Athens 2004 screenshots   The Final Say! Gameplay 8.1 Graphics 8.9 Sound 8.4 Value 8.8 Athens 2004 - reviewed by Andrew B Review Date: August 2004 Review Score 8.8/10 Distributed By: Sony

Athens 2004 is the latest Olympic game to hit the gaming industry in years that is probably the most enjoyable "multi-sports" title that brings a fresh new perspective on the already stagnant gaming industry. Apart from containing over 25 different Olympic events (track and field, aquatic, gymnastics, etc), this game is also the only official licensed product of the Olympic committee that not only ensures this game to be as close to the real Athens Olympics but it also gives the gamers all the official trappings of this amazing sporting event. The basic premise behind Athens 2004 is simple, compete in a variety of summer Olympic events for your chosen country and bring home the gold accolades. The beauty of Athens 2004 is that it is extremely reminiscent of those games of the early 1980's such as Track and Field and Summer Games that was basically just a button masher but also pure unadulterated fun. This incarnation is no different than its predecessors and gamers will probably get extremely sore hands after they've played a variety of events in this addictive title. Although you can virtually use just about every button on the DualShock controller, the main buttons of this title is the "X" and "Circle" button that is basically used to get your speed up. Great for the track and field events! The developers have even gone to another level of gaming and have actually made this game compatible with the PlayStation dance mat, so instead of tiring out your hands, you can now exercise the rest of your body while you are playing a game. (Great for those kids that need a little bit of exercise) Athens 2004 also contains over 64 countries with the official uniforms of each country (even Australia) and over 800 different athletes. The control system of Athens 2004 is quite easy and even the most basic of gamers will have no trouble in mastering this title in a matter of minutes. The game also contains a variety of gameplay modes that include arcade, practice, championship and multiplayer to ensure that this title will be played time and time again. Graphically, Athens 2004 is a fantastic looking game that quite simply looks amazing and  outstanding on the PlayStation 2. In order to appreciate why the graphics look so damn good, one must do a little bit of research on the development of the title and the reason being is that the developers have used real motion capture from a variety of athletes around the world to capture the realism of each event that the gamer participates. How's that for professionalism? Each character also contains a fairly high polygon count for that extra realism and match that with official Olympic uniforms (or lack of... for instance in swimming), and you can almost be forgiven in thinking that you are watching the Athens 2004 Olympics. The developers have also added the small touches in the game such as the splashing of water or the movements of the crowds. Apart from the impressive graphic engine, Athens 2004 also contains a very Olympic sounding sound track and match that with a variety of different sound effects such as the sounds of athletes hitting the water or the sounds of weight lifters dropping their weights on the ground, everything sounds and feels perfect.

In conclusion, Athens 2004 is a great sports game that also supports up to 4 players in some of the best multiplayer gaming of 2004. The title also has a very strong gaming engine, some highly detailed graphics and a great soundtrack! So grab your friends and start competing in 100m 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, Hurdles, Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Pole Vault, Discus Throw, Javelin Throw, Shot-put, 100m Breaststroke, 100m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly, Floor Exercises, Rings (Men), Vault, Jumping, Weightlifting, Archery, Skeet (Men) for some of the closest we'll ever get to a real Olympic event... there are more events but unfortunately I got a little tired in typing then all out, so what are you waiting for? Check it out!

- Andrew B