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Beijing 2008
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Graphics & Sound:
Olympic games have generally never been the most graphically-enhanced game titles on any given system, but Eurocom's Beijing 2008 certainly makes a run at the title and brings home a silver. Player models and the environments are fairly impressive, even for a game genre whose history hasn't been all that impressive. It's not to say, however, that Beijing 2008 isn't without its graphical glitches and other problems. An example is that when the camera views switch, there are sometimes anomalies, as when the painted lines on the javelin throw's grass change position. While these are definitely small and subtle in nature, they do distract from the visual quality of an otherwise great-looking game.
On the audio front, the Menu music keeps you pumping as you work your way through the options, which is especially good since there are unfortunately few people on Xbox Live and you can easily play the waiting game for a while. Of course, I would expect that to change in the coming weeks/months. In-game audio is quite basic in nature, from standard crowd noises to the sound of starts and the grunts of pain.
The thing that truly impresses with Beijing 2008's presentation is, by far, in its animations. The motion capture is outstanding 90% of the time, with extremely fluid motion ever-present. This includes the times during cut-scenes, as well as with multiple characters interacting (as in the Judo event). Kudos have to go out to Eurocom for capturing the athletic nature of the Olympic Games. |
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Gameplay:
Where other Track 'n' Field titles fail is usually in one of two things (and, sometimes both): lack of events and poor gameplay. I'm extremely happy to report that most of the game events play very, very well. One of the biggest positives is that not only are there an impressive number of events (there are 38 total!), but that those events are generally different enough to hold one's attention and prevent boredom with the same old, same old that often clutters the videogame shelves at your local game store. In addition to different types of events, you often have the option to power your Olympian through one of two methods, lending to different styles for different types of people to choose from. Adding to the mix, even some of the similar events have different control methods, which gives the game a more unique feel and requires players to master more than just button-mashing (although that is still present in many events).
Included in the events list is everything from standard track and field and swimming, to shooting and table tennis. While some are obviously going to appeal to people better than others, there is such a variety that even non-button-mashers can do well in a number of events. My personal favorites have always been the short races, hurdles, and field events, and they don't disappoint. Aside from alternating between (A) and (B), you'll also have to time the rotation of the analog stick and even time button-presses exactly to build up your speed, as in the high jump. This method is also very common in the gymnastics events, from the balance beam to floor exercises, and again with the rings, which also use coordination as you move both analog sticks to match the position of the arrows.
A welcome addition to this Olympiad's videogame is that of Xbox Live. Now you can choose your country and take on the world... literally! Take it to the earth's network and compete against friends in your own city or new friends from across the globe. All of the single-player events are available to play online, and groups of events can either be pre-selected (think categories for track, swimming, etc.) or customized to take on your friends in specific events that you may brag about in your down time.
Unfortunately, this inclusion of Internet play doesn't come without a bit of criticism. First and foremost, Beijing 2008 has some seriously bad lag, even from a game that seemingly shouldn't require a lot of information to be sent back and forth. While it doesn't seem to necessarily affect the actual gameplay of each user, the system doesn't update other players' information and performance very well. As an example, watching your opponents perform the hammer throw will lead you to believe that their throws won't be good at all because they are not keeping with the power rhythm, yet they will have a world record throw. Another example was that, in my experience, even the running races had hiccups. I was clearly in 2nd place on one race, only to have the decision show me in 3rd after all was said and done... an apparently magically teleporting player that decidedly gave me a bronze medal. In addition, the online component could have had a better search and matchup system/engine, but it also may feel like that because of the lack of players online at the time of this review. It should also be noted that at the time of this review, there were a few online scores posted that are impossible, lending itself to a strong possibility of cheating, which will also hopefully be resolved soon. |
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Difficulty:
The difficulty in Beijing 2008 comes within a mixed bag. Not only do you have the single player vs. multiplayer differences, but you've also got so many different events that contain a wide variety of control schemes. To tackle the first factor, the multiplayer component is greatly different as your performance depends fully on how well your competitors do in each event. Considering that Beijing 2008 has so many events, players are bound to find out that they are good or great at a handful of events, but lack the speed, power, or technical details to do well in other events. If your competition happens to do well when you don't, you'll have yourself a great match that may come down to the wire.
As far as events go, there are many different configurations to get used to. While many will contain the standard button-mashing, others require concentration during button sequence pressing or fast-twitch reactions in other events. One notable event is Judo, which is seemingly impossible. I had to "cheat" by looking online at a Youtube tutorial because the Beijing 2008 instructions don't provide enough detail to understand some of the events. By the way, I still don't know what I'm doing in Judo's multiplayer... so if you want to beat me online, start there.
Most of the events, however, are very easy to get into, yet somewhat difficult to master (some more than others, of course). While I do feel like it is too easy to gain full power in most of the button-mashing events, some will also require precise timing, which can easily separate the wannabe players from the ironmen (and women) of video Olympics. |
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Game Mechanics:
As previously mentioned, there are a ton of events, of which many (even similar ones) use a different method of controlling your Olympians. Some of the events may have you button-mashing, yet others may require rhythm and/or the timing of button presses. Others will use circular motions with the analog sticks, and still others will require fast-twitch button pressing and/or aiming. Finally, there are even events which require great patience and technical merit. In all, there are events that every player can do well at, which helps even up the competition overall when playing multiplayer.
One of the greatest strengths of Beijing 2008 actually does lie in the control scheme. Many events do give you the option of two different methods of propulsion, and the variety of controls means that mastering them all may take a bit more time than some past Olympic games, adding to the overall enjoyment of the title.
If you're looking for the complete package of Olympic-style video games, Beijing 2008 is absolutely where it's at. I haven't played a great Track 'n' Field game in many, many years, but Beijing 2008 is the clear winner. It's about time someone does it right. While the game does have its flaws, they are (for the most part) small enough to be overlooked, allowing for a fun experience every time. With the addition of the Xbox Live component, Beijing 2008 also has a lot of replay value, even for households that don't have multiple gamers. If you love the sport and sheer competition of the Olympics, there is FINALLY a must-have videogame to correspond to the action you're undoubtedly watching on television right now. |
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-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele |
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