I'm too old to run anymore, so I bought the game instead.
Written: Apr 14 '02
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Graphics, Sound, Control, GamePlay. Lots of features. Short Load Times. 4 Player fun!!!
Cons: It might keep you up too late at night...
The Bottom Line: This game is a lot of fun to play, even if you don't care for sports games. Fun to play, and even more fun to play with friends (4 Players!)
|
|
|
| Chris_Billings's Full Review: FIFA Soccer 2002 for GameCube |
I just recently bought a Nintendo GameCube (even though I swore hundreds of times that I would never do so, blah, blah, blah...) One of the first game I picked up for it was, FIFA Soccer 2002 MLS. I am not too much into sports games, but anything soccer, I have to pick up (as long as it’s decent of course)
EA Sports FIFA Soccer 2002 MLS is as close as you can get to soccer in a video game.
The Graphics seen in the game are stunning. The GameCube version of the game has a more polished look to it and blows the Playstation version out of the water (or off the field in this case) While both are still good, the GC version has smoother textures, less “jaggies” and fewer glitches. The graphics during game play are great. The player has several “camera angles” to choose from. My favorite is the standard view (like they show on TV) Many of the players look the same though in this viewpoint. Other than different hair styles, or races, team colors, etc. you might not recognize any of the players, other than the big names like Valderama, etc. During the in-game “cinemas” you can kind of tell who they are and compare them to their real-life-counterparts. The expressions on the players faces are much better than previous games. You can tell if they are angry, hurt, excited, etc. Before, many of the games had generic expressions for every time the player made a goal. Now depending on what type of play you make, they look a little more excited if you make a goal by a bicycle kick, etc. Speaking of plays, all plays look very realistic. When you pass the ball to another player, and the one you are passing to goes to perform a Bicycle Kick, he volley’s it up to himself, and then kicks it. Many games I have seen just kick the ball and I was left wondering how did the character get the ball up in the air to do so. Anyway, the animations of the players are great.
The fields are all nicely rendered as well, and feature accurate lighting effects, weather, etc. They also feature great looking crowds, linemen, refs, and even camera men. The animations of the ball going into the net could be better. It looks too much like water moving when I stone is thrown in it, than a ball hitting the nylon netting. But that is the only downfall I see to the graphics.
Sound Effects really make a game. I can listen to the game for hours and get involved so much that I loose track of the time. When the ball is kicked you can tell what it is. Depending on whether or not it’s a pass or a shot, each has a unique sound. And the crowd cheering you on as you do so is nice. Another unique part of the game is the commentary by two real life figures in the sports world. Although they have a lot to say, you can almost copy what they have to say the more you play the game. They even make fun of certain plays (like shooting the ball in your own net, slide tackling while nobody is around to do so, etc.)
Control is what makes the game what it is. And what it is, is awesome! EA Sports went back to the drawing board and made it easier to pass, shoot, and perform special moves (headers, volley’s, etc) But there is really only a couple of buttons that the casual player needs to know about. Offense all you need to know is how to Run, Kick, Pass and on Defense you need to know how to Run and Tackle. Anyway, there are not a lot of button combos you need to memorize like you do in fighting games. One of the cool things they added to the control is the use of the C-Stick (not to be confused with the Control Stick) While you can Pass the ball with the A-Button, if you use the C-Stick (or C-Button) you can move it in the direction you want to pass it, and when the player you pass it to gets it, he automatically passes it back to where ever you are. It’s nice to use when you have a couple of your own players attacking the net. Pass the ball, and get your player open so he can receive it back and score. Before to perform a One-Two, you would have to pass the ball and hope that the computer controlled player would be open so you can pass the ball and then gain control of that player as well. And of course there are combos you can perform, also called Skill Moves, One-Two’s, etc. The GameCube Standard Controller also fits nice in any size of hands.
Game Play is wonderful as well. The game is fully customizable. You can create your own players and use them with real teams, or create your own teams outright. You can even buy, sell, and trade players like pro teams do today. And speaking of teams there are hundreds of teams to choose from and over a dozen leagues as well (MLS, English Premier League, etc.) And there are many modes of play to select from. Ever wanted to play in a Major League Soccer season? Well you can do so. Or you can jump straight into tournaments, or just a quick game with some of your friends. Did I also fail to mention that up to 4 Controllers can be used and all 4 players can play at the same time?
Players even get tired and injured. Each player has a meter that shows how fast they can run. If you use it too much, that particular player will need time to build back up (so be careful with that sprint button!) Also if you slide tackle an opponent just right, you can injure them, but watch out. If the ref sees it, you usually get a Red Card right away, no warning and you loose a man off the field. The game play is so realistic, that when a player is injured, and you forget to substitute them, they will limp around the field, and if you pass the ball to them, they are super slow and prone to being attacked. The game is so detailed that if even tells you what body part they injured and how many games they will not be able to play, or how long it will take for them to recover.
FIFA Soccer 2002 MLS has everything you need in a soccer game (well, there are no cheerleaders...sorry!) If you like a fun, sports oriented game with lots of features, great graphics, and a wonderful control setup, this game is for you. Try it out for yourself. Even if you do not like sports games, you might be surprised, and end up not going to bed until very late.
______________________________
TITLE
FIFA Soccer 2002 MLS
GENRE
Sports
E.S.R.B. RATING
E for Everyone
PUBLISHER
Electronic Arts/EA Sports
YEAR of RELEASE
2001
PLATFORM
Nintendo GameCube
# of PLAYERS
1,2,3, or 4
ABILITY to SAVE
Yes, on a Memory Card
______________________________
14, April 2002
This review COPYRIGHT 2002: Chris_Billings
I am actually not old and I am in very good condition still, and I will track you down if you violate these terms outlined in plain English...COPYRIGHT!!!
_______________________________
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Chris_Billings
|
 in Games |
 in Kids & Family |
|
Member: Chris Billings
Location: Spokane Valley, Washington, USA
Reviews written: 188
Trusted by: 269 members
About Me:
"You know what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like this?"
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.