14 DAY TRIAL // 
Pure Pool is a VooFoo release for the PC and the PlayStation 4 which aims to deliver a complex yet accessible pool experience that includes a high degree of realism without skimping on the graphics, like other titles in the same genre do.
Gamers can choose to play 8 ball or 9 ball against both Artificial Intelligence opponents and other human players in a variety of modes, and the game tracks the performance of the players and allows them to review their record at any time.
A tutorial explains the basics to those who might be unfamiliar with them, and then the player is quickly dropped in a free mode where they can practice their strikes and get a feel for the controls and for how the physics system of Pure Pool works.
Gamers can then navigate the menus and choose an experience that suits them before once again returning to the table in order to actually play.
The game puts the camera right on the cue, pretty close to the ball, which might feel a little claustrophobic to some gamers and does not allow for a view of the entire situation at times, but just one button press allows the player’s avatar to stand up in order to get a better look.
The title also incorporates visual aids in order to show how a particular shot will affect the ball that is being aimed at and the angles at which the two colliding objects will move.
Gamers are able to shoot straight or they can fiddle with the cue’s position in order to deliver spin, which can allow them to deliver more complex interactions.
The player then has to decide how hard they want to actually hit the cue ball before delivering a strike and watching how the physics of Pure Pool work out its effects.
The engine is solid and manages to capture the mechanics of pool well, especially when multiple interactions are involved and the edges of the pockets play a role.
It’s also pretty easy to strike with too much power and watch the white escape from the table, or to deliver a perfectly aimed shot that results in a cue ball foul.
The big weakness of the modelling in Pure Pool is that it is sometimes hard to know how much power to use, and there’s no on-screen indicator to help the player, like there is for the cue ball’s trajectory.
As players spend more time with the title they will get better at appreciating how to place their shots and how strong they need to be, and the game does a good job of slowly ramping up the difficulty, although there are times when the Artificial Intelligence opponents can be a little too accurate for my liking.
At the same time, VooFoo has introduced a DNA system that allows the game to basically take a snapshot of the way a player approaches the game and then deliver it to other members of the community to play against.
Pure Pool is offered on both the PlayStation 4 and the PC, but the PC version feels very much like a port and has some issues, especially because navigating menus and accepting or declining dialogue options is a little harder than it should be.
Controlling the cue with the mouse also feels a little strange, with some sudden accelerations and decelerations when choosing where to send the ball, which might be a general issue with the title or might only be a problem on the PC.
Aside from these problems, Pure Pool plays well and delivers an enjoyable sport-based experience, with thrilling moments and some truly impressive shots.
Pure Pool does have some pretty impressive graphics for all those who want to sink some balls into the pockets, with a lighting engine that’s downright impressive and manages to bring the table and its surrounding to life.
There are reflections all over the place, the bar in which the match takes place is present in the background but never distracts from the action, and it’s easy to take a look at the screen and know exactly what the player has to do in order to win a match, even if actually executing the shots is somewhat harder.
Pure Pool understands how important it is to have good graphics in order to make it on the modern market for sports simulations, and it will be interesting to see whether the title will become known for its looks or for its mechanics.
The sound design for the pool game is also solid and manages to deliver a bar-like experience and to allow the players to focus on their shots rather than on the music they are hearing.
Multiplayer is at the center of Pure Pool and it’s pretty easy to get into a match even if there are times when opponents seem to take forever before they actually deliver a shot, which can make the entire experience a little bit frustrating.
Pure Pool is clearly a mixed experience that will certainly appeal to those who love the sport, but might disappoint those who have played other simulation titles in the last few years and are more interested in the physics system than in the lighting tech.
The attention to detail and the graphics of the game make it a solid entry in the genre, but the title also suffers from some issues when it comes to the control players have over their shots and the way the PC port works.
