FIFA Street (2012) Review


EA Sports has recently released FIFA Street, the 4th version in the franchise on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. More popularly known for its FIFA soccer, or football franchise, this version by EA is a hit for true soccer fans. Pulling away from the arcade-styled gameplay that FIFA Street is known for, EA has decided to make this more of a street-simulation. 



More details after the jump!


Along with the new gameplay approach, online variants and licensed players & teams have been added. From the main menu, players can navigate between Hit the Streets, World Tour, Online play, My Squad, and Practice Arena. Hitting the back button will load a hub where players can compare ranks in various gameplay modes, watch saved video clips from games and track created player stats.


Hit the Streets provides 5 different match types: 5-a-side, panna rules, futsal, last man standing, or a custom match. 5-a-side is the standard 5v5 game where players score as many goals in 3 minute halves. Panna rules has 2 players per side and you add points to your team’s bank based on beats, but panna beats, where you put the ball between your opponent’s legs, has the highest value. If you are unable to score a goal before the other team, you lose all your cumulative points. Futsal is similar to 5-a-side except there are rules enforced like a standard soccer game. The object of Last Man Standing is to score a goal and lose a player from your team. The first team to remove all players wins. Custom match allows you to toggle between the four modes and save in 4 slots.



World Tour mode is like a campaign mode where you advance from a local team international stardom. If you have a created character from FIFA 12 you have the option to import that player into the game. You and up to 9 other virtual teammates can form a squad. The neat addition from EA this year is having the chance to import your online friends’ created player to your team. You can customize your team’s logo, home and away jerseys. Additional gear for your player, varying from shoes to sunglasses, can be unlocked through different competitions in World Tour mode. As you progress, your player and teammates receive experience that can purchase player attributes or skill moves.

Gameplay has improved in FIFA Street. You perform most of your tricks with the right stick. Shoulder buttons add more flair and are specified to the moves they produce. You can do standard, juggle and air beats. Toying with the button combinations in the Practice Arena can allow you to perfect how you execute the string of moves. New this time around is the Street Ball Control button. While holding onto this, users can stay stationary and move the ball around with the right stick; a nifty way to try to bait your opponent. If timed correctly, you can really embarrass someone who became impatient! Team AI is rather limited and I wouldn’t recommend locking onto a specific player. The biggest complaint I have is the lack of AI for goalkeepers. There are some buggy parts of the game where players will get caught in the corners or wander away from play.

 

If you’re a big of fan of soccer games and enjoy the FIFA franchise, I’d definitely give this title a try. It’s quite the step away from FIFA Street games of past, so if you’re looking for an NBA Jam-like game, this is not something you’ll be interested in.  

I’d give FIFA Street (2012) 3.5/5.




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