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The overall look of the game was nothing overly special. Sound was average, though for the first time the soundtrack made the game a bit more exciting. Graphics were good, nothing overwhelming and the maps that were created did the job. The scenes and maps varied from different parts of the world and you were able to create some maps of your own. One part I did have trouble with was being able to see the other team. If this is what it is like in the real games, I don’t want to be a part of it. The distance just didn’t translate as well onscreen as it does in real life. Playing some of the maps was extremely frustrating in trying to take out the other team. The maps played in the fenced in sections were easier to work with keeping up exciting matches with lots of action. In playing FPS’s I want action, I want to be able to move and shoot and cover, many times I had to wait too long for my opponents to make any type of move. Though the A.I was pretty good (and patient) I had trouble doing the same.

The controls were very simple to work with even if you are particular to other types of FPS. The trigger fired the marker (your paintball gun) and the thumbsticks took care of your running direction and your aim. The four thumb buttons helped the gamer dive into various positions, run fast, switch gun hands and help move your weapon around corners. I did enjoy the movements of the game, and how maneuvering around barriers and barricades helped prolong your game play, as well as make you a stronger player to stop. I felt immersed with some of the game play in trying to stay low to avoid the paintballs, keeping behind barriers while patiently waiting for some type of movement to pick up an enemy. This was the best part about the game, but just didn’t make it exciting enough.

The game play is very simple. Either eliminate all your opponents first or play capture the flag in a series of different types of matches. Or play in career mode as a single player getting new teammates as your experience increases until ultimately taking on some of the prominent names in the sport. You can also put a team together and enjoy the multiplayer mode where you can talk to your teammates and strategize your movements throughout the board. This is especially evident with X-box's online play that can give you a game any day, any hour. This is where the game differs from many other FPS. You can continue to improve your skills with the controller to become an excellent player, but there is not much to the career mode besides that. Countless number of tournaments get played over and over to help gain experience points to boost your character, but all the action is the same. All of the different maps are virtually the same. I found myself bored with this experience. I did not see any exciting plot lines to follow. What makes this game unique is the ability to plan out your strategy before the match starts. Though this can be tedious, it is the best way to help yourself become immersed in the paintball experience. Fans of the sport might understand this, but I did not which didn’t help my opinion of the game.

Tournament Paintball is a very specific game designed for a population of people who can’t wait until the weekend to get their fix of paintball. If you understand the culture behind it, the successful strategies that make the game a chess match with your opponents, or just don’t want to see your opponents falling over dead, then this might be a game that will work for you. It is a game that has a good online base to it where you can always find somebody to play with. The people online were generally decent people who didn’t feel the need to cuss or taunt every bad move an inexperienced player might make. I found the controllers extremely easy to work with, yet finding where your enemy was extremely difficult and frustrating. If you are looking for a storyline, there is none here. Just matches, which once again goes along with the weekend warriors who play this game. I was unimpressed with this game and would suggest renting the game before buying it if you are not a paintball player yourself. I found myself bored with it, but I am not a paintball player. Now, if they can find a way to market a Wiffleball® game, then I might be interested in a niche specific game like this.