Grand Slam Tennis 2 coming to 360-PS3

[sportdan30]

Did the new job provide you with a 360 in the office, Dan? Just kidding! Seriously, I'm stoked you found a new gig. Congrats!

Thanks for the well wishes! I actually don't start my new job until next Tuesday, so I have this week to relax and make sure I have everything I need prior to then. It's been nice to have
a couple weeks to not stress over anything really, although money is getting a little tight. However, the last four months have gone by very quickly, albeit they were quite stressful and
exhausting!

I haven't put any more time in to this game, so I can't really comment further. I do agree that it seems that both me and my opponent can run down quite a few balls that seemingly you wouldn't
be able to in real life. Like I said, it's not a true sim nor is it meant to be. However, imo, it's much more enjoyable than Virtua Tennis which pretty much dropped off after the Dreamcast version. Still, I need to toy with the controls a bit as I was a little confused how to angle the ball just right.

[Teal]

I can't serve, but I'm liking the 'feel' of this.

[10spro]

I can't serve, but I'm liking the 'feel' of this.

It's tricky and it's all about good timing. I find that if you cant' time it right in the white zone, chances are that the CPU will win that game. Try not bringing down the RS all the way down but just half way and take it from there.

[sportdan30]

I didn't win a point playing on Pro.....

[pk500]

EA would have made P.T. Barnum proud with this demo, as I'm now a sucker for Grand Slam Tennis 2. This game wasn't on my radar at all, but I loved playing the demo tonight.

The dual stick system was very intuitive. I'm not a tennis fanatic, so the "relaxed sim" nature of this game is perfect for me. Nice graphics and commentary, too.

I'm now eager to buy this game. Well done, EA.

[10spro]

EA would have made P.T. Barnum proud with this demo, as I'm now a sucker for Grand Slam Tennis 2. This game wasn't on my radar at all, but I loved playing the demo tonight.

The dual stick system was very intuitive. I'm not a tennis fanatic, so the "relaxed sim" nature of this game is perfect for me. Nice graphics and commentary, too.

I'm now eager to buy this game. Well done, EA.

PK, if you're enjoying the demo you should try TS4 which you can probably find it for under $20 bucks. This demo still falls short for me in terms of realism and overall gameplay compared to 2K's product, but as you mentioned it's a lot of fun. And challenging too I guess, I want to win at least a damn match on Pro but I keep losing my serves to the CPU. I am getting close though.

[JackB1]

fun fun game! The controls are great and remind me of the 1st time I tried the shot stick in NHL. I would never want to go back to the traditional TS4 controls. It is more arcadey than TS4, but not as much as Virtual tennis. I haven't tried anything harder than amateur yet, so I want to see how it plays on Pro before I decide anything. Some issues are: Near impossible to lob over net player and ball never seems to go out. Also, you can get to shots that seem impossible in real life. Also like mentioned before, its very hard to direct shots down the line.

I think the game shows a lot of promise and with a few tweaks can be the NHL of the tennis game world

[vader29]

Amateur is too easy and Pro is too hard. Can't manage to win more than 1 game in a match on pro.

[JackB1]

Amateur is too easy and Pro is too hard. Can't manage to win more than 1 game in a match on pro.

I agree, but I would rather it be a challenge than too easy.

I was finally able to win on Pro after trying around 15 games. There are a few things that might be considered dealbreakers for some and they are:

1- That its nearly impossible to hit a ball out of bounds wide and nearly just as hard to hit one out long.
2-Nearly impossible to lob over someone at the net.
3- Too many "impossible" shots are tracked down and returned

These 3 things take away from the realism IMO and really make it too arcade-like. Lets hope they can tweak things in the final release or with a patch.

[10spro]

Amateur is too easy and Pro is too hard. Can't manage to win more than 1 game in a match on pro.

I keep losing 4-2 on Pro. Just as I feel that I have it, the CPU comes back at ya with some miraculous run somehow.

[JackB1]

Has anyone EVER gotten a lob over someone at the net???

I have found that flat shots work best to keep the AI deep outside the baseline. And you have to
come in and beat them to the punch at the net or you will lost most points.

this netplay is really hurting what could otherwise be a very enjoyable game. I wonder how it will play online?

[vader29]

Has anyone EVER gotten a lob over someone at the net???

I was using the face buttons in some matches last night, and using the combination of the y button and left trigger lobbed it over the player at the net but on pro level they get back in plenty of time to hit it back anyway.

[10spro]

Has anyone EVER gotten a lob over someone at the net???

I was using the face buttons in some matches last night, and using the combination of the y button and left trigger lobbed it over the player at the net but on pro level they get back in plenty of time to hit it back anyway.

I hope it's just the demo. But lobbying is definitely broken as the CPU gets back to every moon ball you throw at him even when the player got the net covered like a blanket, he's still got time to backpedal all the way to the back and not only hit the ball back at you but he hits a winner.

On Pro, the net play is very strong too, the AI will win 9 out of 10 times when he rushes to the net. If this trend continues, I think playing mostly online is the way to go but I am hoping the final product will be patched up.

[JackB1]

Has anyone EVER gotten a lob over someone at the net???

I was using the face buttons in some matches last night, and using the combination of the y button and left trigger lobbed it over the player at the net but on pro level they get back in plenty of time to hit it back anyway.

I hope it's just the demo. But lobbying is definitely broken as the CPU gets back to every moon ball you throw at him even when the player got the net covered like a blanket, he's still got time to backpedal all the way to the back and not only hit the ball back at you but he hits a winner.

On Pro, the net play is very strong too, the AI will win 9 out of 10 times when he rushes to the net. If this trend continues, I think playing mostly online is the way to go but I am hoping the final product will be patched up.

But won't most online players just copy the AI and rush to the net? The problem seems to be in the "reach" that players have on overheads. You can pass once in awhile by waiting until the last second and hitting down the line. Also the fact that you never hit a ball wide or long really bugs me. If they can fix those 2 things, this game would be awesome, but for now it's broke. Its like a baseball game with no foul balls or a golf game where its impossible to miss the fairways.

[JackB1]

some great tips here:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthre ... erid=59371

I am now able to win about 50% of the time on Pro.

[10spro]

But won't most online players just copy the AI and rush to the net? The problem seems to be in the "reach" that players have on overheads. You can pass once in awhile by waiting until the last second and hitting down the line. Also the fact that you never hit a ball wide or long really bugs me. If they can fix those 2 things, this game would be awesome, but for now it's broke. Its like a baseball game with no foul balls or a golf game where its impossible to miss the fairways.

If they do, I guarantee you that the dude you're playing with won't be able to backpedal as quick as the CPU is now when you lob over them, let alone be smashed back a winner.

[pk500]

Flaws and all, I still dig playing this game.

GST 2 had me screaming at my TV set last night in delight and disgust. Any game that evokes that kind of emotion is a winner. We'll see if the demo has legs.

[10spro]

More on the AI in the game. Wasn't aware that you can play as Johnny Mac during his dominant days as a Pro.

[10spro]

While still on business in the city of Ottawa, I happen to drop by a nearby GS where I bought the game totally unaware that it was released today. Can't wait to play it over the weekend.

[vader29]

I played some yesterday and on pro it is still as hard as it was in the demo, played three matches and couldn't win any games. Frustrating that the cpu never hits the ball out of bounds and the cpu only had one unforced error all night.

Started a career last night and didn't pay any attention to what the difficulty settings were but in the first tournament in Dubai I made it all the way to the finals without losing a game, so not sure if the level is set low or they are matching the level of the created player early in the career mode. Serving is the hardest part for me but I did improve dramatically over the course of the evening.

The announcing gets annoying as McEnroe says the same exact stuff every match.

[10spro]

Started a career last night and didn't pay any attention to what the difficulty settings were but in the first tournament in Dubai I made it all the way to the finals without losing a game, so not sure if the level is set low or they are matching the level of the created player early in the career mode. Serving is the hardest part for me but I did improve dramatically over the course of the evening.

The announcing gets annoying as McEnroe says the same exact stuff every match.

I read somewhere that for the first part of your career, the setting is rather easy, in fact you may find yourself winning a few tourneys right off the bat until you crank it up to 'superstar' difficulty where things get interesting. I doubt the game will have the depth in career mode as in TS 4 but nevertheless, I will dig that mode for sure.

Too bad about the repetitive commentary.

[sportdan30]

Someone suggested simming the first two years of your career as the skill level is much too easy. It then increases in difficulty in year three.

I'm going to hold off purchasing this game in hopes it will get patched eventually.

[Naples39]

The gamespot review says difficulty level is locked on career mode.

Year 1 - Easy
Year 2 - Medium
Year 3 - Hard
Year 4+ - Superstar

It's one thing they didn't like about the game.

[dbdynsty25]

Picked this up last week and started getting into it this weekend. Holy crap what a deep game of tennis. By far the deepest tennis game on a console as far as shot types and control with the right stick. It's so damn good. I've been playing through some of the ESPN Grand Slam classics and it's been really enjoyable. I bore pretty quickly of tennis games because of their basic control...but this one is completely different. The total shot control with the right stick is fantastic.

[Rodster]

Does the 360 version support Kinect?