FIFA Street 2 Preview

Once upon a time, soccer was a game in which two teams kicked away at the ball, passing and shooting in a rather straightforward manner. And then a man from Brazil named Pele arrived on the scene and brought unprecedented artistry to working a ball with the foot. The outdoor game took on new life, new passion, and the footwork was amazing. But outdoors was not enough. Then came indoor ball, and then the street game.

Well, outdoor soccer has made it to the video-game industry, but indoor is lagging. However …

FIFA Street 2 is heading for an Xbox console and it is fast-paced soccer with the pizzazz and dazzle of soccer magicians in their prime. Headed for retail at the end of the month, the game has several new features sure to delight fans of the first title and enthrall those new to the game.

However, if you come to this title, you had best bring your ‘A’ game because even at the lower difficulty settings, this title will not let up too much.

Having played both the indoor game and outdoor, there is some background into the sport, and Street 2 is a hybrid of both. The game is played 3-on-3 on a shortened field with walls, so you can create that delicious wall pass to move past a would-be defender, but the goals seems to be as wide as a regular goal, though shorter in height.

New to the second iteration of the game is the trick-stick weapon in which you use the left-shoulder button to toggle the trick and then use the right analog stick to execute the maneuver to confound your foes. There are about 15 tricks you can pull off, from the juggling techniques of a head stall to a sole roll to taunts.

Other new features include skills battles and street superstars. The battles are one-on-one encounters where you try to beat your opponent – who is defending – with your tricks and then try to stop him from schooling you. There are more than 320 pro stars featured in the game, representing 20 national teams and 24 stars are showcased with their own signature moves.

Transitioning from offense to defense can be a bit of a pain. The camera, defaulted to the isometric position to give as much of a view of the field and the players as possible, can make tracking the ball, and whose foot it is on as tricky as keeping a puck in view on a crowded ice rink.

Of course, attribute some of that to the extraordinary ball-handling skills of these players. Combining arcade-like tricks with real soccer finesse, and the ability to shield the ball, the game goes for the cheap move, the ‘nutmeg’ is the most commonly used, to put an opponent on his seat and continue to advance the ball. (A nutmeg is a move in which the ball handler pushes the ball through the legs of his opponent, making the latter look rather foolish.)

But just as in real soccer, take too long to move into position for the shot and you will give the goalkeepers an advantage to get set and stop it. A quick pass and one-time shot is generally the most effective in catching the keeper flatfooted and putting the ball into the net. And when some of the games are based on one team reaching a certain goal total before the other, putting the ball home is vital.

Of course, there is an event that occurs that is strictly arcade and almost guarantees a goal will be scored. At certain times (after you fill up the trick meter) a giant circle with an X in it will illuminate on the field. When that happens, the ball carrier would be wise to move quickly to that location. It activates a gamebreaker moment in which the opposition moves at seemingly half-speed and each shot is rocket that scorches a path into the net.

The control schemes have a minor learning curve and gamers should have no problem getting used them.

The game modes include a career path in which you create a player, can customize the look, and then get into a pick up game against some pros. First team to three goals wins. If your team accomplishes the task you progress to pick-up games to learn skills and tricks and elevate your game.

There is a Play Now option, and other game modes include a Friendly match, Rule the Street and the Skills Challenge. The Creation tab allows you to create a play, create a team and even create a pitch to play on.

Graphically this game is very strong and the music is solid. Nothing mainstream in the latter but definitely keeping the mood of the sport in play.

FIFA Street 2 is not the kind of game that soccer purists would relish. It is a mix of the arcade, with a lot of showboating and fast transitions from offense to defense. But the bottom line is that this is fun to play and should be on the list of any sports fan to check out upon the game’s release.