Strike Force Bowling (Xbox)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 2.5 stars OK
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 5.2 (2.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Jeff Gerstmann
• Reviewed on: 05/28/2004
• Released on: 05/10/2004
• Originally published on GameSpot: Strike Force Bowling (Xbox) Review

In the grand scheme of things, today's bowling games aren't that much different from the games we saw hitting arcades and arcane home consoles 20 years ago. While some bowling games tend to take advantage of technology and the advancement made in virtual physics over the years, others just let you hurl a ball down a lane at some pins. Crave's budget-priced PS2 and Xbox offering, Strike Force Bowling, is actually a renamed and slightly updated version of a recent PC bowling game, Fast Lines Bowling. Regardless of what you call it, the game attempts to combine zany locales with tried-and-true bowling mechanics, but the game lacks substance and ultimately won't please bowling fans, be they hardcore or casual.

There are several gameplay modes to choose from, though most of them are just basic variants of the standard game of bowling. You can play in open play, practice, skins, tournament, and challenge modes, which are all different takes on a regular game. Golf mode gives you different pin configurations each frame and a set number of rolls to hit them all in. The game calls that number par and uses basic golf scoring.

The gameplay in Strike Force is pretty basic, though it could have been streamlined a bit. You can position your bowler, aim for a specific spot on the lane, pick different ball weights, and control the amount of spin put on the ball. Once you've decided on all of that, hitting X on the PS2 or A on the Xbox starts your roll in motion. The game uses a "three-click" system that is lifted from most modern golf games. The first press starts the meter going. Then you press the button bar again on the power meter to set the strength of your roll. Finally, the indicator swings over to the accuracy portion of the meter, where you must press the button a third time to determine the positioning of your roll. And that's pretty much it. The game models oil dispersion, which changes the way the lane affects your rolls over time. It also offers the ability to turn oil dispersion off, but we didn't really notice much difference between the two choices. As such, all you need to do is find a sweet spot to place your ball and get good at timing your rolls, which is quite easy to do. Once you've got your timing down, rolling strikes is easier than it probably should be.

Continue reading