Pure Pool
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Pure Pool
If you enjoy a game of pool every now and then, then you’re going to love Pure Pool. It’s just pool, nothing more and nothing less. Well okay, there’s snooker too, if you absolutely have to have more. There’s plenty to be getting on with here, with unlockable cues, table designs, and more to keep you coming back, and while it’s not exactly the kind of game you’ll want to marathon, it’s definitely one to keep stored in the library for a rainy day.
Pure Pool's greatest trick is its immediacy. Once the table is in front of you, you can just play over and over and over with no wait. With a variety of game modes to try out and the online suite there's plenty to keep you entertained, but while it may be a near-perfect simulation of pool, it doesn't come close to playing the real thing. People buy Gran Turismo because they're never going to be a racing driver or own a Ferrari. You can go down the local and pay 50p for a game of pool with your mates. Just saying.
Pure Pool is, more or less, everything a billiards fan could ask for. It is pure simulation at its best. The physics are spot-on accurate – any missed shot is entirely the shooter's fault. The ambiance is entirely convincing, with a soundtrack to match. Of course, the graphics are so incredibly life-like, you may actually be disappointed with how dull of a shine your average real-life pool balls usually have. While the game is a little lacking in explanations, it's not very hard to figure out by just poking around. At $9-$13 depending on if you have an active PlayStation Plus subscription, this is a no-brainer for billiards buffs. Those of you who are new or rusty to the game should definitely consider picking this up to hone your skills without the embarrassment that can accompany being absolutely walloped by the local pool shark.
Pure Pool offers a beautiful and accurate game of pool, featuring a large amount of various games types and difficulties to accommodate all players. The network works enough to get the job done, but there are a great deal of flaws that keep the servers from being a constant stomping ground. Regardless of the online issues, Pure Pool has a great sense of progression that embodies a stellar pool mechanic only beaten by actually playing pool.
VooFoo can chalk this down as another successful adaptation, as Pure Pool proves to be an enjoyable and astoundingly well presented interpretation of arguably the greatest pub pastime. The tutorials and help sections should get newcomers up to speed, while the 'Pro' difficulty will definitely test veterans. There are a few difficulty issues which prevent it from hitting a perfect break, but the stripped back interface and immersive atmosphere mean that it certainly won't be snookering you tonight.
While Pure Pool is a great pool simulator, the problems I had left me feeling snookered. If those issues could be ironed out, and multiplayer fixed with a proper matchmaking tool, it would honestly be a solid title to spend6.0 some time with. For now though, I've just resorted to keeping it in windowed mode, taking my shots now and then between the other games I play.
Had Hustle Kings not existed, Pure Pool could've been considered an essential pool product, as it feels great while in practice mode and looks like a winner. Unfortunately, it's a huge step back from VooFoo's previous effort, and the inability to skip your AI's inhuman actions, shift around the jukebox selection or even get an overhead view of what's happening may be too hard for some pool sharks to take. Try it out first, if you can, before you consider buying the table.
If you want a pool title for your PlayStation 4, this is currently the only game in town. It does have some problems and is missing some features, but due to its budget price and solid gameplay, I still recommend Pure Pool to anyone willing to look past its blemishes.
