Top Spin 4: Serving up the Real Tennis Experience

08:41 PM - February 15, 2011 by Steve_OS

IGN has just posted their Top Spin 4 preview. Overall, it seems that they like the game. Good to hear how the crowd reacts to long rallies.

Quote:


	"The control system is decidedly more pick-up-and-play this time, though the game certainly emphasises the subtleties of advanced techniques that can be learnt in its Top Spin Academy. In the end it proves much more fun to learn them as you move through career mode, with helpful on-screen pointers during the game and at loading screens, enhancing the complexity of your game just as a real-life coach might. And, in fact, doing it this way helps you make decisions about the allocation of experience points in key disciplines such as serve & volley and offensive & defensive baseline play. Various in-game coaches provide experience bonuses and certain shots become much easier as you skill-up in related areas. Perhaps most surprisingly, though, is that the game's control system encourages the same sort of strategy one might use on the actual court. As our player rose through the ranks we started playing more points up at the net, volleying the ball back to an opponent too slow to respond. And considering the character's level of physical fitness is so much greater than our own, it was exciting to find out what it felt like to actually win such an attempt on the court."