Is this the ultimate football game? (2002 FIFA World Cup (Xbox))

Member Name: grahamkelly

Product:	2002 FIFA World Cup (Xbox)
Date:	04/05/02 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great commentary, smooth graphics

Disadvantages: pointless videos, very limited

Erm - no. Don't get me wrong, this is a beautiful looking game, and the playability factor is great too - but it's just not BIG enough for me. I bought this ten days ago along with my brand new Xbox and could hardly wait to tear the game out of the box. Ten days on, and I haven't played it in 4 days - now that's not right is it!?

This game has beautiful graphics and excellent commentary by John Motson and Andy Gray as summariser, and by starting at novice level you will be smacking in 4 or 5 goals a game after your 3rd or 4th game with a half-decent team. But as a recent devotee of I.S.S. on the N64, this game just hasn't grabbed me as much as I expected.

The facial similarities to the top players, the stadiums, the celebrations, the sound - even the realism of the actual play - are all top notch, however the big problem with this game is the longevity factor - apart from a friendly, your only option is to start directly in the World Cup, so at the most you have only 7 games from start to finish (3 group games, last 16, quarter final, semi final then final). There is no option to play any other international tournaments like the European Championships or African Nations Cup, no World League, no club teams, no facility to adjust existing players or create your own player - and lets face it, there's nothing better than creating some superstar striker, giving him your own name, and bursting the net against your bitterest rivals, is there? OK I realise that this is an officially licensed game, but I would happily trade all the spot-on player names and official sponsors advertising hoardings trackside for more features. I'm afraid movies of John Motson giving his opinions of the host countries and clips of different supporters telling you why football is so great gets rather boring after about...oh, I dunno - two minutes? Mind you, the two Man U fans singing "Follow, follow, follow - coz United are going to Glasgow&quo
t; is quite a funny little piece, especially now they're...erm...not. Unless they've got a pre-season friendly arranged against Partick Thistle?

Once you have won the World Cup with three teams from each of the followin regions - Europe, Americas and Asia - you are able to select an all-star team from the appropriate area. Obviously, though, they can't compete in a World Cup so this can only be used in a friendly match. Ho hum. This is possible to do in about an hour and that's your lot - fully expanded to its maximum capabilities.

For a console with the power available that the Xbox has, this game is a bit like taking your Ferrari to the shops for a pint of milk and wheelspinning away from the lights - some people might think it's a bit flash, but no real point to it. Save your money for I.S.S. and pray it's better than this, or if I haven't convinced you...you can buy my copy for half price ;o)

Summary: