Still a shallow experience but much improved over its predecessor.
THE GOOD
-Fun party game
-Good controls
THE BAD
-Shallow gameplay
OVERVIEW
Playing sports on Microsoft's controller-less system seemed like a neat way to test your athletic ability in the comfort of your own home. Unfortunately, the first attempt at this came with its fair share of problems. After a slight disappointing premier season, the second sports compilation for the Kinect is a noticeable improvement over its predecessor. The responsiveness of the motion controls and voice commands make playing Season 2 much more enjoyable. However, the simplistic and shallow nature infused into each sport cheapens the experience.
GAMEPLAY
Season 2 offers six new sports to choose from which include American Football, Golf, Darts, Skiing, Baseball and Tennis. From the main menu, the Pick a Sport option lets you play a standard game or some challenge mode variation. Quick Play allows a group of two teams to face off against each other in randomly selected events. This variant is great for the party atmosphere and impatient gamers eager to try things out quickly. Each activity supports both online and offline interaction. However, I will say that playing locally is definitely more fun.
American Football is a shallow experience that really needs some improvement. This two player showdown has each player taking turns running the offense as the quarterback of the team. You have a total of four tries to either score a touchdown, kick a field goal or punt the ball away. With no running plays, the ability to scramble or the option to play defense, this entire activity is ultimately based on how well you can throw the deep pass. There is some running involved when you catch a pass or receive a kick but since all you can do is run forward and hope that you randomly evade tackles, this entire formula gets old quick. The voice commands were a nice touch letting you call out one of the nine preselected plays from the playbook, selecting audibles at the line of scrimmage and taking a snap, but its not enough to save this game from boredom.
Golf is much more promising letting up to four golfers enjoy an afternoon out on the links. With a wide assortment of clubs and three different swing types (weak, regular, and strong) you have many options to choose from based on the your situation. Additionally, there are some nice features to make the game feel more authentic like putting you hand over your brow to oversee the hole, crouching down (when putting) to get a better read on the green and the voice commands let you talk to your caddy about which club you want to change to. The driver challenge mode is a worthwhile mini-game that tests how accurately you can drive a ball onto a floating island while accounting for the wind. Golf was definitely my favorite out of the mix but the fact that there is only one nine-hole course is a bit disappointing.
Darts is another fun event with an intuitive control scheme. Aiming may seem a little unnerving at first but with a little practice it'll come to you. The goal in this two player game is to be the first participant to go from 501 to 0. The helpful hints from the computer don't always give you the best or quickest way to win so you'll always want to double check the math before each throw. The challenge mode is a time trial competition to see how many balloons you can pop without hitting a live mascot tied to a spinning target. Although Darts is entertaining, it would have been nice if there was a larger variety of game options, like cricket.
Skiing is all about balance and lower body stability. Overall, this up to two player activity is one of the more fun sports in the compilation. Crouching down will increase your speed while shifting your weight left and right will aid you in traveling through the checkpoints. The winner of this downhill track is determined based on how fast you finish the race and how many checkpoints you didn't miss. The challenge mode is a fun downhill obstacle course where you have to dodge, duck and jump to avoid obstructions in your way.
Baseball lets two players take turns pitching/fielding and batting. Pitching takes into account your arm speed and placement to determine what kind of pitch you'll throw. Throwing the pitch you want is actually quite frustrating because it seemed like you could move your arm the exact same way and get two completely different results. Batting is all about timing your swing. You can pretty much hit any pitch if timed correctly. A successful hit that doesn't have enough power to make it over the fence has a chance to be defended. If the fielder moves his hand in front of the icon before the ball touches the ground it will result in an out. Players will move around the bases automatically unless there is an attempt for a throw out. The home run derby challenge event is a decent amount of fun but felt like hitting the ball out-of-the-park was based more on luck rather than skill. Overall, the sloppy motion responsiveness and luck-based results made Baseball one of the weaker sports in Season 2.
Tennis definitely requires the most cardio out of the bunch. Top spin, backhands and other types of shots are controlled intuitively in accordance with you arm and body movements. Aside from the impossible-to-achieve power serve, tennis works really well. Also, to add a little more excitement, the line judge may or may not make the correct out-of-bounds call; giving a realistic human aspect to the game. Fortunately, if you don't like the call you can voice your objection or throw your hands up in the air to get a replay and possible overturn in your favor; John Macinrow style. The challenge event is another fun time trial where your task is to hit and return tennis balls at mascots. This is a great little mini-game to relieve some built up tension.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
Visually this is another bright and colorful avatar based Kinect title. No graphical bounds were pushed here but what's presented works just fine. Additionally, the Kinect plays back all those goofy videos of you and your friends watch and enjoy after the match.
Triumphs in Season 2 are accompanied by one of the many licensed soundtracks. Singles like Born this Way (Lady Gaga), Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice), Never Gonna Give You Up (Rick Astley) and many other fabulous songs are included. This along with the rest of the sound effects do a very good job at pumping up the competitive atmosphere.
CONCLUSION
Kinect Sports Season 2 is a definite improvement over the original. The motion controls and voice commands really shine in this sports compilation title. The variety of multiplayer options make this fun and entertaining for parties. Unfortunately, the simplistic and shallow nature is a disappointing setback and really lowers the replay value. Overall, I would still recommend at least a rental here. Microsoft hasn't made a believer out of me yet with their sports package but this is another step in the right direction.