Now that it is World Cup time, the gamer in you might have the urge to jump on the band wagon that every country outside the U.S. has been on and driving for many years now. Though this game does not have the full licensing of FIFA, soccer’s governing body, it does play world class. And if you have never tried to play a soccer game, now might be the time to enjoy what many people in other countries have been playing. Winning Eleven 9 will get your heart racing and your blood pumping and out of your seat when you score that all elusive goal to clinch a match.This is one of my first reviews on a game I played the previous version for. And in doing this, I didn’t know how to approach playing such a game. Winning does an excellent job of moving forward in a realm where improvements can always be made. The graphics continue to improve in close-up shots of players and cut-screens during big events in the game. As the graphics in those areas improve, the game play graphics continue to be sharp and life-like, though I still find the players seem a bit small for the screen. Movements of players are crisp and clean and the gamer can get caught up in the realism of the game. The sounds are incredible that accompany the game play. Whistles are as sharp as a brand new Fox-40 (type of whistle) and crowd noises sound more realistic than any game on the market. All of this combined helps give a great feel to the soccer atmosphere that is magical in other parts of the world.
For a person who is a devoted fan and wants to spend the time mastering the controls, this is the game for you. As the realism of games continue to evolve, this game would probably even impress Darwin himself. The passing controls (and there are many types of passes) continue to add authenticity to the game. Whether its kicking a through pass or a touch pass, mastering these movements will give hours of enjoyment to any gamer. If you are not willing to put the time into it though, you are missing out on the whole experience of what this game has to offer. I would compare it going to a light show with sunglasses on, you just aren’t getting the full effect. One thing that is still helpful is the on screen map that tells you where players are located. Since soccer fields are large, this helps gamers locate players off the screen and once mastered, will help make game play run smoothly.
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Many of the modes run similar to the last Winning title. You can carry your team through different club levels (similar to baseball’s minor league system) and as your team (and you) improves, move up into more elite leagues. There is also the player mode that tracks different players as they develop through your system of soccer. Watching them grow and increase their skills would make any general manager proud of the picks they made. All of these extras are good, but once again it does take time, lots of time, to get involved with. A huge fan of soccer can really immerse themselves in this game, but to the casual player, they might find many of the nuances of the game frustrating.
I feel Konami continues to have their Winning franchise moving in the right direction. This is a quality game for gamers who like soccer and understand the many different aspects of the game and can use all the options to their advantage. This is still a great game for the novice soccer player, but I would think many would become frustrated with the different and complex controls to master. Depending on the time you enjoy putting in a game, this might not be the one for you. If you like a challenge, or love to play deep into the character of the game, definitely take a chance on this game. As for just picking up and playing it, this might not knock your socks off, and for one reason it would be just your lack of knowledge of the game the rest of the world plays.
I played my first video game in 1976 which was a pong game plugged into our black and white TV to keep me busy while my mom took my brothers and sisters to school. I was 4. I played games growing up in the arcade and at friend’s consistently after school, many times missing dinner. I became completely addicted during a long night stretch of Kung Fu on Nintendo. I had to get one and get one I did. I love the old school games, never forgetting my roots. Many a memory I have growing up and conquering games with friends, sacrificing sleep for the thrill of victory. I can play with anyone in Nintendo or Sega games, and yes, I was one of those Sega Hockey freaks who did very well. When game systems changed to the types you see now, I did not immediately jump on the gaming scene. The internet was more important and computer gaming was large. Now, home gaming systems have caught up and you can do all the online gaming you want. I am a big sports game fanatic, love baseball, hockey and now enjoy playing the football games. Though I played different types of shooter/strategy games, the FPS games are now of interest to me (even though my skills are no where near the typical high school gamer). It is fun to get together and play with people who are out having a good time. Though time is a bit tight these days, sacrificing sleep for playing is all part of the game. I enjoy the outdoors, but competition keeps bringing me back to games, and now that they are smarter, makes it even more challenging
