Is being good at snooker the sign of a misspent £40?

We understand snooker isn't a massively fast-paced or exotic pursuit - the balls hardly ever explode and there are very few fights - but does it really, absolutely have to be this slow? When you're lining up a shot it's fine, but in-between it could bring even a committed pacifist to the point of bursting the commentator's eyes with his own thumbs. Take a shot and there's a long wait. Finish your turn and there's a long wait. Save the game and there's a long wait...

The actual action is good: the balls behave ballishly, the baize baizes like mad and the available views/controls balance well against each other to create challenge when it's needed. Just like before. The big deal, of course - as it is with so many games at the moment - is that it's online. With the Network Adaptor being so new it's inevitably a big deal (or so we're told), but when we look back in eighteen months it amy seem less so. For games like this, at least. While snooker has its place on PS2 and can be superbly relaxing, being able to play - wow! - against a real person almost undermines it. Why not just visit the local snooker hall and play - wow! - against a real person there? Still, the option's here, as are real-life venues, players (including Mark Williams and Stephen Hendry) plus a load of official tournaments featuring real-life long waits. A classic match mode even includes Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor going at it with sticks. Calmly, of course.

Graphics 70%
Fairly plush but some slowdown.

Sound 70%
Snooker celeb voices, otherwise hushed.

Gameplay 80%
Boringly drawn out at times, but solid.

Lifespan 80%
You either care or you don't.

Overall 70%
Similar to both WC Snooker 2003 and WC Pool 2004, but with online play. Real snooker beyond your means? Go on, live the dream!