1. NodNolan

   10

   Pinball FX 2 is not so much a game its a platform. You can download it for free and play trials of any table you want up to a specific point limit. The thing is the game is so addictive you'll need to get hold of as many tables as possible.
   
   Anybody who owned Pinball FX can download the original tables for free (and those who purchased the individual dlc for Pinball FX will get those tables free too). It when playing these tables that the differences between the original and this game become apparent. On top of the impressively overhauled and improved graphics, the physics of the gravity on the ball is much more realistic.
   
   The four brand spanking new tables are also a few steps up from the original offerings. They're more complicated tables, with more minigames and special fx that you cold ever expect to be on a pinball table, but they never lose realism.
   
   On top of the tables there is an nice added social aspect to the game. Get a number of friends who also play pinball fx 2 and you'll get on screen notifications when you're nearing and surpass their high-score. You also have local split scene multiplayer and xbox live multiplayer.
   
   All in all Pinball FX2 is a package you can't fault.… Expand

   • Helpful? 2 of 2 users said Yes.
2. jawsvvvvv

   10

   If you have any interest in pinball games this is the one to buy. The original Pinball FX was a little disappointing since its graphics and table design were a little lacking. If you compare the old tables to the new ones there is no comparison. Colors and table layout are much better and allow for a much better experience. The game allows you to play those old tables as well so a very good deal. New tables are 200 points each. Try it out you won't be disappointed....… Expand

   • Helpful? 2 of 2 users said Yes.
3. vinniepop

   8

   The moderately enjoyable, if a little bland, Pinball FX has been given the makeover treatment and now returns as the flashier, more immersive and more enjoyable Pinball FX 2. Zen has done many things right by addressing the shortcomings of the original Pinball FX while also adding a number of new features, that it's hard to find a reason to not recommend this to fans of the original as well as players who may be new to the video pinball genre.
   
   In addition to newly-added multi-player features (local and online play), there is the much-advertised ability to import your existing Pinball FX games into the PFX 2 interface for free, with new achievements to unlock for all the original tables - all the more reason to play them again! PFX 2 gives you an easily accessible and at-a-glance view of all the tables (locked and unlocked) that you have across both versions and is a breeze to navigate through.
   
   The only downside of PFX 2 I'd have to say is that even though the tables are graphically better than PFX 1, they are visually darker. This is especially noticable on the imported tables (like Rocky and Bullwinkle) where the areas of the table that only light up once you activate them are now shrouded in shadows instead of being just "off". It makes a great effect once the whole table lights up, but until they do, you can't help but feel like you're playing on a table with a couple of fuses blown.
   
   But overall, Pinball FX 2 is great upgrade and a worthy addition to the panthenon of video pinball games -- and if you have PFX1 then getting this is a no-brainer.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.
4. shofixti

   7

   Let me get right to the point: The physics of this game feel all wrong. If you're looking for the feel of a pinball machine, look towards the outstanding Williams Collection title. Not downloadable, alas, but between having real tables and a much better feel to the game, it's far more bang for a somewhat increased amount of buck.
   
   I'm not one who often writes a lot of game reviews, as my tastes and those of a lot of modern gamers have diverged significantly over the passing years. Pinball, on the other hand, is a great love, and it saddens me to see pinball tables all but disappeared outside of conventions or the occasional movie theatre arcade.
   
   Pinball FX 2 is inexpensive and easy to get a hold of. It has all the modern whizbangery you'd expect of an Xbox title - tight integration with Live so you can have your bragging rights with your friends. The artwork is superb, the music is well-composed but lacks the life of the pinball machines of yore. The voices are pretty terrible, but who can expect Raul Julia to voice for every table?
   
   Still, I can't get past the feel of the game. The ball feels heavy and dead, and the tables are generally far too busy, and the design, again, lacks the natural flow of the games of old. The Williams greats (and their virtual equivalents) were made by people with a love of the art, and it showed. Pinball FX 2 was made by people who clearly had skill, but the love wasn't there, and the end result is a tease of what could have been.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 2 users said Yes.

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