Beijing 2008 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games

Beijing 2008 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games - (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii)
Developer: Eurocom
Format: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii
Genre: Olympics


Going for gold but not making the podium



Unless you're the embodiment of a polygon perfect sprinter with 'Player One' emblazoned on your back, button bashing can only take you so far. In the heady arcade days of the 80's how far bashing those buttons would take you was actually quite far indeed. Track and Field was the dapper don of the arcade for a number of years. But those times are long behind us - and frankly, we're all the better for it.

Three modes of play are available. The full Olympic experience involves assigning points to various stats such as power and agilty and then earning more points as the competition progresses. Competition mode enables you to partake in any individual discipline and a training session that does exactly what it says on the tin. You will need to train a great deal as this game is about as unforgiving as an enthusiastic Traffic Warden. In the dozen or so times we tried the 100m sprint we were never coming anything but last - even after building thumb blisters the size of Jersey.

The most fun is online where each event is available to be played in a lag-free environment. Although, the chances of wanting to spend hours hammering away at a sprint event remains to be seen.

As for the controls, get ready for aching limbs and throbbing digits. With the exception of the rather addictive archery and table tennis games every other discipline involves hammering buttons or waggling sticks. And therein lies the main problem - the events just become something of a chore to play after a while.

Videogames have never really captured the true excitement of track and field sports. Invariably, console versions result in frenzied button bashing, and at best, the keen sense of split second timing. What the games have yet to fully realise is a proper career mode, a control mechanism that incorporates more enjoyable gameplay and above all else - a reason to continue playing.

When judged amongst its rather mediocre peers, Beijing 2008 doesn't stand out as a particularly bad example of videogames athletics. But nor does it stand head and shoulders above the competing pack. When judged in the wider circle of enjoyable sports games it simply doesn't make the grade - or the podium for that matter.