You've seen this game before, it was called Top Spin 1. Seriously I'm
disappointed with 2K sports, there was a two years and a half gap
between this game and the first one and this is all the improvements we
get? There's hardly any improvements, and I'd go as far as to say that
we get the opposite!
First, this is supposed to be a next gen game, but it sure doesn't look
like it. The graphics engine looks the same as the one in Top Spin 1.
Come on you can't fool us, the first one looked awesome but this is on
the 360! Sheesh.
On the gameplay side, there were some improvements. In the original all
you really needed to use was the A button, the flat shot. But in Top
Spin 2, if you don't use the Top Spin shot and the slice, you'll most
likely get burned. Also there are the new advance shots which are kinda
cool, especially the slice advance shot. But in the end, the game feels
exactly like the first one.
Soundwise there's nothing to say really. The music is forgettable but
the use of custom soundtracks can easily override that, the rest of the
sounds seem pretty good.
The game is a pretty good value, especially since multiplayer gaming is
great with this game. It's just weird that you can't play ranked
doubles matches with a friend on live. One thing to mention though is
that the career mode is really brain dead compared to the career in the
first game, it feels like you're on a rollercoaster ride; absolutely no
control on the thrills you get. It's linear, slow, slightly boring, and
very long.
All in all, Top Spin 2 is good, and if you haven't played the first
game to death you might actually love it. But for those who have played
the first game, be prepared for more of the same.
(review written in July 2006)
