Cue Club 2

Cue Club 2 is a sports simulation video game developed by Bulldog Interactive. First released for Microsoft Windows on 4 July 2014, it is a realistic interpretation of pool and snooker, and is the sequel to Cue Club. The game has received continual updates since launch, including an online multiplayer mode, the addition of a first-person camera with 3-dimensional (3D) tables and bars, a wide selection of larger table sizes, and an expanded range of achievements.

Gameplay


Cue Club 2 can be played in either top-down view (2D mode) or a first-person view (3D mode). Game control options include mouse and keyboard, game-pad or touchscreen device. Several game types are available including eight-ball (including both US and European Blackball rules), nine-ball, ten-ball, six-ball, seven-ball, snooker, speed pool, and killer. Rules are closely aligned with competition play, however the rules of eight-ball, ten-ball, killer and snooker can be customised to reflect the many variants in use around the world. There are three variations of snooker: a full game with fifteen reds, and shorter games with either ten or six reds. Players choose from a selection of game modes including Practice, Single Player Quick Game, 2-4 Player, Tournament, Bar Challenge and an online Multiplayer mode.

The game is set in a fictional club featuring a range of themed bars and theatre venues, and each is host to a selection of unique opponents of varying difficulty. Upon starting the game for the first time the player is required to sign in by entering their name, after which they are given a membership card to access the Basement Bar.

There are two main parts to the game. The first is to complete the Bar Challenge, where the player chooses the game rules in each match and aims to progress through the stages by beating computer-controlled opponents one by one. There are fifteen characters in total, complete with imagery, and dressed in casual clothing. After defeating all the opponents in a bar, the player is awarded a membership card to the next bar where the difficulty level increases. When all the bars have been unlocked and the opponents defeated, the player is presented with the Bar Challenge trophy.

The second part to Cue Club 2 is the tournament mode. Sixteen players compete in a tournament, and for this game mode opponents are dressed in formal competition attire. Progress is initially straightforward, but gets harder as weaker players are eliminated and more skilful opponents are encountered. There are four rounds in total (first round, quarter-final, semi-final and final), and the number of frames played can be set anywhere from Best of 3 up to Best of 35. Since matches can potentially take a long time to complete, games may be saved at any point and resumed later using one of the numerous save-game slots. If the player succeeds in winning a tournament they are awarded a trophy, with trophies for each of the nine variations of pool and snooker available.

Other accolades can be gained for achieving high snooker breaks, including a century break and the elusive 147 maximum. Additional trophies are awarded for fast clearance times in speed pool, and also for accumulating points in multiplayer earned by winning matches. In total there are sixty-two trophies to collect, which includes individual colour-coded Bar Challenge and tournament trophies for each of the five difficulty settings. Leader-boards and statistics screens record performances and totals for snooker breaks and speed pool times.

The game is officially completed when all of the above trophies have been earned, filling the slots on the Summary of Achievements table. Upon successful completion of the Bar Challenge, which is arguably the largest and most challenging aspect of the game, a victory sequence is played.