uneven playing surfaces such as parks, misshapen strips and even tyres to throw your ball through. This, whichever way you choose to look at it, will either set you up for a good old challenge or leave you cursing at the TV because the AI has well and truly beaten you. But credit to the development team, a lot of thought and care has been put into crafting these levels throughout every game, with volleyball locations having lovely picturesque scenery.
There is one thing that has been omitted that would improve the game somewhat, and thats the ability to create your own character, which, lets face it, is a key part to many games these days, as you can put yourself into them. Instead, you are given a selection of generic sportsmen and women to play as, with some undoubtedly being unlocked as you progress through each sport. But this is made up for in the fact that throughout the game you can collect new clothing and equipment for each character by earning enough points to earn stars after each round of competition. This will keep people playing to strive to kit their character out the best they can. These characters have personas but they dont speak; they only have a couple of utterances to show their emotions in-game. All character models are not too cartoon inspired which makes the game have a higher feel of realism, though one of the more muscular characters does seem to have calves the size of watermelons.