grimmbomb
May 15th, 2008, 02:59 PM
I'm just copying this preview I did for www.topspin3.co.uk. Just my thoughts on the game...
Just FYI, the TS3 build I played was just the latest build, not the final version. So while I was expecting to do a review, this is just going to be a preview.
I’m going to break this up into categories, as some of you guys are interested in particular points, such as the roster and player animations.
Gameplay
This took some getting used to, but was well worth it. No tennis simulation rewards you, or penalizes you, quite like Top Spin 3. There was nothing more rewarding than hitting a couple solid cross-court backhands to the opponent, then stepping around your backhand and ripping your forehand down the line for a winner. Pure awesomeness. But on the other hand, there is nothing more embarrassing than tossing up the ball on serve, whiffing it, and the ball landing on your head. :P I did this more than I would like to admit. But the serves were great too. They are performed by pulling down on the right thumb-stick to start the toss, then from there you can roll up counter-clockwise for a kick serve, clockwise for a slice serve, or straight up for the flat serve.
I’m not going to explain to you all how the ground strokes work. You should already know if you visit this site at all. That being said, the new mechanics really keep you on your toes. No more waiting for the computer to complete the stroke for you. Timing was a little more difficult than I thought it would be, but fine once you get used to it. Good shots and bad, they’re all on you. Like a real tennis sim should be. (Yes, that was a shot at the pretenders.)
Positioning was very realistic also. You can cheat to your backhand side if you can keep good, solid shots going and your opponent scrambling. If you give them a weak shot though, the point is usually back to neutral, and you have to work them out of position again. As I said, it is very realistic.
Graphics and Animations
The visual difference between TS3 and any tennis game is quite staggering. From being able to see the pores on the players’ faces, to the Nike dri-fit mesh on Federer’s polos, to the life like hair flowing with the players movement, to the…okay, I think you get the idea. The screens that we have seen don’t do the player models justice, either. I thought Federer looked much better in the game. The same goes for Roddick.
As for the signature player animations, this is the only spot I was disappointed. I didn’t care for the awkward looking take-backs on the forehand animations. Roddick’s was actually way off, even when it was timed right. But they do have quite a few forehand animations to choose from in career mode, including the Nadal-esque over the head finish. Other than the complaint about the forehand animation, everything else was excellent. Player animations are fluid and the animations between points are realistic and don’t have the player throwing his racket after every point, ala TS2.
Career mode
Career mode has received a major boost in Top Spin 3. You start out with quite a few created players if you just want to jump in and start your pro career. If your like most Top Spin fans, you will: a) Create a pro that in not included in the game. Or b) Create the most God-awful, “vomit a little in the back of your mouth” monstrosity your sick little brain can conjure up. And for those of you going with Plan B, don’t worry. The good people at 2k Sports love you. With a total of twenty-five haircuts, twenty five hair colors (including neon blue, green, pink, purple, etc.), and tattoos ready to be placed all over your freakshow’s body, you can create anyone from Dennis Rodman to your run of the mill Nascar fan. Oh yes. It is that extreme.
For those who want to create their own pro, like myself, 2k hasn’t left us out in the cold either. One of the categories I was really looking at, that is usually sorely lacking, is the haircuts that are available to match to a pro not in the game. They had options on these for a Novak type cut, Sampras, Safin, bandana and long hair for Ferrer, and the backwards hat for Gasquet. So if you aren’t happy with the roster, you can easily create your own pro you think the game is lacking.
Then there is the style of strokes you want your pro to have. It’s not just “one-hander or two” this time. I think I counted eight forehand styles and eight backhand styles. You will also obviously be selecting your player’s serve as well. But you’re still not done yet. Now you decide the sound of your player’s grunt, then their on court demeanor. Are they totally laid back after every point, whatever the outcome? Are they slightly pumped after a good point, showing a modest fist pump? Or are they jumping up in the air throwing one of those “I own you!!” uppercuts into the air kind of showboaters? It’s up to you. It’s just amazing how much you can customize your player.
Well that’s it. After getting a taste of the gameplay, June 23rd is going to come even slower, unfortunately.
Thanks
Bryan
Just FYI, the TS3 build I played was just the latest build, not the final version. So while I was expecting to do a review, this is just going to be a preview.
I’m going to break this up into categories, as some of you guys are interested in particular points, such as the roster and player animations.
Gameplay
This took some getting used to, but was well worth it. No tennis simulation rewards you, or penalizes you, quite like Top Spin 3. There was nothing more rewarding than hitting a couple solid cross-court backhands to the opponent, then stepping around your backhand and ripping your forehand down the line for a winner. Pure awesomeness. But on the other hand, there is nothing more embarrassing than tossing up the ball on serve, whiffing it, and the ball landing on your head. :P I did this more than I would like to admit. But the serves were great too. They are performed by pulling down on the right thumb-stick to start the toss, then from there you can roll up counter-clockwise for a kick serve, clockwise for a slice serve, or straight up for the flat serve.
I’m not going to explain to you all how the ground strokes work. You should already know if you visit this site at all. That being said, the new mechanics really keep you on your toes. No more waiting for the computer to complete the stroke for you. Timing was a little more difficult than I thought it would be, but fine once you get used to it. Good shots and bad, they’re all on you. Like a real tennis sim should be. (Yes, that was a shot at the pretenders.)
Positioning was very realistic also. You can cheat to your backhand side if you can keep good, solid shots going and your opponent scrambling. If you give them a weak shot though, the point is usually back to neutral, and you have to work them out of position again. As I said, it is very realistic.
Graphics and Animations
The visual difference between TS3 and any tennis game is quite staggering. From being able to see the pores on the players’ faces, to the Nike dri-fit mesh on Federer’s polos, to the life like hair flowing with the players movement, to the…okay, I think you get the idea. The screens that we have seen don’t do the player models justice, either. I thought Federer looked much better in the game. The same goes for Roddick.
As for the signature player animations, this is the only spot I was disappointed. I didn’t care for the awkward looking take-backs on the forehand animations. Roddick’s was actually way off, even when it was timed right. But they do have quite a few forehand animations to choose from in career mode, including the Nadal-esque over the head finish. Other than the complaint about the forehand animation, everything else was excellent. Player animations are fluid and the animations between points are realistic and don’t have the player throwing his racket after every point, ala TS2.
Career mode
Career mode has received a major boost in Top Spin 3. You start out with quite a few created players if you just want to jump in and start your pro career. If your like most Top Spin fans, you will: a) Create a pro that in not included in the game. Or b) Create the most God-awful, “vomit a little in the back of your mouth” monstrosity your sick little brain can conjure up. And for those of you going with Plan B, don’t worry. The good people at 2k Sports love you. With a total of twenty-five haircuts, twenty five hair colors (including neon blue, green, pink, purple, etc.), and tattoos ready to be placed all over your freakshow’s body, you can create anyone from Dennis Rodman to your run of the mill Nascar fan. Oh yes. It is that extreme.
For those who want to create their own pro, like myself, 2k hasn’t left us out in the cold either. One of the categories I was really looking at, that is usually sorely lacking, is the haircuts that are available to match to a pro not in the game. They had options on these for a Novak type cut, Sampras, Safin, bandana and long hair for Ferrer, and the backwards hat for Gasquet. So if you aren’t happy with the roster, you can easily create your own pro you think the game is lacking.
Then there is the style of strokes you want your pro to have. It’s not just “one-hander or two” this time. I think I counted eight forehand styles and eight backhand styles. You will also obviously be selecting your player’s serve as well. But you’re still not done yet. Now you decide the sound of your player’s grunt, then their on court demeanor. Are they totally laid back after every point, whatever the outcome? Are they slightly pumped after a good point, showing a modest fist pump? Or are they jumping up in the air throwing one of those “I own you!!” uppercuts into the air kind of showboaters? It’s up to you. It’s just amazing how much you can customize your player.
Well that’s it. After getting a taste of the gameplay, June 23rd is going to come even slower, unfortunately.
Thanks
Bryan