Star Wars Pinball - The Force Awakens
Overview -
Zen Studios has been the leader in digital pinball games for several years now. They frequently release new tables for both of their products: 'Pinball FX 2' for Xbox and Windows, and 'Zen Pinball 2' for Sony consoles. The 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' pack includes two new tables, one each for the New Order and Resistance.
Video Review
As expected, the Resistance-themed table is light, mostly based on the desert planet of Jakku. The New Order one has a much darker color scheme with TIE fighters and such. They both look nice on the Vita, with the Resistance table in particular having lots of different animations and stylish effects. There are some jagged edges and other texture issues of a minor nature.
Audio Review
I’m not a fan of the narrator on the dark side table, who I believe is General Hux (or a stand-in) from the film. He mostly nags about reports and says the same line over and over, which can become grating because drains are so common. Otherwise, the familiar sound effects and score from the films are successful. John Williams’ music never gets old, and the table uses less common tracks, such as the medal ceremony from 'A New Hope'.
Final Thoughts
These are strong tables, especially the 'Force Awakens' one. They rank right up there with Zen’s other great offerings, like most of the Marvel superhero franchises. For 'Star Wars' fans and those who spend a lot of time with 'Zen Pinball' in general, these tables will not disappoint.