AO Tennis 2 Review – An Astonishing Comeback

Now yes, 2 years ago AO Tennis graced the courts but didn’t live up to the expectations of what embodies tennis and its players on consoles. The mobile version on the other hand was amazing. However, this time around does look a bit more promising, contending in an area highly underappreciated and going head to head with Grand Slam Tennis in hopes of replacing and filling that void. Question is, did Big Ant nail its “advantage server” or commit a double fault.

In AO Tennis 2, you can choose from the Australian Open, Career Mode, Competition, Online and Play Now. For those that love a challenge, there’s also a mode called Scenarios, allowing you to control overall game conditions and situations, players, scores and more. And in case we’re jumping the gun, you can learn how to master your stroke in tutorials, which thoroughly helps with aiming and timing your swings.

Special Delivery

AO Tennis 2 is a lot of fun, taking hours away from me writing this review and reminding me of every reason why I love tennis. After an intense game and learning how to time my swing and direction, everything else became second nature. Even the A.I. transitioned from a good sport to a hot head, limping around the court. Believe me when I say that AO Tennis 2 has returned one of the most entertaining experiences to date.

It’s a little sad to not see some of the greatest name in Tennis available, likely due to licensing, but with who’s available, a full customization suite allowing you to download online courts and characters and more, tennis fans and enthusiast will love what this game has to offer.

Big Ant equally focused more on presentation this time around, from the opening cutscenes to the mid-game breaks, which plays close to the authenticity of what you’d expect at an actual match. I do wish that there were more animations implemented however, as you get a few games in, the celebrations and heated moments become quite monotonous. There also was a small lack of crowd engagement. As I gained an advantage on my opponent, the crowd would cheer for a brief moment, stop, then randomly pick up again, pulling away from the fluid gameplay experience.

So, What’s New?

AO Tennis this year includes a unique career mode, allow you to take your player on the road to become one of the greatest on the court. Not only can you choose a male of female player, but you can also choose to create your own or recreate a pro’s career. The customization suite is extremely detailed, allowing you to get as close to your preferred created player as possible. It’s also here where you can potentially create iconic players, such as the Venus and Serena Williams or Novak Djokovic. Afterwards you’ll find yourself spending some cash to increase your overall attributes, leveling up and earning skill points to focus on core features (speed, power, stamina, etc).

It’s AO Tennis 2 Career that deserves the most praise. When you think Career, you likely think of Alex Hunter (FIFA), or the many characters in MyCAREER for both WWE and NBA 2K. AO Tennis 2 kicks off your career at the Future tennis tournament. The rest is history based on your decisions. Don’t expect to participate in every tournament as your livelihood is determine by each choice and could lead to injuries due to a lack of training or rest.

Your likability matters as well as it can make or break sponsorships, crowd and press reactions to you a player. One of my first eye openers was when I completed a tournament showing great sportsmanship, as AO Tennis allows you to positively or negatively react to every play, only to be not so loved by the press based on responses I thought they’d love to hear. It’s a more diverse experience than in other RPG stories in sports games, closer to FIFA’s unpredictable outcomes based on your actions.

Wait A Minute…

During gameplay, though not often, the A.I. was able to pull off a few amazing swings, including bouncing the ball of their chest rather than a racket. Don’t get me wrong as it wasn’t just A.I. as my player a few times glitched across the court and managed to swing a few times as well. I only which that happened more times than my player not swinging at all, or not running towards the ball. In AO Tennis 2, it feels as if your focus is to aim for the ball while your player sort of moves on its own, becoming more of an animation than a genuine swing. And within a moment’s notice, hesitation will become your worst nightmare.

One other complaint, and wish for the next installment is commentary. No it isn’t a game breaking experience, but similar to Grand Slam Tennis 2, it was nice to hear about your player and gameplay in real time based on your score and circumstance.

Verdict

As I picked up another session, I found myself every time playing for hours, thoroughly enjoy each mode and career path. If you pick up AO Tennis 2, expect a ton of fun and replayability, investing most time in tournaments or the Australian Open.

Without question Big Ant Studios deserves the recognition for bringing tennis back after seeing others try and miss the mark. Tennis isn’t a game for everyone, but rest assure it’s worth trying.