Screenshot
No.1
Screenshot No.2
Screenshot No.3
SCENE
GENRE
GRAPHICS
SOUND
PLAYABILITY
VALUE
OPINION
REVIEW
INDEX |
| Setting
the Scene |
Chorus
'One Alan Shearer, there's only one Alan Shearer'
'One Alan Sheeee-rah, there's only one Alan Sheeee-rah'
Repeat Chorus
Repeat Chorus
Ah, those magical ditties that ring all around the football stadium,
simplistically served up to spur on the lads and warm your cockles
on a cold winters afternoon. It's not the words that count, it's the
atmosphere they help to create.
There is something about 'being there' which fails to be captured
when sitting comfortably at home watching sport on the box. Whether
it is the opportunity to voice your opinion at the players on the
field, in the hope that they may actually hear your words of wisdom
and up their game a notch, or the dickhead sitting three rows behind
giving it non-stop verbal for the full 90 minutes but occasionally
coming up with a classic comment that sends rows G - M into
hysterics.
Playing the game at the highest level is an entirely different
proposition. To begin with you must be blessed with the ability,
skill and vision to control a football, and then plenty of practice,
dedication and a damn good agent should see you through.
Televised soccer appears to have taken these points on board and
rather than compete with the atmosphere and playing skills of the
'real' game, it has opted to concentrate on the visual aspects of
the sport capturing each tactical movement from every conceivable
camera angle and then scrutinizing play with the aid of the
technological advances that are available today.
Developers of video soccer games have also found it impossible to
recreate the true experience of playing the game and have therefore
gone for the compromise that allows you to take part in a televised
extravaganza where your ability, skill and vision will affect the
outcome of the featured match.
So where's this leading me to and what's my point?
Well I will tell you - television sport has finally taken over from
the real thing. You are no longer playing grass roots soccer from
the days where sweat stained shirts, foul language, shoulder
charging and dirty tackles were all part of the game. You are now
controlling eleven motion captured players that are taking part in
TV's 'interpretation' of the game. Flashy camera angles, multiple
replays, designer boots and electronic advertising hoardings. I
firmly believe that in ten years time the crowds will have been
replaced by similar backdrops that appear in games such as Actua
Soccer 2.... Actua Soccer 2? That reminds me I have a game to
review.
|
| Genre |
Actua
Soccer 2 is this years offering from Gremlin who have provided us
with a (television) soccer game that is as good to watch as it is to
take part in. Stunning graphics, accurate commentary and a gameplay
that includes all of the tactics, competitions and real name players
from the International soccer scene. Also included is a custom mode
where you can create and name your own team before taking them out
on the field to play some of the finest footballing sides that the
world has on offer.
|
| Graphics |
When
the original Actua Soccer was released in 1995, it set the standard
for all next-generation football games. It was the first to make use
and master motion capture technology, the graphics engine was the
first to use polygon characters instead of sprites without any
slowdown and the commentary was detailed, context sensitive and
remained ahead of the field until recently when the stakes were
raised a little higher in the graphical department with Konami's ISS
Pro.
Gremlin have raised the benchmark once again with the release of
Actua Soccer 2 which combines new player models with a state of the
art true 3D engine. Newcastle United and England captain Alan
Shearer was bought on board to be motion captured but due to a
horrendous foot injury had to be replaced by the Liverpool FC whizz
kid, young Michael Owen. Not one to shirk commitments Alan remained
as football consultant for Gremlin overlooking the tactical side of
the game. Sheffield Uniteds Simon Tracy was motion captured for the
keepers actions allowing for a huge range of new captures to be
incorporated, adding realism to the animation and improving the
playability some ten-fold.
All of the extra effort in the motion capture studio has paid off as
the players recreate each movement to great effect. It's the little
touches that make Actua Soccer 2 something special. When the keeper
bounces the ball in his box his shadow mirrors each movement of limb
and when the opposition scores a goal your defenders drop their
heads and rest their hands on their knees looking totally dejected.
Even the man in black raises his hand to his mouth when blowing up
for free kicks and penalties.
Unlike the original, there's a full range of weather conditions.
Games can be played in blazing sunshine, overcast conditions, stormy
weather, a snow blizzard, shrouded in mist and fog and even under
the floodlight for an evening kick-off. Each stadium has it's own
floodlight configurations which are noticeable by the casting
shadows.
There is a choice of ten viewing perspectives and for a pleasant
change most of them are usable. There are two touchline cameras
which, in my opinion, is the only way to view the game. When it
comes to action replays Actua Soccer 2 is the tops. After each goal
the strike is replayed from every conceivable angle complete with a
red 'ball trail' highlighting every bounce and the amount of bend on
the shot. Should you wish to query a decision then at any time the
game may be paused and a slow-motion replay can be shown over and
over again from each available camera angle. Like I said -
television soccer.
|
| Sounds
and Effects |
All
too often soccer games are backed by a monotonous drone that is
supposed to represent the atmosphere of a soccer game therefore it
was nice to see that Gremlin have put a little extra effort into the
crowd noises. As a player nears the goal the expectancy of the crowd
raises with ooh's and aah's for near misses and the most deafening
roar when the ball hits the back of the net.
Commentary is once again supplied by Barry Davies from the BBC
sports team and is this time accompanied by former West Ham favorite
Trevor Brooking. The accuracy is remarkable as every touch is
praised or criticized, be it skillful or lousy, players on the ball
are named, decisions are debated and constant references to the
scoreline and timekeeping keep you updated.
|
| Playability |
If
it's game options you want then you came to the right place as Actua
Soccer 2 has them in abundance. There are 64 International sides to
choose from that range from the mighty Brazilians to the lowly Faroe
Islands with correct kit designs and real name squads to select
from.
There are also a further 24 custom teams of which you can build into
a formidable force to challenge the best teams in the world. On
entering the custom menu you first need to select your teams colors.
Strips, shorts, socks and keepers jersey can be whatever you choose
- hoops, plain, checks, halves or stripes. The player editor screen
allows you to individually adjust the skill settings of each squad
member. You must spread the talent around the whole team to create a
balanced squad but those of you who are more daring may invest
heavily in their strikers and play an all out attack formation to
try to out-score the opposition. Height and weight is also an
important factor while skin color and choice of which foot the
player uses best will also have a bearing on their play. The custom
mode offers a sort of management game within Actua Soccer 2 that can
be tinkered with for hours on end before a ball is even kicked.
You could always choose to play with the awesome Shearer's All Star
team that is crammed with skillful player from the past and present
such as Pele, Keegan, Platini, Sammer, Best, Daglish, Gullit and
Shearer himself. Every player is rated on their individual abilities
so you can analyze the opposition before the game begins and adjust
your tactics accordingly.
The gameplay options include a practice mode where you can take your
team onto the local training ground to test out some of your passing
moves or take a few shots at an International keeper of your choice.
This mode is ideal for beginners as it allows you to become
accustomed to the control system. The control pad uses the four face
buttons to perform long and short passes, shots at goal and a short
burst of speed. On the defensive side you can slide tackle, trap the
ball and speed burst. With practice you will soon be doing flying
headers, overhead kicks and unstoppable bending volleys. Also in
practice mode is a penalty kick competition between two sides of
your choice.
If you prefer a one on one exhibition match then the Friendly option
should be highlighted. A Cup match may involve between 2 and 64
teams with each round producing it's own surprises in a random
selection draw. There are two different styles of season games to be
played. Season 97/98 features four divisions, each consisting of 16
teams. At the end of a season the championship winner will be named,
as will each of the divisional winners. Promotion and relegation
will be awarded to the top and bottom three of each division
respectively. A Custom Season allows you to create your own division
that consists of between 4 and 24 teams. After each match the
results from every game will decide on the placing of your team in
the new weekly league table.
Before each game you will be presented with a team setup screen.
Here you can select your first team from a squad of twenty players.
Each player is marked out of one hundred on the following
attributes. Control, passing, tackling, shooting, speed and heading
ability. It is amazing how selecting the right players for each game
will affect the result. You may also mess around with formation,
marking and general style of play.
Match day arrives and the two teams take to the field. At the centre
circle the referee is going through a short stretching routine while
the players limber up by bouncing up and down on the spot. The crowd
can be heard chanting 'what a load of rubbish' and 'United, United'.
This was strange as I had yet to kick off and there was no United,
only Morocco vs Northern Ireland. The player in control of the ball
has an orange circle around his feet but once he touches the ball it
will change into a triangle indicating the player in possession.
This is probably the first game where I have felt immediately
comfortably on the ball, you really feel in control of the player.
Pressing the speed burst button sees your player tap the ball ahead
of him and then play catch up with it which is much more realistic
than those other footy games where the ball sticks to the players
feet like glue. I was also impressed with the way that the keepers
will race from their line and smother the ball just as your striker
is about to unleash a shot. This rules out walking the ball into the
net. You must actually play football to score. No long balls -
timely passes, a little run on the ball to the byline, a curving
cross and your centre forward streaking in at the far post to glance
a header into the top corner. Goals are rewarded with a superb
replay from every angle and for once I did not want to quickly
cancel this feature and get on with the game. Surprisingly I even
watched a couple of the oppositions replays, now there's a first.
You want more goals?
Then before each game select amateur skill level and each shot
should then be on target and a little aftertouch will beat the
keeper.
You want a tougher contest?
Boost the skill up to pro and even the minnows will take some
beating.
|
| Value
for Money |
Actua
Soccer 2 is a superb football game. Colossal in gameplay because not
only do you get the usual football options but there is also a
custom/management style of game that will take an age to master. You
could even take the time to build up all twenty premiership teams
and name all the players with their real names. In fact I doubt if
you will have finished with this game when we eventually see Actua
Soccer 3. The graphics are shear(er) quality, the commentary
absorbing and the playability nears perfection.
|
| Opinion |
| MARTIN |
|
|
|
|
| GRAPHICS: |
17/20 |
A
few months ago I was totally knocked out when I cast my eyes over
ISS Pro. At last we had a footy game that was worthy of the
Playstations capabilities. It may not have been perfect but it sure
set a standard for other to reach.
So is Actua 2 better than ISS Pro?
The commentary can be compared to the prince and the pauper. Actua
is the prince.
ACTUA 1 - 0 ISSPro
The graphics are equally as good, but ISS Pro just pips it on the
fact that so many player looked like their namesake.
ACTUA 1 - 1 ISSPro
The gameplay and lastability are so far ahead of ISS Pro therefore I
will have to give Shearer a hat trick.
ACTUA 4 - 1 ISSPro
|
| SOUND: |
8/10 |
| PLAYABILITY: |
46/50 |
| VALUE: |
18/20 |
| OVERALL
|
89% |
| DAVE |
|
|
|
|
| GRAPHICS: |
Good |
After
playing all of the previous football games produced on the
PlayStation, I feel that this game stands head and shoulders above
the rest.
The control that they game give you is brilliant, the commentary is
by far the best yet and the graphics move at a pace that shames many
of it's rivals.
As a two player game this game is in a league of its own! |
| SOUND: |
Good |
| PLAYABILITY: |
Brilliant |
| VALUE: |
Brilliant |
| OVERALL
|
90% |
|
