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Previously available for the PlayStation 4 and PC, Pure Pool was recently released on Xbox One, and fans of the console who are in need of some casual gaming have come to the right place.
Whether you’re a pool shark or a sports geek taking a halftime break from watching a football game, Pure Pool is a title (priced at $12.99) with universal appeal. If you want to try a few free games in single player mode, this title is worth a look simply as a pick up and play experience. After all, how hard can hitting a few balls on a table be?
Indie developers VooFoo Studios and Ripstone Publishing bring their own distinct vision to the proceedings, as Pure Pool‘s hyper-real graphics and immersive environment are its creative calling cards. Once you step into this bar/lounge, ambient instrumental music (at times hypnotic, other times it’s jazzing) surrounds the area, putting you in a relaxed state as you prepare to make your first break.
Pure Pool makes excellent use of the Xbox One controller, as the left stick is employed to aim your cue stick at the intended target. The right stick, once its pulled back and moved forward, is used to set the action in motion. If you hold the “B” button while pushing the right stick, you’ll put spin on the ball, and in turn simultaneously pressing the “A” button gives the ball a more accurate trajectory. Though it requires a bit more coordination than pulling on a trigger and pressing a button, the control mechanics are a perfect fit for the game.
All of my Pure Pool playing time occurred as a single player, and although a huge part of the title deals with competing against other members online with one on one matches and custom leagues, I had more than enough fun playing by my lonesome.
Part of the fun with Pure Pool is the amount of in-game achievements you can accrue during you’re playing – and earning various icons after completing various trick shots or potting a certain combination of balls is one of the reasons why I’ll continue to keep playing the title for weeks to come.
Pure Pool‘s physics and gameplay is also top notch, as the title gives an accurate representation of the pure strategy and hand/eye coordination that’s involved with this all too overlooked sport. The controls to execution experience was a seamless experience, and during my two hours of play the cue stick responded to every single command from my controller.
Along with its immersive visual design, Pure Pool is also a dead-eye shooter with its gameplay presentation (the audio of the balls bouncing and smashing throughout the table is also realistic). You can also customize your pool table and cue (my table has a space-age theme) which is also an added bonus.
I’ve also downloaded the Pure Pool VooFoo DNA Pack, which enables players to take on the developers of the game, and if I ever break out of my own social rut I may challenge these good folks to a game or two. Until then, I’ll continue my single player ways with Pure Pool, a diverting game that thankfully breaks in all the right directions.
To download Pure Pool, please go to the Xbox Store.
