Tiebreak review

Introduction

The world of tennis video games has seen everything from serious simulators to bizarre spin-offs featuring everyone’s favourite plumber. And they have been a mixed-bag to say the least. Now enter Tiebreak, the latest contender in the genre, promising to serve up a fresh experience. But does this game hit a winning shot, or does it double-fault straight into obscurity?

Gaming Heaven

Tiebreak comes packed with a variety of game modes, ensuring you’ll have plenty to keep you busy. The career mode, where you can guide your custom player from the bottom of the rankings to the top, is particularly meaty. The game also includes a nostalgic Djokovic Slam Challenge, letting you relive all 25 of Novak’s grand slam victories—minus the actual grand slams because, you know, licensing issues. Visually, Tiebreak does a decent job of capturing the atmosphere of real tournaments, and the game as a whole feels very polished.

Gaming Hell

Unfortunately, Tiebreak swings and misses where it counts most – gameplay. The controls feel like they were designed by someone who’s never picked up a tennis racket, with players moving around the court as if they’re dragging their feet through wet cement. Serving, which should be a core aspect of the game, is frustratingly inconsistent, and good luck finding an AI that knows how to fault. The difficulty curve is also wonkier than a broken net post, with a bizarre leap from too-easy to soul-crushing. Even the best players feel like they’re running in slow motion, and that’s before you’ve had the pleasure of wrestling with the shot mechanics.

Final Judgement

Tiebreak tries to bring the heat but ends up netting more faults than winners. While it offers plenty of content, the clunky controls and inconsistent gameplay make it hard to recommend. Unless you’re a tennis game obsessive or just love a challenge that borders on masochistic, this one might be better left on the sidelines.