NPPL 2009: lit only by the glow from hope you buried deep, to see what it would grow

Ok so it's a picture of PSP and not the NPPL...

D   Y   N   A   S   T    Why?  Because you love the game of paintball so much that's why.  Brought to us by Activision, NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 is the first paintball game in over three years since the release of Greg Hasting's game for the earlier console generation of xbox and playstation.  Well, OK, there really weren't any before that either.  And that's the focus for this review.

So most people that play FPS games really focus on the controls, AI, and hopefully minimal repetitiveness.  Trying to imagine those that would play this game is a simple task to do.  They are the ones that spend much of their good weather days dodging little balls, praying that none land in sensitive areas that already house a couple.  Everyone else has enough common sense to stay off the fields of war and within the safety of distance, will also distance themselves from this game.  I myself have spent dollar after dollar on cases of paint and FPSs alike, and even I have trouble turning a blind eye to the factors that will keep most from experiencing this game at all.

Comparing to the only other major paintball game, NPPL 2009 is an improvement graphically.  There is a better array of ingame equipment to choose from because of additional sponsorships obtained versus Greg Hastings Paintball.  The feel of tournament play is somewhat similar to what actual paintball feels like.  But sadly this is where all the positives begin to dissipate.  It is a paintball game and if paintball is something you enjoy then there's somewhat of a chance this recreation will be enjoyable.  This is not by any means a typical FPS for those expecting it to help a newbie begin to embrace the sport.  A person who has never set foot on a paintball field will really zone in on the aspects that make this a video game and not the pieces that help mimic the sport and in doing so can really jab you in the eyes.

The problems start to occur with a lot of repetitiveness.  There are a lot of loading screens and some do not seem like they would be even necessary.  Handfuls of them occur after only about thirty seconds of gameplay and you tend to find yourself sitting on an imaginary bench with nothing to think about.  The music is the expected soundtrack of paintball especially if you have ever watched any Derder type films about the sport.  The issue with the music is menu screens tend to play the same song every time you reach them between rounds, new tournaments, equipment screens, etc.  

Controls are somewhat good (2 right buttons acting like a double-finger trigger) but the default stick for aiming is the right one which is a lot of precision aiming matched on the same hand as the speedy busy fingers.  The bunker leaning is not as good as what it was in Greg Hastings as you can not hold a full lean and strafe without breaking a lean causing a lot of jerky movements.  Diving or sliding into bunkers can be somewhat tricky and prone position snake play is unbearable.    

The AI and tournament play may be a little more on par with what real tournaments feel like but the speed of some rounds is so fast that off the break, more than half of the opposing side or yours will can be eliminated and barely any paint down open lanes is found.  Greg Hastings did an excellent job of utilizing lane shooters while mixing other teammates for hopping from bunker to bunker on the field.  NPPL 2009 has all players aggressively moving the entire time barely letting you get to a bunker to use one full hopper of paint.  This is where loading screens become a constant greeter as you are slapped in the face with them even between multiple rounds against the same team on the same field (for example best 2/3 rounds).  

Overall, NPPL 2009 is a great and wonderful reminder of one of the greatest games that people can go out and experience.  Trying to describe the adrenaline rush of diving behind a bunker with the sound of paint coming inches from your noggin probably can never be recreated with just a video game so go balls out, get a facefull of paint, and save your money before you decide to even think about picking up this game.  

Rating: 2.5 {-10 to 10 scale, 5+ being a must play}