Review: Pinball FX2
Hello all, and welcome to my review of Pinball FX2 made by the guys over at Zen Studios, to start with I will try my best to explain how the game works.
First off, if you own the first Pinball FX or any of its DLC, those tables will automatically transfer to this version. Once imported it will have much improved graphics and physics over the first edition of the game. Secondly, the download is free for the basic version, which, as i said above, if you own the first Pinball FX tables, means of course free achievements. Also you get trial runs of all the new tables, these are: Biolab, Pasha, Rome, Secrets of the Deep. All of which can be unlocked for 800 Microsoft points if you so wish. There are other DLC tables which will we get to a bit later.
GAMEPLAY
Now without a doubt this is the best pinball game you can get to date. Does it have a rich storyline? NO, it’s pinball. Do you have to save the world from a certain doooooom? (well sort of) but NO, it’s pinball. What it does have is gameplay that will keep you happy for say a quick 10 minute blast, and equally a look at the clock an hour later thinking, Where the hell did time go?
Each table has something new, be it lighting up a magic lamp on pasha, or fighting Spiderman’s arch enemies on the marvel DLC table. Each table makes it different from the last so you will never get bored. Who knew something so simple could keep you happy for hours.
MULTIPLAYER
This is where things get a bit tricky. Yes you can face up to three other people over Xbox live, where you can race to a set amount of points.
This to me however is where the game fails. It’s just dull, you can sit there for ages racing to get to 50 million.
Which may I add takes forever, and after about 15 minutes you just end up quitting anyway, well I did.
But then, and this is BIG but, you have friends leader board which will overtake your life as you will keep saying to yourself one more try, one more try to beat all your Xbox live buddies, the next thing you know 3 hours have past and it’s 4am!
So MP side of things is hit and miss, but the leader board make it come out a winner overall.
Graphics and DLC plus a sprinkle of achievements
As you can see by the pics in the review the graphics are bright and bold. Exactly what you expect from a pinball game.
Flashing lights and the sound effects makes you feel you could be standing in the arcade popping 20p in back in the 80s.
Even the small screen where some mini games pop up have that retro feel to them, so zen studios have really caught that retro feel all round.
Now to DLC, at the moment the only DLC I think they have is the marvel collection.
Which for 800 ms points adds 4 new tables: iron man, Spiderman, blade, and wolverine.
These are the best tables I’ve played to date and are worth every penny as it’s all action, from fighting the goblin, to trying to play with flippers that get gassed so when you click lt for the left flipper you move the right flipper (it’s difficult to explain, but trust me it’s harder than it sounds lol).
Of course there is DLC from the first title which will also work on this one. These cost 200 ms points per table and go from street fighter, to Rocky and Bullwinkle. When it comes to achievements to get the full amount of points this is gonna be hard work. Certain Xbox live friends I know have played for a good few hours and are still yet to achieve the full amount of points.
Some achievements are hard to actually understand what you have to do to get them to unlock. Sometimes it’s just pot luck but that might just be me after all as I am a bit of a retard.
Final thoughts: I’ll come out and say it now… this is one of the best XBLA titles you will add to your collection.
I would easily rate it in the top 5 of released titles, as it has everything you would want and for the bargain price of FREE.
If you own the first one and some DLC or 800 points for the full pack you can’t go wrong.
Pinball FX2
Summary: One of the best downloadable games on the market, even more so if you're a pinball fan.
90%
Amazeballs
About the Author
Tony Winkett Is a 33 year father of two, and a husband to a wife who lets him sit playing games most of the day. His gaming love started back with the Atari 2600 with games like Warlords and Keystone Kapers, but he was bitten by the gaming bug when Sonic and Mario showed up with their cute little faces. He will play almost anything you stick in front of him, but his most played game genre is shooters. You will find him as the guy behind the keyboard on our social networks, so chances are you love him already. GT: only toe knee
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