Top Spin 4, thus far, has blown my mind. The game is very realistic, and like most 2K Sports games, it requires skill and practice to compete.

Gameplay

The one thing that stands out most to me is the artificial intelligence. The AI is, in one word, brilliant. It is smart, difficult and darn good at what it does. The best part about the AI is that it will switch up strategies in the middle of a match. For example, I was playing my fourth match, but it was the first time my opponent played the net. He ended up rocking me 1-6 in the first set, and I really had no chance.

After the first set I took a deep breath and switched up my game plan. It worked, and I won the second set 6-0. Now, here is where it got exciting, as my opponent changed his strategy for the third set, and it worked once again. He jumped out to a quick and easy 2-0, but I ended up winning 6-2. Basically, it's like one big chess match, and I'm Bobby Fischer.

The gameplay is rather impressive as well. The engine runs smoothly and does a great job with the animations in the game. But one thing that I have had a problem with is the difficulty level. Since I have gotten the hang of perfectly timing my shots, the game has become a little too easy. I'm still early in my career -- and I could always tweak the difficulty level -- so I might just be a head above the rest for right now. Hopefully, when I get to Robot Federer and Rafa I'll be shoved back down to Earth.

Career Mode

Career mode is shaping up to be fantastic. Some people are talking about how it lacks depth and exceeds in repetition, which is true, but if you're a true tennis fan then that is as realistic as it gets. I really don't want to dive too deep into talking about this mode since it will be the bulk of the final review, but I just want it to be known that if you love tennis then you will love the career you can build.

Controls

The controls in Top Spin 4 have improved from the series' last installment. The new shot timing ranges from very late to perfect, and the kind of shot you hit is based on how long you hold the button down. If you hold it down very briefly, then you will hit a safe shot. If you hold it down as long as possible, it will be a power shot, but what you gain in force you will lose in accuracy. And of course a perfect shot will keep your opponent running back and forth, while a late one can cost you the point.

Final Thoughts

If you're a tennis fan, you really should be playing this game rather than reading this article. And if you aren't a tennis fan, this game will make you one. Keep an eye out in the following days for the full review of Top Spin 4.


Dustin Toms is a staff writer at Operation Sports, specializing in basketball games. Born and raised in Washington state, he has made his life goal to personally see to David Stern's firing after the Seattle SuperSonics were relocated. Follow him on Twitter @eckoefx_OS.