Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4699 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2004-07-02
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Platform: PlayStation2

Amazon.co.uk Review
Replete with the official licence and a comprehensive selection of events, Sony’s Olympic tie-in Athens 2004 also remembers to bring plenty of entertainment along with it. In many ways harking back to the button-bashing titles of old, Athens 2004 features over two dozen events, each of which requires a slightly differing discipline to succeed in. The sprints still require you to hit alternate buttons as fast as you possibly can, of course, whilst others also require you to attain a fast speed, but add a timing element too. Then there are events such as the archery, and these test skill rather than speed. An added innovation is the ability to use your dance mat on certain events, and it’s a feature that genuinely works very well--much to the amusement of other players in multi-player mode, of course!

Now whilst some events work better than others, there’s little doubt that most gamers are going to find something they can warm to here. With a wide selection of game modes and the comprehensive selection of events, there’s plenty of entertainment for your money. Each of the events are easy to get to grips with, and some are harder to master than others. Crucially, though, there are few that won’t entertain you on some level.

Topped off with quality presentation and some strong multimedia work, Athens 2004 is something of a triumph, then. It comes into its own when more than one player takes part, but even without, it’s an enjoyable, very good value for money game, and a worthy tie-in to the planet’s most famous sporting event. --Simon Brew

Manufacturer's Description
Athens 2004, the official video game of the 2004 Olympic Games, has been designed to capture the spirit and emotion of the Olympics while providing the most detailed and comprehensive Olympic-licensed game ever made. Athens 2004 allows users to compete in four Arcade and eight Competition game modes, ranging from Practice to the Official Decathlon and Heptathlon combined events, while choosing one of 64 countries and 800 different characters. Athens 2004 features some of the Olympic Games' most challenging sports, including Athletics (Track & Field), Aquatics (Swimming), Gymnastics, Shooting, Archery, Weightlifting and Equestrian. Players will be able to participate in more than 25 events including Hurdles, Long Jump, Pole Vault, Shot Put, 100m Butterfly, Floor Exercises Men, Floor Exercises Women, Rings Men and numerous other Olympic events. Compatible with dance mats--attempt to run faster, swim stronger and jump higher without the button-bashing!

Customer Reviews

Fantastic sporting fun!
I have to disagree strongly with the negative comment below. I've managed to play this game earlier in the week and there plenty of fun to be had. It's not just button bashing - Discuss has you rotating the analogue stick to power your throw (which is not difficult or boring) and the equestrian has you sterring a horse with both analogue sticks. oh, and the archery is really cool too! Every one of the 25 events in the game may not appeal to everyone but at least there's plenty to choose from. I'm not a real 800m runner but at least I can be in this game.

I was really looking forward to the Sydney 2000 video game on playstion one and found it to be a great dissapointment. I think that Athens 2004 has captured the Olympic games really well this time.
The game even lets you play it with a dance matt against friends, so you can acutally run the 100m if you're up for it!

Great fun, great graphics and great atmosphere. Good singleplayer, even better against 4 friends.

Silver medal
This is a good fun game. I quite liked International Track and Field for playstation. Then was let down by Sydney 2000. Athens 2004 is a big improvment though.

The graphics are not like Need for Speed or Burnout but that doesn't matter in this kind of game. It's wether they've captured Athens well enough. They have done well and have made it a challenge. There is 25 events including most of the track (not 5000m or above) events. It's got the field events but shockingly not the hammer. It's got loads more different kind of events though. It has not got some events though. It hasnt got diving, some of the gymnastics, rowing and caneoing. There is new ones though including, show jumping, butterfly, backstoke and breastroke. It tires you out a bit and on some the events like discus, the controls are wierd and hard to get even once you've read the 'how to play'.

Compete in single player and multiplayer. Try a heptathlon or decathlon. Or do a 13+ event challenge. Just do a single event and go for gold. It's got many modes to do the events on. You've got loads of events to choose from so have a go, but can you get a gold and be the best??

Overall it is a great game but i don't get why it left out a few events. You can't just really do all the others and leave 3 or 4 out. If it had all the events it would of got a gold (5/5).

If you liked International track and field or Sydney 2004 then I recommend you buy this.

Top of the podium
At last, a new athletics game for PS2. After what seemed like forever with only ESPN's spartan Track & Field to fly the flag for the genre, along comes Eurocom's take on the Olympics with a veritable feast of events. Half of these are athletics based, but that's what we watch the Olympics for right? Others include swimming, shooting, gymnastics and equestrian. Most of these hit the mark with the only possible exceptions being Weighlifting and Skeet Shooting Maybe they could have been sidelined in favour of more original sports such as Judo or Fencing. The controls are varied enough and pitched at the just the right level that you'll be acheiving Olympic and World records before too long. There are several competition modes including Decathlon and Heptathlon and a wealth of countries to play as. The fun really starts however, when you throw in a multitap and a few friends and see just how competitive you can really get.

Whilst the graphics don't seem as polished as we might have hoped they're still good enough not to take the shine off a fine game and the AI of the computer opponents is also much improved over previous offerings. This is one that should definitely be
in any true sports fan's collection.