The Rack

About

"The Rack: Black Hole Pool" is a VR billiards game set in a futuristic, pixelated environment. Experience realistic physics and a variety of game modes, including black hole mode where shots wrap around the table. Challenge friends or global leaderboards in this immersive and social take on classic pool.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 79 reviews

story2 positive mentions

monetization1 negative mentions

The physics and realism of the game are highly praised, making it feel very close to playing real pool.
The game offers a fun social experience with a friendly community and the ability to play against AI or other players.
YouTube integration enhances the immersive experience, allowing players to enjoy media while playing.

There are significant issues with controller tracking and movement mechanics, which can be disorienting and frustrating.
The game has been criticized for its monetization model, including pay-to-win elements and a confusing free-to-play structure.
Frequent bugs and glitches, especially after updates, have led to a frustrating experience for some players.

story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
57%
14%
The reviews primarily focus on the gameplay experience rather than a traditional narrative, highlighting the social aspect of playing pool with friends and the enjoyment derived from customizable avatars. While the game is praised for its graphics and mechanics, there are mentions of performance issues and a desire for a more polished PC version. Overall, the story is less about a plot and more about the communal experience and enjoyment of the game itself.
- “I'm playing the rack mainly on my Meta Quest 2 due to the customizable avatars, and the game is getting better with every update.”
- “I cannot launch it anymore on PC but I'm playing the Quest version instead and the physics, graphics, lobby, and everything is spot on.”
- “Its an ok pool game otherwise, very laggy tho on any pc specs or standalone quest!”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics of the game are generally considered good, with some users praising their beauty and the overall visual quality. However, there are complaints about the PC version feeling more like a port of the Quest version rather than a fully optimized experience, leading to a desire for a more polished PC iteration. While the graphics are satisfactory, some players note that additional settings for customization would enhance the experience.
- “Best pool game I've ever played, physics are great, graphics are beautiful.”
- “With these physics and graphics, it would be awesome.”
- “I cannot launch it anymore on PC but I'm playing the Quest version instead and the physics, graphics, lobby, and everything is spot on.”
- “Got the quest version and it's really good, so I got the PC version thinking it would be better, but you can't really tell any difference. I assume this is not really a PC version and more of a Quest version ported over to PC. I would like to see a polished PC version that will test my graphics card. If you want to know what I mean, then just play a game like PokerStars on Quest and then try the PC version; it is night and day. The game is good looking, but the balls can be a little fast at times and seem to keep rolling what feels like forever.”
- “It needs settings though (for things such as graphics).”
- “Graphics wise, it's okay.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The gameplay is generally solid, featuring good mechanics and impressive physics, though some users find the controls clunky, particularly for the Index. Overall, the gameplay experience is enjoyable, with standout features like the spin mechanic.
- “I find the mechanics really good too, especially the spin.”
- “It's a shame, because the actual gameplay feels good.”
- “Really good physics, gameplay, and features.”
- “Gameplay wise, the controls to begin with feel clunky for the index.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
Users appreciate the music feature for its ability to create personal playlists by loading their own videos and music files, enhancing the overall experience. However, some have encountered minor audio playback issues, which can be resolved by adjusting volume settings and video quality. Additionally, the option to share music through a linked lobby YouTube adds a social element to the music experience.
- “The second would be the ability to load my own videos and music files to create a personal playlist I can watch or listen to without the need to depend on YouTube for media playback.”
- “There's also a linked lobby YouTube so you can share music that others may enjoy.”
- “I did have some minor audio playback issues, but it resolved by raising the volume a bit more and setting video playback to under 480p while listening to music.”
- “The second would be the ability to load my own videos and/or music files to create a personal playlist I can watch or listen to without the need to depend on YouTube for media playback.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect is generally well-received due to effective YouTube integration, though users express frustration over the high number of ads and desire for an option to watch local videos.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, with users encountering multiple bugs shortly after starting gameplay.
- “The game is buggy; I just played for a couple of minutes and I already encountered several bugs.”
- “The stability issues are frustrating; I keep experiencing crashes and glitches.”
- “I can't enjoy the game because it keeps freezing and crashing unexpectedly.”