Vancouver 2010 is the official game for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and as such, sees you competing in four of the actual venues where the games are being held. Whilst the event listing (14 events) might seem a little on the small side, the range of events gives a pretty good mix of what we should witness if we watch the Winter Olympics this year.
With only 20 countries represented, most Kiwi’s will automatically cry fouls as the closest thing to national pride is pulling on an Aussie jersey. But that’s a minor oversight in a game that delivers the goods to this tried and tested genre.
One of the biggest changes to previous outings in this sub genre is that Sega have re-invented the wheel, and done so in a very compelling way. The controls are varied – depending on the event – but always intuitive and easy to pick up, whilst managing to be challenging at the same time.
Graphically, Vancouver is a treat. You’re given the choice of two camera views, the standard view from behind the person you’re controlling, and for those of you that want more realism, there’s the first person view where you get to see the action through the goggles.
Motion blur is used to good effect, creating an illusion of speed that gets your adrenaline pumping and puts your reflexes on edge.
With a couple of different styles of gameplay; Training, Olympic Games, Challenges and Online, there’s enough here to keep most sports fans happy.
If you’re not a sports nut however, and you don’t find enjoyment in doing the same thing over and over until you nail the perfect run and make it to the top on the on-line leader boards, then Vancouver might be a little light on longevity, but still worth a look.
Reviewed on: XBox 360
Available on: XBox 360, PS3, PC
Reviewed by:
