Top Spin 2 Impressions

[goh]

It's pretty good but I'm finding it rather difficult in carrer. Maybe it's the huge stat advantage the AI has or maybe it was because I was eating a sandwich. It's fine in exibition though. Doesn't feel very next gen either but that doesn't change that the game play is good. I only rented it for 2 weeks since I rememberd in Top Spin on Xbox some sort of super AI kicked in once you got to the top 10 and I couldn't win any more without that cheat thing.

As horrible as Outlaw Tennis was I wish they stole the one good idea in that for this,that being you can always play on the bottom while against the AI.

[Steve_OS]

Quote: Originally Posted by lnin0

Steve, the first few weeks of the career is the Australian Open or some big major. You cannot enter a major or slam event with a 200 ranking. A week on your calander is broken down into three possible selections - training / tournament / special event. You can only select one per week but also have to meet any ranking standards as well. Training is always available but some of the other stuff might be greyed out if you don't rank high enough. For the first couple of weeks you can only train - as there is no scheduled special event and only a major tournament. Each trainer provides a different set of drills to do and as you progress you unlock more trainers. Each drill provides stars for a few select skills so you have to seek trainers that offer the skills you want. The trainers also top out on what level they can train you to for the various skills. I think in the third week there is a minor tournament you can enter. You loose out on training that week but if you want to move up in the ranks there is no way around it. Anyway, I like the game a lot. Load times are a bit long (but at least not between tournament matches) and I wish there was a replay feature. Character creation is better than anything Ive seen but where are the legends hairstyles...all I see is modern stuff. Same for clothing. Hopefully an unlockable or download later on. I really like the changes to the gameplay. It is still easy to pick up and play but much deeper as well. It also seems like they made a lot of progress in getting rid of all the luck shots. The first game was just too forgiving - this game at least puts some emphasis back on skill and physics while still keeping it fun and simple. No more lunging hits or overdone momentum yet position is even more important. You rarely get the free hit when you commit the wrong way now. The risk shots are also toned down and the way the meter builds insures they can't just be ripped off whenever - you need position and time to get a good risk shot off. Love seeing X/Y/B all having an 'out' factor as well. Power servers can be tough to handle if you don't get on the ball right away - not overdone but nice to see aces more than every blue moon. The improved AI is much more challenging. The early tournament players are about as skilless as you so not a lot of drop shots or baselines but I have seen a few attack the net. The pros seem to vary their games more but woudln't call it a full on sim. It keeps it fun. Looking forward to trying it out online once I get a few more starts under my belt. It seems like the gameplay changes are really going to improve the balance of VS play.

Thanks, I guess I must have skipped them. I didn't realize every training equalled one week. I'll have to keep an eye out for tournaments then. Thanks for the tips.

[PhiPsi1]

all i can say is WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! UNBELIEVABLE....man, this is some AWESOME stuff..i'm so glad that i listened to all these impressions.

this game was not on my radar at all because i just didn't get into top spin on the xbox..but oh my gosh...i know it is early, but i am willing to say that this is the "winning eleven" of ALL tennis games...not to say that there has been any sim-oriented tennis games, but from a gameplay standpoint, a game VERY well done...2k sports needs to be applauded for this effort.

from what i have seen, the ai is EXTREMELY varied, and this is on normal difficulty where i am getting my a** handed to me..i played federer with coria (unfortunately the announcer announces it as "korea" instead of coria, but if that is one of the few downfalls, i'll definitely live with it), and just like in real life, coria was getting to everything, BUT the precision of shots and variation by federer was amazing...the first thing i wanted to observe is whether the ai would fall into a consistent hitting pattern...so i would serve out wide to pull federer off the court...the first time i did this, he hit it back down the center of the court, pretty flat, so i put him away with a top spin backhand to the other side of the court....i was on the deuce side serving...then next time i was on the deuce side, i served out wide again...i was like, please, don't do the same thing as last time...and unbelievably federer hit a slice shot down the line and rushed to the center of the court and covered the ground he lost from chasing my wide serve...then i served out wide again on the deuce side, and federer pulls out a drop shot...

you all have NO IDEA how stoked i was to see that the ai would not follow a "scripted" path to the point. it seems also, that it is extremely difficult to break federer's serve (which is the way it is in real life)...he aced me 9 times in the match, not by rocket type like serves like roddick, but more by precise placement!

then i used james blake versus andy roddick...totally different experience...in regards to federer, he was a more all-court magician, coming to the net, utilizing drop shots, and running me from side-to-side..but then when i played roddick, it was all about blowing me away from the baseline and overpowering me. roddick's serve was a freakin' rocket!..if i would make contact and push the left thumb stick just a smidge too much, it would go out, BUT then the awesome thing was if that i layed off the stick, roddick was instantly on the offensive and dictating the point...i actually had triple break point on roddick and was like, alright, i got it now...then all of a sudden, it goes back to deuce and i lose that game....i have never been so happy to lose in my life...

it's just a breath of fresh air, especially for a tennis fan and division I tennis player to finally have a tennis game that very much so attempts and successfully brings the realism of the game to the general public....albeit, i'm sure in a few weeks or so, there may be some things that i will notice and everybody will notice...but the great thing so far is that EVERY POINT i have played has not felt scripted...i feel like i am having a chess match with the ai trying to out-think and predict it's next move. and what's awesome is that this is on NORMAL difficulty using the zoom camera (like how i can be upclose and really in the action)....

sorry for the length, but i'm completely stoked about this game...can't wait to create NADAL and take over the clay court season, and hopefully get some respect on other surfaces, but just like in real life, focusing on the dirt of the french open!!!!

[PhiPsi1]

did anyone get the "update xbox 360 screen" when they first put the game in?
what was that all about?

[jima]

Glad I picked this game up!
Having a blast with this game.

[JayBee74]

It's tempting.

[bigmoe]

are the major mens tournaments best of 5 sets

[JayBee74]

How long are the online matches?