Pool Nation FX

Pool is the kind of game that can be both a way to relax after a hard day, as well as a serious sport with a lot of stress involved. It all depends on your attitude toward it, not to mention your general skill level and training. Simulators are a great way to practice for as long as you want in the comfort of your own home, although they might not be as realistic as advertised in most cases.

Pool Nation FX is a simulator designed to come as close to the real thing as possible, while still being fun enough for everyone to enjoy. It bundles almost every popular pool variation out there, including 9-ball, 8-ball, 3-ball and snooker, plus the ability to customize the rules and create your own version. Thus, no matter your preferences, Pool Nation FX should be able to come through.

The simulation feels pretty real most of the time, although there are situations where the balls do not seem to react the way you’d expect them to, especially if you are an experienced player. It’s the interface and general controls that give you trouble, not the simulation itself. The game feels very awkward and stiff, especially when you try to maneuver the cue and take the shot from the desired angle.

In case you are up for some fun, Pool Nation FX includes a variety of mini-games as well, most of which challenge you to perform trick shots. It’s a nice change of pace for when you are tired of the same old routine, and there are enough challenges to keep you busy for a long time. The online modes allow you to match up with people from all over the world, although there are quite a few restrictions in the free-to-play version.

Visually, there’s hardly a bad thing to say about the game. Thanks to the fact that it uses Unreal Engine 4 to render everything, you can expect exceptional lighting and shading, especially when it comes to the balls. There are also plenty of different tables to unlock and play on, while the environments surrounding them vary as well. Not much variety in the sound department, but it’s not that important in a pool simulator anyway.

To sum things up, Pool Nation FX is a mixed bag of goods. It has some really good parts and some really bad parts as well, but it all depends on you in the end. As long as you can make peace with the awkward controls and interface, you can definitely have a lot of fun with the game in the long run.