Our writers delve into their impressions on EA Sports' Grand Slam Tennis 2's demo.

Bo McCready: In the demo, the graphics, presentation and sound seem solid, but I'm not sure about the new analog controls. Swinging a baseball bat with a joystick feels intuitive, and although I usually turn off analog swinging in baseball games, I think it works well overall. The analog swings in this game, though, don't feel very precise to me (thankfully, you can switch to using the face buttons instead). 

I'm also worried that the CPU's lobs are overpowered and that user overheads are underpowered, making it hard for net players to do well. Although, I might feel differently once I get more comfortable with the controls and can try out some more players to find one that fits my play style. Overall, the demo feels a little clunky, but I'm excited to play the final build and try the new features.

"What you looking at?" -- Is Grand Slam Tennis 2 a Tennis Games Americans will enjoy?

Phil Varckette: I haven't really played a tennis game in years. In fact, I think the last one I played was the original Top Spin. But I'm finding myself pleasantly surprised with this demo. I think it nails the sweet spot between simulation and arcade. For me this is key. I would probably be bored if the game was straight simulation. I know that's what a lot of people want, and I totally understand that. For people like me, however, this seems like it could be a quick pick up and play a match here and there type of game. 

If you haven't downloaded the demo yet, give it a shot. If you have even a passing interest in tennis I think you can have some fun with it. I'm not sure if I will be buying day one, but if not, it will be a day one rental. EA has my attention with tennis. Didn't think I would be saying that.

Bishop Tart: After playing some Top Spin 4 when it first released, I didn't think a better tennis game would be released in 2012. Grand Slam Tennis 2 might just prove me wrong.

Gameplay was actually very smooth, and I enjoyed it a tad more than Top Spin 4. That very well could change once the full game releases, though. "Total Racquet Control" takes some getting used too, but after a few sets I was swinging my racquet like a champ. Graphics and overall presentation were quite impressive also, and their use of ESPN was very well done. 

I was really impressed with the overall commentary as well. Who knows how the commentary will shape up once the game hits stores -- but when playing a sports game -- I enjoy it when a commentator starts a thought and finishes it. Too many times you'll have a commentator start a thought and a play on the field/court will interrupt what he was saying. So I appreciate what EA has done with Grand Slam Tennis 2 and it's overall commentary.

The analog controls are getting mixed reviews from OS Staff members.

Jayson Young: Grand Slam Tennis is the first series I can think of where I had more fun with Wii version than with the Xbox 360/PS3 edition. 

EA's new serving mechanic and right joystick swings feel less natural than Nintendo's Wii motionplus controls. I found it difficult to aim shots precisely where I wanted using the right joystick. Even after switching back to the old-style hitting using the face buttons, I never felt like I had a good connection between my swings and my controller.

The player animations are stiff and unnatural. Both Nadal and Djokovic look robotic while moving around the court and charging up for hits. Nadal in particular moves way too fast and can cover a ridiculous amount of ground. 

Grand Slam Tennis 2's demo shows serious signs of control and animation issues; I just don't see EA's game upsetting tennis's video game champion, Top Spin 4.

Glenn Wigmore: Grand Slam Tennis seems to have all the trappings of a successful release, but I'm not totally sold on the gameplay. EA obviously loves analog control in all of its games at this point, and while it works amazingly in NHL and fairly well in Fight Night, I'm not so sure it's the best move here. You can switch to buttons if you like, but either control method requires a very acute degree of timing.

I felt that the window for a shot to be considered "good" was not nearly clear enough, and even when you do connect, it's difficult to be confident that where you're aiming is where the ball will go. I like the fact that there are some physics and ball arc at play, but it's also concerning that Grand Slam Tennis decides to do some of your movement for you, not unlike FIFA when a ball is going in a certain direction. Also, there were several times I thought I'd hit a winner up the line only to see Nadal literally cancel his animation and warp towards the line to stab some absurd backhand across the court — not cool.

The presentation of the game works pretty well, and I like that the product seems packed full of content, but neither of the control setups left me feeling in complete control.