Keyop says:Hustle Kings is the latest title from VooFoo Studios. A full on pool sim with a plethora of modes and options to play with. Set in a pristine 1080p environment, there's more going on under the hood than you'd normally expect from a pool Game.
You have full control over the shots you take in the game with the ability of adding spin to the ball in any direction to get that 'perfect' shot. You can even chalk your cue for added accuracy with a quick shake of the controller, though I'd have preferred the option of a quick button press to accomplish the same task. To help you line up your shots there are a couple of aim assists. The first being the on-table marker of where your ball will travel after taking a shot and the second comprising three different angles from which to view your shot set up. You cycle through the overhead/cueball/target ball view with presses of the R1 button. Power is set with L2/R2 and you take your shot using the left analogue stick or a 2 click option, much like traditional golf games. Fine tuning can be a bit hit and miss however and could probably benefit from slowing down the movements even more than it already does. It's no big issue however and you still feel like you're placing the shots just how you want them.
Both offline and online you'll be earning HKC (Hustle King Credits) as you win your games. These can be used to purchase in game items such as cues, balls and even avatars. More often you'll be using them as fees to enter and play games or as a stake in Hustle games.
Offline play is a career format which offers four levels of challenges. Each level contains ten different games to play though from the available play types. These can be 8 ball, 9 ball, trick shots, cut-throat, black ball and many more. Some games are free entry whilst others require you to part with some of your hard earned cash as an entry fee or in the form of a wager against your opponent. Starting out you get the feeling the AI is astoundingly bad, almost to the point of it never having played a game of pool in it's life. As you move on through the second and third levels you see a quick change in play with the AI making very few mistakes. It's a steep learning curve but the option of a career mode is a nice touch none the less.
Online will likely be the main area of the game where you hang out. Players can set or enter up to 32 player rooms. These can run as practice, ranked or Hustle rooms. It all works very well and you can view rooms by their mode or game type, selecting the one that takes your fancy. Once you're in a game room you can challenge multiple players at once and play the first to accept your challenge. If a room has a Hustle option you can wager some of your HKC credits for the match, winner takes all in these games! Shot timers ensure that games don't go on too long, a welcome addition. Each room has it's own text chat area at the base of the screen but sadly there is a lack of voice comms.
Hustle Kings is a very well thought out game with excellent controls and plenty of modes. Sharp graphics and good online play add to an enjoyable game for any pool fan. Those players that like this genre will be hard pressed to find better.
Score 9/10
