| Game Reviews From a Parental Perspective! | |
|
|
|
| Home | Forums | Review Archive | Columns | Feature Articles |
|
Home >
Review Archive >
Video Games
> Results: World Soccer Winning Eleven 9
Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Scroll down for our Kid Factor. 
There are no better soccer games on home consoles than those in Konami's Winning Eleven series. They feature the best ball physics, player animation and especially AI tactics and on-field authenticity with regard to how the game "feels". Those who have played soccer at a high school level or above can easily see the excellence inherent in Winning Eleven as these games move beyond simple pass and shoot and into pure simulation. The PSP version is a near perfect translation of this excellence to the portable platform, but the platform's inherent flaws drag it down.
Ninety minute footy matches are tough to turn into a portable game. Even with the game's default ten minute (real-time) halves, a full game takes almost a half hour to play given all the stoppages that occur as well as loading times before free kicks and substitutions. The loading really grates after repeated play. It simply takes too long to get to the field and after a game is over, too much time is spent waiting for menus to load so you can arrange your players for the next match. Then the cycle of loading begins anew as you wait to get on the pitch again. The PSP's suspend feature alleviates some frustration of the initial game load time, but that's only good if you never take the disc out of the PSP.  Thankfully, the gameplay is worth the wait. If you've played any of the previous games in this series, you know just how incredible the action on the field can be. The PSP version is no exception. Players make incredible moves with the ball. They move well away from the ball too, giving you some gorgeous setups for give and go plays that would look right at home on TV. Best of all, you're in full control of everything. There are a myriad of button combinations to learn that allow you to execute just about any fundamental and not-so-fundamental skill of soccer. Scoring is difficult and takes a lot of practice before you can drill the ball home with any repetition. There is a training mode that's needs a lot more meat, but it at least lets you try things out with no opposition so you can get the basics down before venturing into the jaws of AI defeat. The AI is rough on first time players. Skill settings are there to be taken seriously and you should ratchet it down if you're new to the game and maybe even if you're not! The computer executes extremely well, but looks like a pro team while doing it and certainly not a cheat. It's satisfying when you win a match because you know you earned it. Multiplayer is available but only locally with friends. That's a downer as this series thrives on human vs. human play. You're unlikely to find anyone with a PSP and this game unless you've got a circle of soccer fans you hang with in the US. European and Japanese gamers likely have a much easier time finding someone nearby to meet them on the pitch. The game's single player seasons don't have the full-featured player management that the home console versions do, but they still provide longer term record keeping and season-mode competitive play against the computer. Many real clubs appear in the game as well as International teams, but many are missing. You have to edit the rosters yourself if you want the player names, though the teams do play like the real clubs without any player editing necessary. A link with the PS2 version via USB allows you to import Edit data from the console version.  The load times are the major sticking point for enjoyment of Winning Eleven 9 on PSP. Sometimes control is also suspect thanks to the mushy d-pad. More often than not it's player error that results in a ball getting away, though. The lack of color commentary is jarring when you play your first couple matches, but you quickly forget it and in fact many will appreciate its omission. It's cool to have this game available to play on the go, but it definitely feels like a cut down version of what you really want, and that's available on the PlayStation 2. 
If you don't have a console to play the TV versions of this game, the PSP one is a sure bet. Kids that play soccer can learn a lot from these games as they really do move just like the real game. Strategy found here is the same as it is on the field at school. Smartly containing other players and counter-attacking with good passing into space perfectly mimic the "right way" to play when you strap on your own boots and head out to play.
This is a good buy for any kid with a PSP and a love of soccer. There are hours of enjoyment waiting on the other side of the annoying loading screens. Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Browse Amazon.com's selection of "winning eleven" themed games Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: World Soccer Winning Eleven 9 |
Read the GamerDad 2007 Holiday Guide!
|
Please Note: GamerDad is not intended to be read by anyone under 18. We stay clean, but be warned! Content Management System developed by Redbird Solutions. |
