Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Expert Pool delivers an immersive billiards experience by faithfully simulating the mechanics of live pool play. From break shots to delicate bank rolls, each shot responds to realistic physics, ensuring that spin, power and cue angle all play their proper roles. Whether you’re a beginner learning the ropes or a seasoned player seeking a true challenge, you’ll appreciate the depth of control over cue positioning, shot power meters and English adjustments.

The game offers 19 distinct billiards variants, including classics like Eight-Ball and Nine-Ball as well as niche formats such as Elimination and Nomination challenges. Each mode comes with optional rule tweaks—Illegal Shots, scratch penalties and scoring variations—that let you tailor matches to exactly how you would play at your local hall. This flexibility adds considerable replay value, as you can explore different strategies and rule sets without ever feeling constrained.

Multiplayer options further elevate the gameplay. Local Multiplay lets friends pass a single controller around one virtual table, recreating the camaraderie of bar-table sessions. For more competitive action, the LAN feature links up to four stations for four-way matches, and Internet play lets you test your skills against global opponents. The matchmaking is generally smooth, and automated ranking keeps you challenged as you climb the virtual ladder.

Graphics

Expert Pool boasts detailed 3D graphics that bring each table to life. Tables feature polished woods, felt surfaces with realistic wear patterns and accurate ball reflections. The physics engine handles ball collisions and cue strikes with remarkable fidelity, and you can almost feel the vibration through your controller—an effect that heightens immersion and makes every shot satisfying.

Each of the 13 venues—from smoky dive bars to bright tournament halls—has its own distinctive art style, lighting and background assets. Ambient details like neon signs, dartboards and darting overhead lights help establish mood, while dynamic crowd animations in competitive arenas provide a sense of scale. Music tracks complement each setting, ranging from bluesy bar tunes to energetic stadium jingles.

AI opponents look and move authentically, with individualized models for shirts, pants and facial features. Watching computer players chalk their cues, stretch before shots or lean over the table while sizing up angles adds a compelling visual narrative. Even small touches, such as the subtle cloth deformation when a ball rolls by, demonstrate the developers’ care for graphical realism.

Story

While Expert Pool doesn’t follow a traditional story campaign, it weaves a loose narrative through its automated characters and tournament structures. Each of the roughly 200 AI players has a backstory hinted at by dialogue snippets and win/loss records. This variety of personalities—from the trash-talking hustler to the silent ringer—creates an evolving web of rivalries as you progress through online leaderboards and in-game tournaments.

In tournament mode, you’ll navigate a progression of increasingly tough brackets. As you advance, the commentary lines and crowd reactions dynamically change, giving a sense of rising stakes. Unlockable locales and special tournament arenas serve as milestones in this non-linear narrative, rewarding your dedication with fresh settings and more colorful opponents.

Personalizing your journey is enhanced by optional rule sets labeled as “Illegal Shots,” “Elimination” or “Nomination.” Though not a storyline in the conventional sense, these variants introduce their own tension arcs—will you risk calling a bank shot under high-pressure elimination rules? The game encourages you to create your own drama with every rack.

Overall Experience

Expert Pool excels at capturing the nuance and social energy of real-world billiards. Its combination of robust physics, diverse game modes and richly detailed environments makes for a highly replayable package. Whether you seek a laid-back bar vibe or the intensity of high-stakes tournaments, this title has something to satisfy every pool enthusiast.

Despite some minor network hiccups in peak online hours and occasional AI homogeneity at lower difficulty levels, the game’s strengths far outweigh its shortcomings. The depth of customization—choosing venues, rulesets and character personalities—allows you to fine-tune every match to your liking. Newcomers will find the tutorial aids helpful, while veterans will appreciate the precision controls and shot feedback.

Overall, Expert Pool is a must-have for fans of cue sports and anyone looking to hone their strategic thinking and precision skills. Its blend of technical simulation and colorful ambiance creates an engaging billiards experience that’s poised to keep players hooked rack after rack.

Retro Replay Score

6.8/10