Virtua Striker 2

"A Mediocre Soccer Game"

When I first got Virtua Striker 2 I was very excited. I don't watch soccer at all, but I love soccer games, so I was expecting a quality soccer game from Sega. Sadly, that didn't happen. Based on the arcade hit (in Japan), Virtua Striker 2 is an arcade like soccer game. I tried to like this game but I couldn't.

The graphics in Virtua Striker 2 are great. For some reason, I loved how the grass looked on the field. The soccer players also look great but the crowd sucks. I was hoping for a crowd like NFL 2K but instead I got a person holding up a flag jumping up and down. The goalie nets look really nice and I love how this game reminds me of the arcades.

Although the graphics are great, the gameplay is crap. There is a tournament mode that is a bit fun but nothing special. The only thing I liked about Virtua Striker 2 gameplay wise, was the time of the games. If I had to leave in 5 minutes I could easily get a game or two in. Other than that, the gameplay is lacking an essential quality.

I have no idea what Sega Sports Arcade was thinking. The controls in Virtua Striker 2 are horrible. For some reason, the computer picks the guy that you control. This can be very stressful when you are on defense because the computer is always switching the person you are controlling. Shooting is near impossible because it takes so long to get the shot off. On defense, all you have to do is slide tackle to get the ball back. Does that take any skill? I don't think so. The thing that really made me mad was the lack of analog support. Why do I have to play with the d-pad when I have a nice analog stick right there?

The sound in Virtua Striker 2 is just as bad as the controls. There is barely any sound in the game. The announcer is really dull and he doesn't even talk while the game is going. The crowd noise is repetitive. Other than that, there is barely any other sound in Virtua Striker 2.

Virtua Striker 2 is a soccer game that you should not buy. If you like soccer make sure you rent this game before you buy it. If you don't like soccer, then you probably aren't even reading this review. I know that some of you won't listen to me but I would really recommend you renting this game before buying it.

Overall Rating- 5.0
Graphics- 8.5
Sound- 2.5
Control- 2.7
Fresh Factor- 6.2
Game Life- 5.1

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 07/09/01, Updated 07/09/01