Being A Realist
The very first thing I noticed about this title was how great the game looks. There are certain camera angles that can easily fool any spectator into thinking they are looking at an actual televised match. Athletes’ faces have a great deal of detail and continue to change through the course of the set as sweat and dirt build up clouding facial complexions. I will admit, though that some of the player’s facial expressions seem empty and awkward at times, but these are usually not during actual gameplay. All in game racquet jockeys are dressed in actual name brand tennis attire ranging from Nike headbands to Adidas tennis shoes. The visible appeal represents actual attire than can be acquired by tennis fans on-line and in pro shops, alike. It seems 2k has taken every step they can to make the in-game experience relatable to real pro tennis.
There’s a lot of noticeable detail put into character animations, too. Athletes’ movements are smooth and fluid without any repetitive or glitchy distractions that are found in many other similar sports titles. TS3, on the other hand, uses separate animations for each type of shot. Even if the ball is missed, there are added aspects to those whiffed returns. These movements are generally accurate and faithfully replicate the motions of their respected real life counter parts. There are over 40 courts and each one is just as stunning as the previous featuring packed venues and accurate court terrains. The crowd seems a little bland, but it’s not really noticeable and doesn’t affect the overall feel of the atmosphere. Graphically, this title surpasses its predecessors and competitors in every way. The attention to detail by the developers is more than obvious.
Keepin’ It Real… Real Hard
As realistic as the visuals are, the gameplay is almost even more so. This is the aspect of TS3 that may separate the purists from the casual sports gamer. 2K has taken a more complex approach to game actions. In previous TS titles, the player simply had to hold the button corresponding to the desired shot they wished to make, run toward the ball and it would automatically be hit back. In this iteration, there is a smaller area on the court the racquet must be in for a return to be successful. And you can’t just use any type of shot you want, either. When attempting to return with a slice shot when a top spin is more appropriate, the ball will be missed or returned poorly. It seems knowledge of real-life tennis may benefit a player more in this title than its competitors or even previous versions of the same franchise. Fortunately, the in game tutorials are very helpful and informative, but waiting for the loading of menus in between each lesson just to load the next can be irritating.
There are a few multiplayer modes, but no add-on mini games like in some VT series games. You can play doubles, singles and quick matches with up to four players. These modes are all available in local and online play which, judging from every match I had, was pretty smooth. No input delay or lagging on Live which is always a plus, especially if you have no friends at home to play with, like me. Though TS3’s world tour mode does a great job of emulating a pro-tennis player’s rise from public park exhibitions to competing at Wimbledon, it’s much more fulfilling to challenge other live gamers.
Why So Serious?
For casual tennis gamers like me, I didn’t enjoy the more technical gameplay system this title offers. It feels like too much work to get a solid set going because of the knowledge needed to simply return the ball successfully and repetitively. This can become frustrating for someone who just wants to jump in and start playing. On the other hand, for true hardcore fans, the learning curve may just be what they’ve been looking for.