  Couldn't this guy find something better than a torn dress shirt to go with the rest of his 'Killer' look? |
Outlaw Tennis is far from your typical tennis game. With this title, you're just as likely to be blown up by a time bomb as you are to spike the ball over the net, and it may be to your advantage to start a fist fight at centre court as opposed to putting some major topspin on your next serve.
And that's what makes Outlaw Tennis so unique. It's chalk full of blatant sexual content, violent outcomes to matches and hilarious commentator one-liners to spice up the solid gameplay. More importantly though, deep down it's actually a fun tennis game that actually takes - wait for it - a fair amount of skill to advance and unlock all the good stuff hidden within.
The online-enabled Outlaw Tennis is actually quite the challenge. There are several modes to choose from, similar to most sports games. There's Exhibition, Quick Play, Tour, and Drills. Each player you can choose from has his or her own lineup of Drills and Tour events. Drills are just that - drills that only last a minute or so to hone your abilities in serving, accuracy, etc. With each completed drill you earn some points that you can assign to your character to improve different aspects of their gameplay such as speed, power and endurance.
The Tour mode is tons of fun. It's a mish-mash of every type of game found in Outlaw Tennis. If you think all you have to do is hit a ball across the court until you win two sets, you couldn't be further from the truth. Outlaw Tennis has a number of game modes such as Pinball, Football and Baseball. Don't get the wrong idea here - no matter what game you're playing, it's still tennis. You just have different objectives depending on what exactly you're playing. For instance in Pinball, there are buttons strewn about the court. You get points not by serving up an ace or pounding an overhand smash past your opponent. You have to hit the buttons and earn points. The player who gets the most points wins the match.
What else makes this game appealing? How about the humour? The commentator sounds like he came straight out of 'You Don't Know Jack'. He doesn't hold back (a recurring theme in the game) and he has a lot to say - most of it very unpolitically-correct. The character introductions are repetitive but the comments during the game itself are hilarious and varied. I was definitely LOL-ing during many of the games.
If you're a fan of unlockables, then this game should be right up your alley. As you plow through the Tour mode you'll open up new clothing and accessories (right down to Playboy bunny ears), new courts, bonus music tracks (don't be fooled by the game's message of 'a slew of licensed music'. Unless you've heard of The Sharkeys and Chalet, the music likely won't do much for you) and new players.
And hey, there's also the bonus of being online capable. There are three difficulty settings for the computer, but if you just have to play against a real person, you have that option if you're an Xbox Live subscriber.
For anyone looking for a deceptively solid tennis game, grab your balls and get ready to make some racket with Outlaw Tennis (aren't I creative?). It has lots of replayability, it actually requires skill and it has its own undeniable personality - where else can you play tennis in Hell?
