Virtua Tennis 4 Review

Virtua Tennis 4 is a gaming mirage. Immediately inviting like the charm and beauty of Maria Sharapova, it's only once you get up close that you're lumbered with a shallow, poorly executed stinker that reeks worse than the sweaty smidgen of auburn-tinted hair Andy Murray likes to call a beard. By now, Virtua Tennis should be honing the formula that made it such a hit over the past decade, but unforgivably, SEGA seem to be undoing all the hard work.

When Virtua Tennis came along, it practically perfected what an arcade version of the sport should play like. Easy for beginners to pick up, but also difficult enough that it had players coming back to improve their strokes, it struck an almost iconic balance of skill and fun. On first appearances, Virtua Tennis 4 is more of the same. Hitting the court for the first time, anyone who has experienced the series before will feel immediately at home, while newcomers will almost instantly be able to get into the thick of the action. With only the top spin, slice and lob shots to utilise, there isn't much room to be over thinking, and indeed, making mistakes.

Arenas are beautiful and detailed, providing an authentic air to each match

This simplicity is usually spot on for Virtua Tennis, I'd even go as far to say that the series has thrived on such a set up. Unfortunately, minor tweaks to the formula have turned this into an oddly infuriating and dull sequel; something that isn't often said about such a revered series. There's plenty of inconsistencies that add a level of frustration that hasn't been apparent before, most of which stem from the AI. For players who want any kind of challenge at all, playing on the hardest difficulties is the only way. On the easier settings, you'll wonder why your opponents don't just lie down and let you fire balls straight into their genitals, it really is that pointless. Your rivals will hardly get to any shot, and when they do return it, will set you up for an easy winner. All well and good for those who want some mindless entertainment, but once you ramp up the toughness, the real flaws begin to appear.



During the full four seasons of the World Tour mode, none of my opponents made any mistakes. Every point I won, I had to do so myself. No outs, double faults, or silly mistakes, they were perfect. That is, until I hit the doubles tournaments. Excited that Nadal chose to be my partner, it didn't take long for the enthusiasm to wear off. Although the Spanish superstar was solid throughout, shots played to certain areas of his side of the court served up quite a problem. For many returns that should have been comfortable, he just stood still, reacting with the speed of a dead hippo. There's nothing more frustrating than losing a hard-fought lead because your partner wants to rest his eyes for a few seconds, as it leaves you feeling completely helpless.

Narcolepsy aside, the inclusion of the new 'Super Shot' also leaves a lot to be desired. Everyone has a style of play, that if you put into place correctly, will fill up a special gauge. Once purpled to the max, this meter will allow you to unleash one finely struck, expertly placed shot that'll have your opponent scampering. Or at least, it would do if it wasn't for the slow motion close up that reveals all. When you use the Super Shot, the camera will quickly zoom in on your player, highlighting the direction that the ball comes off the racket. When the camera zooms out again, play resumes just before your opponent hits the ball, so you know where it's heading.

This pointlessness is also reinforced by the new structure of the World Tour mode. Playing out like a giant board game, your coach randomly provides you with tickets to hop from one city to another. Tickets can move you between 1-4 spaces, and must be used cleverly to ensure you land on the right spot at the right time. Each city has an event, be it a training match, mini-game or tournament to take part in, but if you don't have the correct ticket, you wont get in. You'll receive stars for every action you complete, which are used to rank up, and to qualify you for the main grand slams. Only four seasons can be played, each of which has you travelling through a different continent to the relevant grand slam. Missed out on Wimbledon? You wont get the chance to retry it. It's clear that Virtua Tennis 4 needed to bring in something new for the World Tour, but this is not the way to do it. To make things feel even more archaic, charity events and fan interaction appears as text, easily clicked through and bypassed without much notice.

Playing aggressively will often win the point, especially if you're playing in the lag-ridden online multiplayer

This title's shortcomings are underlined by the “Better With Kinect” stamp on the front box. The motion controller can only be used in one-off exhibition matches and a party game that has you firing balls at mummies. It's not implemented well either, as the camera switches between first when you're about to hit the ball and third person when your opponent is returning. This is rather jittery, and isn't the best way to show what Kinect can do. When actually performing shots, subtle hand movements aren't picked up, meaning many when you intend to hit hard into the ground, the ball often sits up as a lob. It's also very difficult to play shots straight down the line, making cross-court battles the predictable outcome. It's safe to say, if you were going to pick this up for Kinect, don't bother.