Every four years we are treated to the sports extravaganza known as the Olympic Games. This is also true for video games as well. Sure, back on the older consoles we got everything from Winter Olympics, to Summer Olympics, to even the USA Basketball team. Nowadays, it's just your basic routine of the grand old games of summer. This year is no different as the folks from 989 Studios follow up a decent Soccer game and an outstanding baseball game with their take on the Olympic Games held this year in Athens, Greece.

This style of sports gaming has never been a breath-taking spectacle, from Track and Field to the ESPN Track and Field from Sydney 4 years ago, the focus was always game play over visuals. 989 has looked passed that nonsense and has done a very respectable job bringing the summer games to virtual life. Capturing a TV style presentation, 989 have replicated the sports casting quite well. You have complex camera angles, motion blur, and some very nice player models. The player models are very detailed, and show great emotion of their faces. Animations are silky smooth and run at a smooth 30 frames per second, at least. The only real draw comes in the lack of a create-a-player model. It would have been nice to live the Olympic dream and create yourself, but alas there are specific models for each event. The environments are detailed with precise accuracy, whether it's the gym atmosphere of the floor exercise, the oval race track for field events, or even the outdoor landscapes of skeet shooting, you can expect the game to keep its freshness from start to finish. While not a stunning masterpiece, it does represent the best looking Olympic title to date.

Audio is actually quite satisfying considering the linearity of this genre of game. You have great crowd reactions, from cheers to jeers; you know the crowd feels your pleasure or pain. Heck, even the participants will grunt, groan, and literally scream when attempting a particular jump or throw. Topping off the well-rounded sounds is a very informative play-by-play announcer, who will criticize and praise your performance, or lack thereof. Overall, no real complaints, and once again 989 has out done its ghost of the past in presentation.

Game play is where this title becomes a little basic. Taking a page from the old school Track and Field games, most of the events are button mashing at frantic speeds. The monotony is broken up when you compete in events like skeet shooting, archery, or equestrian, as it is these events that rely on more timing styled efforts. What really adds to the thrill is the compatibility of the dance mat made famous by DDR. While the compatible events are strictly for the field events, it's still a wonderful idea that made me reminisce back to the old 8 bit Nintendo and the NES Power Pad. There is a slight learning curve for some events, and figuring out the precise movements for each may hover on the brink of frustration, but once you have the events figured out its all fun from then on.

While online would have been perfect for this style of game, it wasn't included this time around. What is involved is a series of 25 events (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m races, Hurdles, Long Jump, High Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault, Discus, Javelin, Shot Put, 100m, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly swimming events, floor exercise for men and women, Rings, Vault, Equestrian, Weightlifting, Archery, and Skeet Shooting). Choose to play separately, by genre, or as a compete competition. This is a game based on high scores, and bettering them each time through, so don't expect much more. With that said, this game is a pleasure to play through with a friend or two. Competition is the key, and the one player experience means playing with yourself?

Overall, if you are looking for that next big party game or if you cannot wait until August for the games themselves, I suggest looking into Athens 2004. It's a great buy at 40 dollars that will leave you with blistered fingers, bruised egos, and tired muscles. Just imagine what it takes to be a real Olympic athlete?