Review: WSC 2007 (X360)

Don’t be put off by the sub-standard visuals, as WSC2007 is a satisfying sports game.

The WSC series, from Codemasters, has been around for a few years now, although this is the first version to make it to the ‘360. Featuring Snooker, Pool, Billiards and Bar Billiards, it is the most comprehensive yet. The latest version also includes full XBL support and a new “cue ball prediction” system to improve the positioning element of your Snooker and Pool.

If you know who to play either Snooker or Pool you can jump straight in to a match with WSC 2007. The controls are intuitive and simple, with the thumb-stick use to line up your shots and the buttons used to adjust power, spin and angle. The game provides forecast travel directions for the cue and object balls, which diminish the harder or the more pressure on the shot. Snooker and Pool are played from both a player’s eye and overhead view point, so lining up the shot with the forecast travel is easy and balanced. In addition, the game also predicts where the cue ball will finish, thus aiding positional and safety play. Once again, this diminishes in accuracy depending on the shot difficulty.

Worth a mention is the “create a player” feature that allows you to create your own character. As you play the game you can earn points that can be used to improve some of your character’s skills: like potting, positioning or spin. You can tailor the look of your character, but for some reason there are limited options (hair, face, eyes) so the final result often looks quite odd.

The ball physics are excellent with an accurate feel of playing Snooker or Pool that is distinctly better than XBLA’s Bankshot Billiards. You do feel the baise slowing a finely cut ball, or a shot weight reducing following a bounce off a cushion. The best way to describe playing WSC would be “satisfying and rewarding”. Take on a difficult pot and sink it and you’ll feel like a champ; miss an easy black and you’ll be a chump (and most probably lose the frame!).

Graphically WSC is quite poor. The balls and table surface are fine, but the character models, environments and lighting look like they have come straight from a Playstation 2 – alright, not quite that bad, but not up to ’360 standards. Some of the colours, except for the balls, are often dreadful: for instance, take a look and the table legs - they look like ice-cream cornets. Strangely, the table and balls in the game’s main-menu are beautifully rendered - what happened there?

The music and sound are also pretty poor, but the commentary by John Parrot, Steve Davies and John Virgo is pretty good and quite funny in places. Some of the crowd noises are like canned studio audience effects, and they seem to have clap-attacks where they can’t stop!

The game offers good value as it features a large number of licensed events, players and venues. There are a number of play modes, including Pool, Snooker and Combined championships as well as on-line play via XBL (& and no EA servers!). All the achievements are achievable and there is a nice spread with none requiring online play. The difficulty in the championship modes can be a bit daunting to start with, but as you rank up and improve your character, things get easier: you might lose a few games to Ronny O’Sullivan without hitting a ball early on, but invest the time and you’ll be more of a competitor later.

If you like a bit of Pool and Snooker, or occasionally watch it on the Tele, then you’ll definitely enjoy WSC 2007. You have to look beyond the naff graphics and sounds, for underneath there is a very satisfying, challenging and fun sports game. WSC 2007 is a slow, tactical & thoughtful affair, which offers a pleasant change from the death and destruction that many recent titles thrive on. If you fancy a change of pace, stick your order in for WSC 2007 today.

7/10