WORLD SOCCER WINNING ELEVEN 7 INTERNATIONAL
(four stars)
Publisher: Konami
Platform: PS2
Genre: Sports
Rated E
Ever watched a frenzied crowd at a soccer match when the home team makes a goal? It makes the Oakland Raiders’ “Black Hole” look like an ice cream social. Nothing ignites the hearts of the world’s sports fans like “football,” which is the reason Konami’s “Winning Eleven” soccer sim does blockbuster business in Europe and Japan, where each release regularly sells 1.5 and 1 million units, respectively.
Even though American audiences don’t share the world’s passion for soccer (and perhaps even less so now that the U.S. team lost the Olympic-qualifying match in Mexico), the sport has been making headway with gamers. Seeing the continued rise in sales of Electronic Arts’ “FIFA” (Federation Internationale de Football Association) soccer series, Konami brought “Winning Eleven” stateside last year — and while the reaction certainly didn’t inspire hooliganism, it did well enough to warrant a second release.
“Winning Eleven 7” bests EA’s visual presentation. The players, jerseys and animations benefit from a switch in graphics engines. Control feels much tighter too.
Soccer players are able to turn on time, and in “WE7,” digital strikers cut just as sharply. Ball physics, previously impressive, also have been upgraded. Watch a spinning ball hook across the field and bounce the right way when it lands.
What “WE7” lacks is the full FIFA license. But even without the real deal, “WE7” trumps “FIFA” where it counts — gameplay — and that’s why Konami deserves to take home the World Cup.
