The Xbox Live Arcade provides a great platform for specialized niche games, for a budget price. For a handful of points, you can own quality retro arcade, card and puzzle games. Pixelstorm’s Bankshot Billiards 2 seems to forget the budget caveat, with their mediocre title costing a hefty 1200 points. With a premium price, one would expect premium features; however Bankshot Billiards 2 simply does not merit the price tag.
Bankshot Billiards 2 features many games that most players will already be familiar with, along with a few games unique to this title. Pool hall staples 8 ball, 9 ball and Cutthroat are included; while the exclusive game modes time trial, golf and trick shot offer a change of pace to the player. Time Trial tasks the player to clear a dozen tables of all balls as quickly as possible. Golf sets up a variety of tables with red “hazard” balls, and asks the player to sink the 8 ball without making contact with any of the red balls. Striking a red ball results in a two stroke penalty. Trick shot features 90 different table configurations, and requires the gamer find a way to sink the object ball(s) in one shot. Notably missing from Bankshot Billiards 2 is any sort of career or tournament mode to tie the game together, and give the player a goal beyond the table in play. There is also no allowance for “house rules”, which adds an element of interest in actual billiards. For instance, Bankshot Billiards 2 gives the player “Ball in Hand” after a scratch, meaning you can place the cue ball anywhere, but the rule for my locale is the cue ball must be placed behind the line. These variations from table to table are important when playing in the real world, but are absent from Pixelstorm’s version.
Bankshot Billiards 2’s graphics are average when compared to other Arcade titles. They neither dazzle nor disappoint. The player has the ability to fully customize the environment; from the floors, table felt and wood, to the grip of the cue stick. The D pad allows the player to quickly cycle through 3 camera views; however the only one that is truly feasible for game play is the overhead view. The game features an arrow to help you line up your shot, and to also serve as a difficultly level adjustment. On the hardest setting, there is one arrow to show you the path of the cue ball. The medium level includes a second arrow to show you the path the object ball will take, while the easiest setting features a third arrow to show the player where the cue ball will go after it strikes the object ball. Holding the left trigger will display the ball numbers, making identification a bit easier.
Bankshot Billiards 2 soundtrack is best left muted. Pixelstorm gives the player a choice between styles such as rock, pop and funk but none are particularly pleasant. There is one song per style that will play over and over again. Since the majority of the gamer’s time will be spent quietly lining up shots, the music is very noticeable and very annoying. The sound effects are standard fare for a pool game, and are nothing to write home about, but they get the job done.
