There's not much that can be said for a game in which the only premise is to navigate blokes around a pitch and attempt to boot a sphere of leather filled with air in between two white posts, whilst trying not to let the other blokes kick it into yours by tackling and passing and dribbling and working as a team etc.
Gawdy, same-old stuff then? And for a game of 1998 must be awful compared to todays standards.
Actually, no. And there are only three things that separate this game from a world of usual football gaming tedium:
1) The way in which you can tackle other players. You can more or less punch other people, or shove them, or tackle two-footed on purpose. It's half football-half hooliganism. It's brilliant, most of the time you'll be seeing red, but every so often you'll get through, leaving your quarry in a heap on the pitch. In which case you'll be laughing your head off and lose the ball. Which doesn't matter- As Michael Cera's Evan said in Superbad, scorning the game - "It's soccer. It's just soccer." 2) Players on the other team will randomly score own goals. Seriously, a superb volley from the Arsenal defender, what a (own) goal. It's something like this that just makes it so enjoyable, so rewarding. That glimmer of imperfection that gives a game what it needs. The ability to make you smile, even though it shouldn't. 3) INDOOR FOOTBALL - I don't know any other game with this feature, if there is one it won't matter to me. The indoor mode on this game is perfect. From insane ricochets off the wall to insanely easy scoring by your own goalkeeper. It is a brilliant feature, and makes this game superbly playable, especially in a two player-invite your mates over-open beers sort of thing.
If you like football, but want something more, and still have a PS1 then find this if you can. If not, oh well, what can you do. It is good though, believe me. Recommended.
9/10
Gawdy, same-old stuff then? And for a game of 1998 must be awful compared to todays standards.
Actually, no. And there are only three things that separate this game from a world of usual football gaming tedium:
1) The way in which you can tackle other players. You can more or less punch other people, or shove them, or tackle two-footed on purpose. It's half football-half hooliganism. It's brilliant, most of the time you'll be seeing red, but every so often you'll get through, leaving your quarry in a heap on the pitch. In which case you'll be laughing your head off and lose the ball. Which doesn't matter- As Michael Cera's Evan said in Superbad, scorning the game - "It's soccer. It's just soccer." 2) Players on the other team will randomly score own goals. Seriously, a superb volley from the Arsenal defender, what a (own) goal. It's something like this that just makes it so enjoyable, so rewarding. That glimmer of imperfection that gives a game what it needs. The ability to make you smile, even though it shouldn't. 3) INDOOR FOOTBALL - I don't know any other game with this feature, if there is one it won't matter to me. The indoor mode on this game is perfect. From insane ricochets off the wall to insanely easy scoring by your own goalkeeper. It is a brilliant feature, and makes this game superbly playable, especially in a two player-invite your mates over-open beers sort of thing.
If you like football, but want something more, and still have a PS1 then find this if you can. If not, oh well, what can you do. It is good though, believe me. Recommended.
9/10
