|
FIFA Street
Reminiscent of EA Sport's FIFA series, FIFA Street
(although not a new game) is a much more
relaxed outing but still contains the same intricacies of the game but
in an urban setting. Don't let the stylised graphics fool you as the
learning curve of FIFA Street is quite high but fortunately there are
plenty of hints and tutorials to teach you the basic game mechanics and
all that fancy footwork of street soccer. With that in mind, EA Sports
have included over 50 new skill moves which can be tricky to master,
depending on your prowess on the PS3 as you play in a variety of
authentic street locales from Amsterdam to London and the beautiful Rio
de Janeiro... or something more Spartan, a gym!
Unlike a game such as FIFA 12, FIFA Street is similar yet uniquely
difference because street soccer only abides to certain rules of the
original game which makes this sporting experience quite fun. There are
still rules in place but this out of fish type soccer experience
feels more laid back and equally as enjoyable with almost a touch of
Parkour thrown into the game due to the almost acrobatic nature of the
game. Given that, it's actually refreshing to
play a game that is not just an upgrade from the previous games in the
series but something more fleshed out.
The best aspect of this game were the tricks which can be quite
complicated to achieve and at times reminded me of a game like Tony Hawk
due to the complexities of the buttons and analog stick directions.
However once you master the basics, improving your bag of tricks is an
arduous yet rewarding process, even with controller rage thrown into the
mix. One glimmer of hope to newbies is that as the teams are quite small
(e.g. five side matches) which sometimes makes it easier to focus on
these tricks as you don't have to watch your back that often. But Panna
is a whole new bag of tricks and needless to say, it's still an intense
experience which requires you to take into account the environments
where you play that opens up some great strategy options.
Given that, if you've played any FIFA game in the last few years,
mastering the control system should come quite naturally as certain
facets of that engine are used here. There are also a variety of gaming
modes that include exhibition matches, online and our favourite, the
career mode (World Tour Mode) which allows you to build-up your small squad of street
soccer sportsmen from the ground up. In reference to multiplayer, the
titles does allow up to four players to play locally as well. For those
that want to customise even deeper, the player creator allows you to
modify their appearance and thankfully there are plenty of useful hints
from the game to assist in the overall creation process.
Your players are awarded experience points for everything they do during
the game from kicking goals to performing tricks which can then be used
to unlock new tricks and increase their soccer attributes. It’s almost
like role-playing sports and it’s great to see your players improve over
time. I also love the online street soccer modes such such as
Last Man Standing where a goal eliminates a member of the squad or when
a mode uses Futal which creates some truly whacky matches. Another
aspect I enjoyed was Panna which is a 2-on-2 mode that is point driven
and requires you to use the Panna tactics to win points. These modes
translate well for online matches.
Some of these new rules are also quite tricky such as Panna which requires you to tactically kick a ball between opponent’s
legs and then regain control which awards you points. So as your
mastering the controls and tricks, you do need to master the new rules
for street soccer but fortunately it’s well implemented into this
game. Nothing is more fun than using these tricks to tease your attacker
as you perform as you try to pull the wool over their eyes.
Graphically, FIFA Street is a good looking game on the PS3 thanks to its
stylised graphics that is quite distinctive. I love the gaming
environments in the game, especially the real-world locations like
London or Rio de Janeiro. Even the colour palette has this real earthy
feel to it as opposed to the slick graphics of FIFA 12 which looks too
perfect and colourful. Players are well animated, especially their trick
manoeuvres and everything comes together well with the relatively flawless gameplay
and great sound effects.
Final Thoughts
If you're growing a little tired of the FIFA series or Pro Evolution
Soccer but still want your soccer fix, than
you really should check out FIFA Street as it offers players a whole
wealth of new gaming mechanics, online modes and some honest gaming fun. With a sturdy career mode and the option of
taking your squad online, FIFA Street is rife with replay value and more
importantly, pure gaming fun! Recommended! |
