Review: Hustle Kings

Posted by Connor On January - 29 - 2010

Hustle Kings is a pool game available exclusively on the Playstation Network for $10. The game was released prematurely in the UK (or just a month late in the States), so it took me a while to get my hands on it, but the videos and screenshots built up enough hype for me that I grabbed it the moment I could.
I’m a big fan of playing pool in real-life… I can’t play it often, due to the lack of owning a table, but when I do play, it’s an absolute blast (and I’m not too bad at it, either). This game seemed to offer the most realistic virtual pool experience available. And… Well, it does. This game totally lives up to my hype.

When I first jumped in, it seemed a bit intimidating… I’m used to pool games holding my hand through the process of getting a decent shot. This game lets you control every single aspect (down to chalking your cue stick, and even what kind of chalk to use), so you’re in total control the entire time. This was new to me… As I said, I’m used to simple mechanics in a pool game. But this game has a formula that really works.

First off, let me talk about the graphics… Dear god, they’re gorgeous. The balls have amazing reflections and look incredibly realistic. The fibers on the cloth of the table you’re playing on are very visible when viewed up close, and look fantastic. Just… Everything looks great. And along with these great graphics come amazingly realistic physics. If you can get a shot in real life, and you’re in the same situation here, chances are you’ll be able to get the shot.
Oh, and the soundtrack! Except for a few tracks, the soundtrack is absolutely perfect. Probably one of my favourite parts in the entire game. Lots of jazz to fit the mood. One of the few games that I must have the volume up while I play.

Now, onto the gameplay… This game plays incredibly well. If there is a definitive game to represent pool on a console, this is it. It’s fun, addictive, and has many different game types that you can play, keeping you hooked for a long time. With online multiplayer, you can face friends or strangers from around the world, which is a ton of fun. The downside here (which is a HUGE downside for me) is that there’s no in-game voice chat. It really breaks the environment of the game when you can’t chat it up and taunt your adversary mid-game. I find myself switching back and forth between my TV screen and my computer screen to talk while I’m playing, and it kind of ruins the multiplayer experience just a bit when you’re playing with friends. A big part of pool is the social aspect. Without being able to talk, that social aspect disappears. Really bad decision, and I can’t figure out for the life of me why they made it.

Overall, though, this doesn’t do much to ruin the game. This game’s got a lot to it, especially if you’re a pool fan. I’m discovering new ways of playing the game all the time now (only knew how to play eight-ball until I got this, believe it or not), and it’s really increasing the longevity.
For the $10 that they’re asking, you really can’t go wrong. This game is fantastic.

I give it a 9.5/10