Sensible World of Soccer

By EasternDavid

Yes you’re a goal scoring super star hero, but is Sensible World Of Soccer in the back of the 360’s net?

Sensible World Of Soccer (SWOS) brings back many memories to those who lived and breathed soccer in the 20^th century. Ahh, the riots, the ethnic groups and flares, who could forget the NSL and now its back and you can play as your favourite team (providing its from the 1995/96 season) in a great stadium that has a hotdog seller in the ground.

Graphically SWOS is about as good as you could expect from the series, with the ability to choose between classic and enhanced mode. The classic mode is good for providing a laugh and the minute you see it, you immediately want the eye candy back in enhanced mode. The pitches are essentially all the same, but providing on what type of league it is and the quality of it, pitches will be drawn differently according to how good the club is. The character models are identical apart from the obvious (hair, team shirt) and one of the new great features in this is when you slide tackle, it leaves a skid mark on the dirt. Considering that not even Fifa 08 incorporates this, I’d say that this is an implantation for the better.

SWOS is a fantastic achiever in reproducing the glory of its outdated version and the controls work quite well. However, there does appear to be a lack of diversity with the buttons and the excessive use of one button may anger people. Remarkably, the one button combo seems to simplify the game up and makes it a much more enjoyable experience. If you are looking for an easy to learn and play soccer game for quite cheap, then you’re looking in the wrong department. SWOS is a very, very difficult game to play and the learning curve is up there with the likes of Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic and Mass Effect. One of the most annoying gripes with this game is the fact that you can run down a wing and assuming your player’s not good enough, you turn to spin around and the ball goes flying off your feet and about 10 metres ahead of you. The physics on the ball are equally as challenging and confusing and the lack of a tutorial means you need to learn it all by experimentation. Bad things aside, the gameplay is a fresh yet familiar twist on the modern day Fifa’s and Pro Evolution soccer. It is an insanely fast paced game and sometimes it becomes like a game of ice hockey rather than soccer (or Fudbol as Les Murray would say). The shooting system is quite possibly one of the most frustrating, insane and tedious challenges around, but once you master it, you really reap the rewards. Getting curl on balls on either side and into the back of the net is a sweet sight to see, especially from about 20 yards out.

SWOS features a loveable menu song that doesn’t grow old on you until about 5 minutes in. I previously loved the classic song and putting the music to classic mode really brought back the memories, shame I got sick of that as well after about 5 minutes too. The sounds are rather basic, but what can you assume from a game that came out over 10 years ago. You’d expect the lack of commentary to be an enormous blow and make you feel on the cusp of never playing SWOS again due to its blandness. However, like with the original, the natural speediness of the actual game means you don’t blame them for not having any and considering some of the names, it’s probably a good thing.

On the whole, SWOS is a great challenge for those who are up for it and once you get the hang of it, it becomes really rewarding. Whether you’re a newcomer to the game or are returning for some classic action, SWOS is able to cater for you. While it does at times become as frustrating as Channel 7’s Daryl Somers, it does grow on you. This is a must have game for anyone who enjoys a challenge or can’t afford Fifa 08 or Pro Evolution Soccer 08, buyer beware once again as the learning curve is intense. In the words of Craig Foster, technically and tactically world class.

Graphics: 8/10

Gameplay:7/10

Sound:7/10

Longevity:8/10

7.5/10