Greg Hastings Paintball 2: Xbox 360 Video Game Review

My husband and I both live our lives surrounded by the toys and gadgets of a younger generation. One of our many loves is the sport of paintball and we couldn't be happier that Greg Hastings, one of paintball's most recognizable players, has worked to bring the sport to gaming consoles where more people will be able to get the chance to be exposed to the sport.

When we aren't able to make it out onto the paintball field, Mr. Kawaii have enjoyed getting together to play tournaments on Greg Hastings' Tournament Painball MAX'D for the PS2, and when we found out that a follow up game was coming out for the Xbox 360 we made sure to pre-order a copy so that we could check it out.

We picked up the game at the midnight release at GameStop at midnight on Monday, and immediately popped it in the Xbox 360 to check it out. We were disappointed when we discovered that the only co-op play available in Greg Hastings Paintball 2 is through local match setups and the game isn't set up for co-op in tournament play like it is in Tournament Paintball MAX'D. Fortunately, that is where the disappointment in the new Xbox 360 game stopped.

Every other aspect of the game has been noticeably improved from Tournament Paintball MAX'D. From the detail of the game setup, the inclusion of current teams and players in tournament play, variety in a.i. player skills, the first-person view including the view through goggles (with paint splatter and fogging affecting your goggles during play), ability to play a variety of formats, and easy to follow tutorials, Greg Hasting Paintball 2 for the Xbox 360 brings the fun of paintball video games to a whole new level.

As we continue playing through the game, there is no shortage of great things to say about it. Between matches, there is paintball trivia that gives you a glimpse at the history of the sport and photos of players and teams that have made the biggest impact on paintball's rise in popularity.

Greg Hastings Paintball 2 for the Xbox 360 also gives you a chance to try out new paintball formats and get a feel for how the sport changes when you move from the woodsball field to the speedball field. I think this is a great way to sample the difference in rules and play styles for players who have only been exposed to one style of paintball, and as a woodsball / recball player the Greg Hastings games have whetted my interest in speedball for the first time.

If you are interested in giving Greg Hastings Paintball 2 for the Xbox 360 a try and you happen to live near one of the fields Greg has lined up to participate in the release of the game, then there is an extra bonus to picking up the game. Included in the purchase of the game is a free bonus pass to 6 different fields nationwide (Pev's Paintball in Virginia, EMR Paintball Park and Skirmish USA in Pennsylvania, Hell Survivors Paintball Playfield in Michigan, Boston Paintball in Massachusetts and Giant Paintball Park in California) so once you get into the game on the Xbox 360 you can also get out of the house and hit the field to get the full paintball experience.

I can already tell that Greg Hastings Paintball 2 for the Xbox 360 is a game that I will play time and again, whether it's playing through a series of tournaments on my own or hitting up some multiplayer games on Xbox Live. The system link setup also means that Greg Hastings Paintball 2 is perfect for in-house LAN parties with friends who also have the game and since we are lucky to have a healthy dose of paintball players in our social circle I'm sure that's something we'll set up too.

Whether you are deep into the paintball game like we are, or you are just looking for a new style of shooter game that doesn't involve being trapped in a war zone and killing opponents, Greg Hastings Paintball 2 for the Xbox 360 is going to give you lots of gameplay that is fun, full of variety and details that will make you want to get out onto the field.

Read more like this from Associated Content:

Three Paintball Fields to Tickle Your Trigger Finger in Portland

Transformers War for Cybertron; Xbox 360 Game Review

Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West