Game Info:

Category : Sports
Publisher : 2K Sports
Developer : Take Two Interactive
Release : 1/24/2005
MSRP (US): $19.99
ESRB: Everyone

Official Site

Minimum Requirements:

System: Xbox

The Media has been pummeling everyone with advertisements and reminders that the Winter Olympic Games started on February 10th. Therefore, in the spirit of the Olympics I went out and rented the latest incarnation of the Winter Olympics released by 2K Sports for the Xbox. I have always been a big fan of the Olympics and have watched them for years. I supported my country by simulating that I was a participant in the games as far back as 1978 when Atari released a version for the Atari 2600 called Pong Sports.

However, in previous versions of the Winter Olympics games, I always felt that there was something lacking from the games that kept them from getting the gold. My hope was climbing up the wood steps to the downhill jump as I popped in the disk. Could this be it? Could 2K Sports hold up their end by calling Torino 2006 “The Official Game of the Winter Olympics?” Unfortunately, as I missed the landing on Ski Jump, I thought that this game is missing the same feeling as all the others and just does not live up to the feeling of the Olympic spirit.

The Good:

Torino 2006 is the only Winter Olympics game released this year, so there is not a large competition for this games and that is a huge plus for 2K Sports and Take-Two. For Olympic fanatics, the developers have created a realistic looking environment and it is the best looking Olympic game that I have played to date. The crowd looks great as you zoom by in your luge as your legs bounce all over the track.

Another one of the positive things about the game is the work the developers put into the sounds of the Olympics. I was very impressed as some of the small details you hear as you play the game. As you are performing the Downhill Skiing, you hear the cowbells going off faintly and as you get closer to the final gate, the sounds of the crowd and cowbells become louder louder. On the uphill portions of the Cross Country skiing, as your skier grows tired, his breathing begins to be ragged and you can hear the skier struggling to get air.

The controls on the game, while not customizable, are pretty easy to handle. Previous Olympic Games turned out to be more of a button masher, while there are some thought out designs to prevent this from being one of the other games. I was particularly impressed with the speedskating’s controls. At the gun, you button mash the A & B button up to a racing speed and then you go into a rhythm type control. The goal is to keep the same tempo as the screen shows and hold the A button down and then switch to the B button. As you head into the corner, the time between each stroke shortens and then in the straight away, the strides lengthen.

Cross country skiing was another nice touch, you use the left analog stick to control the speed of the skier while trying not to exert too much energy or the skier will drag to standstill. I wish the controls could have been customized because when in the longer speed skating event, my left thumb would hit the right analog stick way too often and throw off my tempo causing my speeds to slow.

Visually, sound-wise and control wise, Torino 2006 is a not too bad game. It is comparable to other recent releases on the Xbox, but just does not stand heads above the other platinum version games that I can buy for the same price.

The Bad:

I am a multiplayer freak. I won’t purchase a game that does not at least have a mod that you could use for multiplayer. Needless to say, Torino 2006 does not have online multiplayer capability. You can play with three of your buddies where you rotate who is doing the event. As my wife and I played together, it was not very exciting sitting on the couch and watching her do the 1500m Speed skating, which takes around four to five minutes. There are some events that are understandable to do one at a time, but racing evening such as Downhill Skiing or Speed skating that would be prime split screen action.

Although, the box claims that there are fifteen separate events in the game, there are really only six different events. The main events are Alpine Skiing (4 events), Ski Jumping (2 events), Cross Country Skiing (2 events), Speed skating (3 events), Bobsledding (3 events), Biathlon (1). The only differences between the events are the vehicle you use like the 2-man bobsled team or luge as well as the distance of the event. The game just felt like it was recycling the tracks and images and instead of creating different courses for the different events.

The game is short – and boy, I do mean short. With two players and playing the 15 event program, it only took 45 minutes to complete the game. If I am to pay twenty dollars for game that takes less time to play than a two hour movie. I’ll pick the movie every time.

The Missing:

Oh my – there is several events that I would have loved to see in Torino 2006 that did not make it into the game. Hockey, Curling, Figure Skating (my wife requested that one – ?), Snowboarding, and the Opening Ceremonies are just a few of things that could have made this a complete game. As it stands now, I feel like the game is only partially completed and some key winter Olympics events are not included.

Wrap-Up:

I would have to say as the only game for the Olympics this year that Torino 2006 only earns a bronze medal. There is so much potential to make a fun game to get people hyped up for the Olympics and with the poor game play I was more depressed about the Olympics starting. If the developers could have gotten Xbox Live support, then they could have opened all sorts of events that you could use in this game. I feel like the “Official Video Game of the XX Olympic Winter Games” was just rushed out the door to make it on the store’s shelves before Olympic Torch made it to Italy. If you are an Olympic fan like I am, I would definitely recommend renting it, but after you run through all of the events once, you more than likely will not play it again and even the $19.99 suggested retail cost is not worth it.

I have to say that I will still be watching the Olympics events this winter, however sadly to say I’ve played Torino 2006 and will not be playing it again.

Go USA!!!

Dylan Reyak Mcintosh - March 2006