Tennis Masters Series 2003

Review - Will Tennis Masters serve any aces, or just get lobbed at the net. Find out.

As a general rule I’m not a huge fan of Tennis. Don’t misunderstand me, I’ve nothing against the very talented and very wealthy stars of the modern game (I reserve that jealousy for footballers), I just don’t find it terribly thrilling.

I am however caught-up annually in the nation’s desperation to see a Brit triumph at Wimbledon, so it was with a uniquely British and uniquely Summertime feeling that I picked up Tennis Masters Series 2003 for the Xbox, to give it a whirl. Let’s hope Masters Series isn’t of the same non-winning formula as Mr Henman, then.

First impressions are good, the game is very easy to pick-up, a simple arcade-style control system allowing you to look rather good immediately, serving, applying-spin, volleying, lobbing, etc. it’s all there, and reasonably well laid out on the control-pad.

Sadly, this illusion of proficiency will only last as long as a multiplayer game (Tennis Masters’ most entertaining mode), for as soon as you attempt to engage in a real game with an AI-controlled player, whether it be a friendly or championship game, you’ll soon realise how tough real Tennis is. The shots are terribly fast, the players (at times), frustratingly slow. Its just very very hard to win points against even the most lowly of computer-controlled opponents.

In fact, I had to devote several hours just to be capable of winning a set from my foe. Still, I guess it won’t be a case of game over too soon.

The game has a nice sense of realism in many ways, from the nicely modelled stadia and audience, to the sponsorship, locations and dead-pan commentary - its all very believable. Sadly, this is let down slightly by the lack of an official license, meaning that you won’t be playing real players. Which is a shame.

Other than this gripe however, aesthetically speaking the game is nice. Especially the player animations which at times are very realistic. I gather this is down to some extensive use of motion-capture. Again, the players do seem a little slow once in a while, but this game works hard to strike a balance between realism and arcade action.

It’s Pong, basically, for the twenty-first century, livened up with a few new moves, some slinky visuals, and a more competitive and rewarding game-structure: Tennis.

The Matrix-esque slow-motion replays highlight the game’s best shots wonderfully, and emphasise the speed of the game. As with many titles of a simple dynamic, like this one, you’ll probably find it at its best in multiplayer mode, which allows up to four players to compete on the Xbox in Doubles matches. This is a damn good laugh, the sense of realism making for a very tense and competitive atmosphere.

Of course, Tennis Masters 2003 isn’t without it’s flaws, and these can be grating. Its very hard, the graphics can be a little blurry at times, and you haven’t got the glamour of real players to compete with. The multiplayer mode is however highly enjoyable, and should keep you coming back for more long after the single-player game has grown too repetitive.

65%