Football. World Cup. You can't avoid it. Just accept it.
I hate watching it though. However, I do still enjoy playing a console game
of it and one of the latest games is Red Card.
Starting with the basics, you can choose from a one-off match (Friendly Play),
a tournament (Advanced Play) or to create your own team. There's also a number
of game, visual and audio options to choose from, the latter including a
selection of FIVE languages for the running commentary, which is something I've
never seen in a game before.
Something I've always seen is a wealth of choice for your teams. Pick one from
across the world, but I'll be surprised if you don't pick your home team. Then
again, it does specify the strengths and weaknesses of each.
The graphics are well-rendered and move with great fluidity, even if they
do seem slightly simplistic compared to most games you would play on the PS2.
Just a shame you can't alter the angle of the camera, since I'd like to play
UP the pitch rather than from side to side.
The sound creates a good atmosphere with optional running commentary in five
languages, as mentioned above, plus all the usual noises, as well as a swooshing
sound when a player takes a Matrix-style kick at the goal.
However, it can take a bit of time to get used to controlling your players
and manually making the nearest man pick up the ball, since most football games
will automatically do this for you.
One thing that does make this score over other footy games is in the ability
to barge opponents out of the way, or cripple them instantly via a shoulder barge,
a punch or a super tackle, without as much fear of reprisal. Hence the title...
GRAPHICS SOUND EFFECTS AND MUSIC PLAYABILITY ENJOYMENT
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B
37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Jan 2011: Intel Quad Core Dell XPS 8100, i7 CPU 860 @ 2.80Ghz, 8Gb RAM, nVidia GeForce GTS 240, Windows 7
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
The graphics are well-rendered and move with great fluidity, even if they
do seem slightly simplistic compared to most games you would play on the PS2.
Just a shame you can't alter the angle of the camera, since I'd like to play
UP the pitch rather than from side to side.
However, it can take a bit of time to get used to controlling your players
and manually making the nearest man pick up the ball, since most football games
will automatically do this for you.
