Zen Pinball 2: Iron & Steel Pack (PlayStation 4) Review

While the name Iron & Steel sounds like a long lost Judas Priest album, it also conjures up imagery of industrial steel mills manned by big, burly, string vest wearing guys sweating over a blast furnace, with huge bubbling vats of molten hot ore stretching out as far as the eye can see - the kind of location that any sane person would head to if being pursued by a malfunctioning Terminator. It's an excellent premise for a pinball table, and to the best of this reviewer's knowledge it's yet to be done, but Zen has already dismissed that idea altogether and has instead opted for a pair of pinball tables inspired by cowboys (Wild West Rampage) and the Medieval days of yore (Castlestorm).

Attentive pin-heads will be aware that Zen Studios' recent output has mainly consisted of high profile licenses covering the likes of Star Wars, Marvel, South Park and The Walking Dead, amongst others, so it's surprising to learn that the Iron & Steel pack features Zen's first two non-licensed tables in three years. Much like the Walking Dead table that preceded this pack, Zen has blurred the edges somewhat by removing the illusion of a play area set within the confines of a table, which gives the impression of a playfield that has been lowered into an existing environment - an illusion that does a great job of making the playfield seem larger and actually adds to the immersion.

The main strength of Zen Pinball 2 is its modular format, which allows players to cherry pick individual tables and cultivate a personal collection accessible through the central hub. This, of course, guarantees that the whole experience is underpinned by a robust set of options as standard, meaning that all the social features, operator menus, multiplayer and high score tables are proven and work as expected. With that said, then... is the Iron & Steel pack a worthy addition to the collection?

First up is 'Iron,' which likely refers to the armour worn by the noble Sir Gareth in Castlestorm, a table based on Zen's very own action/tower defence title set in fraught times for those investing in a stone fortress during the Medieval property boom. Once again, the pesky Vikings led by chief Ramhorn are proving to be a nuisance, and given Sir Gareth's previous experience defending castles, there's no man better qualified to tackle the Nordic scourge. As a direct contrast to the limitations imposed on emulating real life, physical pinball tables, Zen remains unfettered by convention, which comes hand in hand with the freedom to add animated characters that will interact with the ball, enhance features and generally bring the tables to life. That would certainly explain the huge fire-breathing dragon that circles the table during play, as well as the aforementioned Vikings that regularly advance down the playfield towards the flippers. Nothing that a well aimed steel ball to the sternum won't put a stop to.

Rounding off the package nicely is Wild West Rampage, the 'Steel' of the title, likely referring to the railroad track running down the left hand side of the play field, complete with steam powered engine. The story follows Cindy, a female bounty hunter, who arrives in the lawless town of Rackton Point just in time to interfere with the plans of the corrupt Sheriff Evans, who has his own idea of law enforcement. It's a ramp heavy table complete with a swing door saloon at the end of the street and an undertaker's to the right, which, given the frequency of gunfights the player gets drawn into, is making good bank from Cindy's arrival. Skilled players will get to flip the ball on the back of a moving train and assist Cindy in shooting dynamite out of the air callously tossed in her direction by Sheriff Evans, a man who clearly hasn't had the relevant health and safety training. Zen has really gone to town with the detail on this table, from the sheriff badge spinner all the way to the six-shooter and wagon wheel bumpers.