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[Shiggy]

Developer: Microsoft Game Studios/Rare Ltd. (best known for Kinect Sports) & Big Park Inc (best known for JoyRide)
Release: October 28 (EU) - October 25 (NA)
Platform: Xbox 360; Kinect required


Sports:
- Golf
- Darts
- Baseball
- Skiing
- Tennis
- American football

Voice control is a big addition to Season Two, letting you race through the menus to set up your game by just saying what you see on-screen, then hike the ball, change your club, call an objection and a whole lot more within the sports themselves.

The biggest bonus to the all-conquering multiplayer side of things is Challenge Play, which lets you pick your strongest suit and set a challenge score for a friend to beat in their own time. And of course all six sports support simultaneous competitive and/or co-operative multiplayer matches, both locally and over Xbox LIVE.

Reviews:

So the final verdict, is it better than last year? It offers a more complete package and the interfaces are much improved, but some of the sports lack the pace and excitement which really makes this a key party piece. It still goes down though as one of the best Kinect titles money can buy.

StrategyInformer 8/10

Season Two is a bit of a “been there done that” sort of compilation with the all too familiar tennis, golf, and baseball minigames. The Kinect functionality never adds anything to make Season Two stand out from the competition. The new voice command functionality works well and is integrated into most of the games but is more of just an optional addition. Season Two still works great as a party game and the online multiplayer gives another avenue to play with friends.

Kinect Sports: Season Two might be worthwhile if it is one of your first sports game compilations, but for those who own or have played any other motion controlled sports game, it would probably be a good idea to let this one pass.

GamesRadar 6/10

In Short: Still the best party game on Kinect but the new sports are a mixed bag and the motion controls remain as inconsistent as always.

Pros: Six very different sports, each with some amusing mini-game variants. Darts and baseball work nearly flawless and skiing and golf are enjoyably simple fun.

Cons: Motion controls are highly variable for some of the more complex games, particularly tennis. Requires very little skill and most sports are highly simplified.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/8...on-two-review-anyone-for-tennis#ixzz1bsc9Cpgv

Metro.co.uk 6/10

Gamespot 6.5/10
Metacritic

Why will Jeff Gerstmann love this? Kotaku knows it: http://kotaku.com/5852817/watch-me-beat-kinect-sports-2-tennis-without-moving

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Such a beautifully vindictive OP. Truly marvellous! (cracked up when I saw "Best known for Kinect Sports")

http://kotaku.com/5852817/watch-me-beat-kinect-sports-2-tennis-without-moving

To be fair, Kinect Joyride had the same "feature" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWbLOFGSEDo&feature=player_embedded

 

[slaughterking]

Jeff is already the biggest Wii Sports Resort fan.
http://www.giantbomb.com/wii-sports-resort/61-21098/reviews/

 

[WrenchNinja]

I cannot believe you people are still making fun of him for that one time on "On the Spot". Seriously?

 

[Shiggy]

The sports in Kinect Sports: Season 2 are mostly well realised and a lot of fun to play. It's by no means flawless, but if all you're after is a knockabout experience in front of the TV, it more than suffices.

The new features are fun, but it's ulikely they'll win over players outside the game's core demographic. This is business as usual for the Kinect Sports franchise and anyone who wasn't won over by the last instalment will have little reason to sign up for this sequel.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/323750/reviewskinect-sports-season-2-review/?page=2


GameTrailers 6.2/10

 

[Fantastical]

I was thinking "Wait, I think he liked Wii Sports Resort quite a bit", but then I read the thread.

Harsh.

 

[Shiggy]

As a huge fan of the first, my experience so far with Kinect Sports 2 has been BAD. The sports have no depth to them at all - it's basically just gestures with no finesse required. For example, the golf game requires only that you shimmy side to side to line up the shot, and then basically hit the "go" button by swinging your arms.

The football game too is just ridiculously simple. Every single play is exactly the same as the last - 1) pick from one of six plays, 2) crouch down to initiate play, 3) stand up to hike, 4) throw ball in general direction of one of three receivers, 5) run in a straight line until tackled. There's no scrambling in the pocket, no jumping or stiff-arming to avoid tacklers, and basically no nuance whatsoever. Oh, and you only play offense and all the plays are passing plays.

The other games are more or less the same. There's no magic like there was in KS1 with table tennis or soccer. The voice features work well, and that's about it.

I'm going to have to agree that KS2 is a pretty weak sequel. I'd be a little less down on it if they fucking bothered to allow the import (and possible improvement) of KS1 events and minigames. Kinda lazy, MS.

More GAF impressions are welcomed.

 

[Stormwatch]

Yeah, this game kinda sucks. I can play many other Kinect games with no issue, but I find that the movements required for this game cause the Kinect to lose its tracking abilities. "Crouch for Football", wait, we can't see you. "Dance in Celebration", wait, we can't see you. "Turn sideways to swing a bat", wait, we can't see you, etc... I had a few instances where the Kinect found me and lost me about 10 times in the matter of 15 seconds. I looked like Hermione Granger in a fucking Potions class waiving my hand around trying to get Kinect to see that my hand was raised. I don't have this issue in Joyride, Gunstringer, Dance Central, Just Dance 3, Child of Eden, or Kinect Sports 1.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

I got this game for free with the Target B1G1F sale last week. Played it with my nine year old nephew and he liked it. But football tired him out and baseball didn't reconize his shorter body. He LOVED darts but I felt the tennis was off and not accurate. For free it is decent.

 

[wrowa]

Jeff is already the biggest Wii Sports Resort fan.
http://www.giantbomb.com/wii-sports-resort/61-21098/reviews/

Yeah, Jeff Gerstmann jokes have become old years ago.

 

[Poker360]

More GAF impressions are welcomed.

Here are my impressions in my full review:

http://darkstation.com/reviews/xbox-360/kinect-sports-season-two/


TLDR: Lacks content, Some bad sports (although a few were good), wait for bargain bin.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

Oh, and you only play offense and all the plays are passing plays

Something something 2011 NFL season.