![]() When combined with the puzzles, the solution might be obvious but a key part could be hiding behind a tree out of your sight. The problem with that is objects can be obscured by each other very easily, especially since you’re regularly knocking balls all over the place destroying and altering the landscape. The frustrations aren’t helped much by the camera, which cannot be controlled and instead follows the action in a way. The world map does let you skip around if a level is tough, but while gorgeous to look at, the overworld is too open and dense for its own good at times, making it a challenge to find where new levels are. It borders on adventure game design in that respect and, much like adventure games, can sometimes be too vague and verge on maddening. A bulk of them just involve hitting all the balls into the hole, but sometimes you’re just placed in a room with no visible balls, meaning you have to engage with the environment to reveal them. Further progression opens up the full gamut of insanity that is nestled in this world, ranging from a ski race and a car race to a fight with a giant spider. Optional goals are available as well that require the player to complete the level in a set amount of time, only use a specific number of shots, not scratch, and hit every ball in. Early levels are crazy but still on the simpler side as you have to contend with alive balls that must be guided into a gaping hole before draining the eight ball down that hole and hopping in yourself for level completion. A straightforward tutorial sets up the relatively simple controls as you move a cue ball around and line up shots with the other analog stick, but after the intro, the expansive world map is opened and you’re sent off to your own wild machinations. That might change once I've gotten a bit more used to it, but at the beginning I'm finding it kind of frustrating.It starts off in a somewhat familiar place: a pool table. Overall so far, not as stoked with it as I was hoping to be. There's also multiplayer, but haven't looked at that yet. Maybe I'm just shit at the game, but even in earliest levels that seems super hard. I think it gives you 60sec for the gold trophy. Replay value - I haven't played a ton yet, but there are 101 levels (I think) and each one has 4 trophies you can get for - not sinking any incorrect balls (ie, sinking the white ball, or the black one too early) getting under a certain number of shots, sinking all balls, and getting under a certain time. Really could have used a bit more guidance, i think. Some stages it's a clear 'get the balls in the holes' setup, but other times it really becomes trial by fire, which can get a bit annoying. The game does a really poor job of explaining what the hell is going on though. Ganeplay: levels seem fun and varied, and get quite challenging quite quickly. ![]() ESPECIALLY if I'm trying to use one ball to hit another across the way. It often doesn't pan out enough when I'm trying to line up a shot that is across the map. Which is pretty inexcusable in a pool game. Finding that the camera is not that great. I just find the aiming to be kind of floppy and haphazard sometimes.Ĭamera - putting this as its own thing cause I think it's an issue. Especially when some of the things you're trying to hit are moving around. I think the joycon sticks are just sort of.loose (?) for the required precision. But you use the R stick to aim your cue and rotate it around in a circle to change the angle of your shot. I've only been playing handheld so far, so maybe better with the pro controller. ![]() ![]() ![]() Nothing to write home about but they do the job.Ĭontrols - I'm finding these a bit finicky. Effects are as expected (ball betting struck, yells from the other balls etc). The music is fun and offers enough variation. Everything has character and nice little details. From the overworked map, to the individual levels, and all the different little pool balls. Picked it up today and wanted to offer some early impressions. Been interested in Pool Panic for a while, as I like pool and the game seemed to have a weird / funny style to it that I dug. ![]()
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