As Real as it Gets
At A Glance
- WE9 is a simulation, and playing it like an arcade game will only get you beaten.
- Strategy, patience, and practice are the keys to victory on the field.
Most sports video games are arcade or arcade-like representations of the sport, where the gamer with the quickest reflexes usually reigns supreme.
That isn't the case here. Konami's Winning Eleven series has always been about simulating the real sport, and their latest release, World Soccer Winning Eleven 9 rules the pitch with whip-smart A.I., and soccer game play that's designed for the hardcore fan.
Master your moves to get away from these fellows.
Let's say you're not a hardcore soccer fan. You've seen a few games, but what the mid-fielder does or how offside penalties are determined is a little bit beyond you.
No problem.
Winning Eleven 9is a complete soccer experience. Even if you know nothing about the sport, the game's outstanding tutorials and training modes will help turn you into a soccer expert in no time at all.
Enter the game's Training mode, and start with the rules of soccer, as well as basic in-game maneuvers in Beginner Training.
Know your players' abilities and pick your
spots carefully. Over-commit at the wrong time,
and you'll pay for your mistakes dearly.
Once you're comfortable with the basics, head to Challenge Training, a thorough set of training exercises and an entertaining mini-game all in one. As you practice any of eight disciplines, you advance from level to level in each, making sure that you raise your skill level at your own pace. In the meanwhile, you earning points that can be used to unlock items in the game later on.
Challenge Training is really a game within itself, and you improve dramatically while having fun in the process. As you feel comfortable with your skills, enter Situation Training or Free Training to hone your formerly dull skill set to a sharp edge.
Got the angle? Take the shot!
It's time to play. Match League and Cup modes provide different ways to take the pitch. Match mode is a quick, one-game affair, while League will take you into a season with one of the world's great leagues—each with their own subtle differences. Cup mode lets you simulate the continental cups, the European cup or the International cup; all of these resemble the real-world contests … even though they're named a little differently.
Winning Eleven 9 gives you full control over how you want your Xbox® soccer world to function. Everything can be edited or customized, and the possibilities are limitless. Whether you want to meticulously create a duplicate of real-world soccer in exacting detail, or re-create your high school squad, Winning Eleven 9's robust editing and creation tools allow you to make nearly anything your heart desires.
When you're ready for it, the Master League mode awaits. The Master League, quite possibly the most all-encompassing "franchise" mode in any sports game today, is the ultimate challenge. Create and manage your own club, and get placed in a 32-team league. As in many European soccer leagues, there are two divisions, an upper and a lower, and your goal will be to work your way to the top over multiple seasons of play.
The league is fully editable from the get-go, but once you start, you're on your own and you need smarts and guile to succeed. Negotiating salaries, making transfers, managing player development, dealing with player health and fatigue—all factor in to the results of your team on the field. It's not for the weak of heart, but for the true soccer fan, it's gaming nirvana.
As real as Xbox soccer gets.
On the pitch itself, Winning Eleven plays a heady, accurate blend of football. It's easy to notice the skill difference between the world's best players and the scrubs, and each team plays its own unique style. No two games ever feel the same. If you're used to playing soccer games that allow you to nimbly maneuver the controller and traipse down the field for a score, you're in for a surprise.
To succeed, you have to know your players' abilities and pick your spots carefully. Exercise patience and wait for the right moment, and a glorious goal will be yours. Over-commit at the wrong time, however, and you'll pay for your mistakes dearly.
The best Winning Eleven players win with their heads and much as their controllers, and now that Winning Eleven 9 is Xbox Live® compatible, you can find out first-hand.
Winning Eleven 9 is a different kind of sports game—not as much on the surface as deep within. It's challenging, exciting, and engages your mind … in other words, it's a game for the true soccer aficionado.
Are you ready?
Article by Shawn Drotar, Managing Editor, OperationSports.com
