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Xbox Review - 'Strike Force Bowling'

by John Curtis on June 6, 2004 @ 1:57 a.m. PDT

Strike Force Bowling is the state-of-the-art in videogame bowling, featuring the most authentic real-time pin physics ever created. Straightforward arcade-style control and multi-player performance for up to four players make Strike Force Bowling a great family or party game that anyone can pick up and play. But, the fun doesn't stop there. Strike Force Bowling also offers six modes of play, eight lane environments and a host of other features designed to make this virtual bowling experience second to none.

Genre : Simulation/Sports
Developer : Lab Rats Games
Publisher : Crave
Release Date : May 10, 2004

Buy 'STRIKE FORCE BOWLING': Xbox | PlayStation 2

The last month has seen more than a couple of high-budget games, with several more on the horizon. However, Strike Force Bowling is definitely not one of them. Weighing in with a price tag of $20.00 US, it seems like Crave is trying to rely on price more than quality to move copies of this one.

I was unusually excited about playing this game, and was anticipating the day that it would arrive so that I could land my hands on my type-S and do some major bowling. I know, I know, you’re thinking, “What kind of a gamer gets into bowling games?” Well I used to be a big fan of Ten Pin Alley on the PlayStation and my friends and I would sit around getting drunk playing it for hours.

Although not too much of an improvement over past bowling titles, “Strike Force Bowling” did impress me with a few things. Stage design, lighting effects, ball and pin physics are just a few of the improvements, which I will touch more on later.

Something this game does have is a lot of options. To start it all off, there are six different modes of game play including Skins, Golf, Challenge and Practice modes, as well as Open and Tournament play. Also included in the game are sixteen stages, however you only start with eight of them unlocked. The other eight must be unlocked throughout the game, mostly by playing Golf mode. There are eight characters, however again you only start with a handful, five to be exact, and again the other three you have to unlock by completing various challenges. Finding a ball to suit your needs should be pretty easy, since after all, you get to choose from thirteen different models.

From the beginning of the game, there are eight selectable stages, ranging from your average bowling alley, to a pirate ship, to a lane in space, and everything in between. Once you master Golf mode, there are eight more stages. One of the disappointing aspects of the Golf mode, however, is that the arrangements are exactly the same regardless of which stage you're playing them on. On the plus side, the stages aren't completely inanimate. It's likely you'll see others bowling in lanes beside you, or a variety of background scenery moving around, though it does have a half-hearted feel to it, as though someone just didn't feel like doing it right.

The controls are roughly what I'd expect from a bowling game, meaning you can pick which ball you'll use, the amount of spin to put on it, where your bowler is positioned, where you're aiming, and the power/aim bar. The Power/Aim bar feels like something lifted from a generic golf game, although it does fit rather well. One major complaint is that the timing seems to be way off on the bars, you need to press your button quite a bit in advance, like there's some form of lag.

You can choose from thirteen balls in total, with several nice realistic balls, as well as a few unrealistic ones, such as a coconut or a jack-o-lantern. None of the balls seem to travel much differently, though, so it seems like just a bit of eye candy. The soundtrack reminds me a bit of elevator music, which gets very old very quickly, but fortunately you do have the option of using your own soundtracks from the hard drive. I was quick to take advantage of this option myself.

One aspect of the game that is almost unforgivable is the lack of a create-a-player mode, or any distinguishing features between any of the default players. You can adjust everyone's skill modifiers, making them all cookie-cutter patterns of bowlers. I looked forward to making a Dunkin-Donut-eating beer-drinkin’ bald athlete to slaughter the competition with, but alas, it was not to be. They are all skinny, vaguely resembling Sims, and none of them are the stuff that true bowlers are made of.

All in all, I would say that this game would appeal to families looking for a way to blow time during the infamous “Family Night,” or during a drunken frat party. This game should be packed in free with cases of beer, since it seems to play best when you’ve got a few drinks in you. The game screams budget, from the mostly simple stages, to the poorly modeled characters, to the themed stages, bowlers, and balls. If you're a huge bowling fan desperately in need of a game, this might be for you, but I can certainly think of much better ways to spend twenty bucks. Strike Force Bowling tries too hard to mix Arcade-like features with a Sim-style game, ending up with something that few will want to play.

Score : 6.0/10


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