When I was first looked at the box of Real Pool for the Playstation 2, I was quite impressed with the detail of the graphics. I am a PC gamer originally, so I was anxious to see what the PS2 had to offer. The tables and cues look very realistic. Unlike some pool games on the market, there are no opponents on the screen. You see their pool cues, but that's about it. It was a little bit disappointing, because with the graphic power of PS2 being so hyped in the media, Real Pool does not seem to utilize its full power. What is in the game in nice, but they could have added more. Other than the music, all you have is the usual table noises in the sound category.

Real Pool offers the fan of Billiards a chance to play a number of different types of games, including the games that most of us would recognize as Pocket Billiards. In the Pocket Billiard category, there is 8-Ball, along with 9-Ball, Bowliards, Rotation, 14.1 Continuous, Basic, One Pocket, and 5-9. There is a Practice mode, where you can practice any of these games without worrying about an opponent. There is also Tournament Play, where you will play various types of pool games played against eight different computer opponents. Winning all the games will let people know that you are the master of pool!

There are also Carom games in Real Pool, which are played on tables with no pockets. The idea is to hit combinations of balls and cushions with your cue ball. One unique feature of Real Pool is the puzzle games. There are different table shapes with over 40 different puzzles. In each puzzle, your objective is to sink all of the solid balls in a certain number of shots. They do throw in a few striped balls to add to the challenge. This Puzzle mode is the most challenging of Real Pool.

If you are playing a Carom game or a pocket game, you can decide if you are going to play a human opponent or a computer controlled opponent. If you choose to battle the computer, you can set various skill levels of your opponent. These changeable settings include Overall Skill, Intelligence, Challenge, Concentration and Luck. Set a higher value on these sliding scales for a tougher challenge. There is no skill level to set when playing a puzzle game.

I found Real Pool extremely easy to control. At one point after playing the game for a while, I noticed that I could control the bulk of the game with one hand on the controller. You will use the R1 and R2 buttons to control the power of your shot. You will use the left analog stick to select your direction and to place your cue ball after foul. Your left analog stick is used manually for setting your shot point on your cue ball, which helps you learn the concept of 'English'. The L1 and L2 buttons are used for camera control and the directional buttons are used to navigate menus. And last but not least, use the X to shoot. All in all, the name of the game says it all. You'll find a fairly realistic pool sim in Real Pool.