Smash Court Tennis Pro
PlayStation 2 £34.99 Namco/Sony *** Next Generation Tennis
PlayStation 2 £34.99 Wanadoo **
Considering that Pong was the first proper videogame - Space War doesn't really count - there have been few decent tennis games released since the 1970s. Sega's Virtua Tennis series was the best in recent times but there are some new contenders this year, out just in time for the annual Wimbledon rush.
Smash Court Tennis Pro is the better of the two, and builds on its previous incarnation on the PS1. There are now eight players from which to choose, including Agassi, Sampras and Kournikova, and each has a distinct style of play. Despite the arcade game look, this is a challenge. The controls appear simple but don't be fooled.
Hitting the ball badly involves good timing: hitting a winner requires a perfect connection. Lazily prodding at the button will have you flailing embarrassingly on the court. Perseverance is generally rewarded, though, and the multiplayer modes are appealing. Only the average graphics and question marks over longevity count against it.
Unfortunately, Next Generation Tennis can't compete. Yes, a career mode that allows you to compete around the globe is welcome. And Henmaniacs will be pleased to see Tim included. But a ball that regularly defies the laws of physics and an erratic detection system that often sees you returning when missing your shot, are major flaws. The graphics are shabby, too, although the players look realistic. Despite this, a short game of Next-Gen can be compelling, as even the most amateurish player can return the ball. Nevertheless, Smash Court Tennis Pro is the current PlayStation 2 champion. (GH)
Neverwinter Nights
PC £39.99 Bioware/ Infogrames *****
The words Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D) probably conjure up images of sweaty, lanky-haired youths fiddling about in their bedrooms with multi-sided dice.
A group of young Canadians was once like that, but they grew up, formed a company (Bioware) and burst on to the role-playing game scene in 1998 with Baldur's Gate.
Although it wasn't the first game to use AD&D rules, Baldur's Gate was the first to achieve mass popularity, giving AD&D a kind of geeky coolness. Four years later and Bioware has now released Neverwinter Nights, the game they wanted to make all along, and the latest game to rewrite the RPG rulebook.
Although it is set in the same universe as the Baldur's Gate games, the gameplay of Neverwinter Nights is completely different, as the world is in gorgeous 3D and you play a solo hero rather than leading a party of characters.
Fans will be pleased to hear that the unparalleled atmosphere and great storyline that characterised the Baldur's Gate titles are still very much a part of the game. But Neverwinter Nights isn't just about having a great single player or multiplayer experience; it's also about creating your own world.
The game comes with an easy-to-use toolset, allowing players to create their own levels, plus a dungeon master client, which gives them the opportunity to create perpetually changing adventures, akin to the original pen and paper AD&D. Neverwinter Nights isn't merely a game, it's a beautifully presented role-playing package. (RP)
Delta Force Urban Warfare
PlayStation £19.99 NovaLogic ***
One would imagine that a high percentage of the millions of PlayStations in the UK have been condemned to the cupboard, but so many were sold that there must still be a significant number in use. The flow of new games for the original PlayStation has all but dried up, but NovaLogic addresses that gap in the market with Delta Force Urban Warfare, a first-person shoot-'em-up developed by Oxford outfit Rebellion, of Aliens vs Predator fame.
As is the vogue, it combines full-on shooting action and stealth, with the emphasis skewed more towards shooting than, say, Metal Gear Solid. Delta Force Urban Warfare is not as good as the original Metal Gear Solid, but it comes close, and would no doubt have been a huge hit during the PlayStation's main lifecycle.
It is a departure, too, for NovaLogic's Delta Force franchise, as the action takes place indoors, in urban environments. The plot involves terrorist attempts to create a bomb, and is marginally less cliched than usual. Like Metal Gear Solid, you work alone and must employ gadgetry; bosses are eschewed in favour of firefights, though.
Sadly, the game has no multi-player mode, and playing it will remind you of how basic PlayStation graphics used to be, although the artificial intelligence is better than expected. If you still have a PlayStation, Delta Force Urban Warfare is a must: not only by dint of being the only option, as it is a decent enough game. (SB)
