Beijing 2008 Review

For years now we’ve gotten a ’new’ Olympics game designed to cash in on the quad-annual event. The last Olympics Game Athens 2004 was a solid title, that ultimately lacked innovation. In fact, Athens 2004 was much like any other Olympics Game before it. Well, now we’ve entered the next generation and Eurocom and Sega have teamed up to release Beijing 2008 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Is this partnership a gold medal or best described as an athlete that has failed to qualify?
 
Just so we’re clear, Beijing 2008 is a button mashing game. Yes, much like every other Olympics Game, the main objective in most of the events is to quickly push A and B. This is mixed up with events such as shotput, which are controlled a little differently (there are different requirements, but they generally require you to push the correct button at the correct time). Nonetheless, it’s imperative that potential purchasers realise that Beijing 2008 doesn’t contain any innovations in the control department. The controls really do let Beijing 2008 down; pushing A and B in quick succession may seem easy enough, but after fifteen minutes you’ll probably put the controller down in agony, swearing off the game for life.

Just looking at this event is enough to make us tired.

It’s not all bad though. The presentation is top notch. Aside from some easy to understand menus there are plenty of events in the game, including ’favourites’ such as the 100m sprint and, of course, hurdles. In fact, in total there are 38 events. To list them all would be exhausting, but it’s safe to say that if you can imagine an Olympic event then it is probably in this game. Judo, Table Tennis, Archery and Cycling all make it in, meaning anyone who is watching an Olympic event at home who feels the desire to ’play’ the event will probably find the event in this game.

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