Sega Soccer Slam

"NHL Hitz vs. Soccer Slam style review"

Introduction
Before I get started, I just want to say why I bought Soccer Slam in the first place. NHL Hitz is the only GameCube game I have that I still play daily. It's still fun, but it was starting to get a little stale, so I got Soccer Slam in the hopes that it would put some new life into this type of ''extreme'' sports genre for me. Since that's why I got the game, I'm going to write my review that way: NHL Hitz vs. Soccer Slam. This review is for people who have Hitz and want something else, or are trying to decide which to get.

Gameplay
This is definitely the best part of Soccer Slam, so I'll start here. If you've played NHL Hitz and have run through Soccer Slam's tutorial, which pales in comparison to the one in Hitz, you'll be scoring goals in no time under the medium difficulty level. I figured this game would be very similar to Hitz, for the 3-on-3, goal scoring reasons, and it's mostly true. One-timers, give-n-go passes, the basics that makes Hitz fun and creates goals, it's all in there, although the timing is a little trickier to nail down in Soccer Slam. The Killer Kick, though, is the highlight of the game. These are slow-motion ''Matrix style, bullet time'' kicks that allow you to aim your kick after jumping high into the air. The move is not only spectacular, but it also gives you a better vantage point to aim your shot from. They have just the right amount of difficulty to pull off and don't always result in goals, a good thing. What I was afraid of was that if the person was in the air, there would be no way to stop them, but you can hit the opponent just before he starts his move and disrupt it, just like hitting the enemy in Hitz as he is about to receive a one-time pass, so the defense is there.

While we're talking about hits, I should say that this is much more like soccer, with a much bigger emphasis on sliding into an opponent and stealing the ball, rather than hitting them. That would make sense, but this is an extreme title, it shouldn't stay THAT true to life. Hitting, one of the most satisfying things in Hitz, (it's in the NAME) is hard to connect on in Soccer Slam and rarely works well, unless disrupting a special kick, and that was a bit of a letdown. Even when you connect, it's still just not as satisfying as in Hitz. There is simply no better feeling in Hitz than unloading on someone and sending them through the glass to kiss the feet of the front row spectators. That feel of momentum and the crash impact just isn't there in Soccer Slam. And when you miss, it really slows you down, much more than missing a check in Hitz, so you will find yourself stealing more on defense, just to keep up and stop the enemy from scoring. The good thing: stealing is very smooth and feels just right, and is much easier to pull off than in Hitz. So what Sega lost in hitting they made up for in stealing, an okay trade-off, but I could play any sim soccer for that. And that's one other gripe I have: this game plays at sim, not extreme speed. Even on the fast setting, it feels almost like a normal game of soccer. And speed not only affects the flow, but also timing of moves in gameplay: the controls are tight, but sometimes you do miss moves due to the weird, slower timing. Hitz frantic pace and timing is one of its most redeeming qualities, and that isn't here.

But Soccer Slam does shine over Hitz in some ways. Your control of the goalie is much better here, and it really feels like you have a 4 players to play with rather than three, which is really nice. Most games I've played have been 6-5, not double-digit, and that's mostly due to the goalie's increased presence over Hitz. Also, the goalie wears armor, and in the beginning of the match, its more difficult to score on the goalie, even with Killer Kicks. But with each shot thrown the goalie's way, they grow a little weaker and loses pieces of armor, and the more powerful each kick is, the more the goalie wears down. So even when you don't score on a Killer Kick, its still satisfying and strategic to know that you are wearing the goalie down for later in the match, when goals obviously become more important.

Further, powering up your character looks and feels better than it does in Hitz. Each effect is team specific, not one effect as in Hitz, and its well done. Powering up the player to have enhanced speed and strength not only works to your advantage, but also looks great, with ''The Abyss''-style effects. Speaking of team specific, that's another improvement over Hitz: you WILL create a bond with one team, the character personalities are that strong, which is something you don't realize the fun of until your in the middle of a passionate match. Passing and stealing are also much better and more controlled than in Hitz. And the Killer Kicks are great to attempt, satisfying to score with, and are also very balanced. Lastly, the field level view, the opposite of the raised view in Hitz, takes a bit to get a handle on, but its great to see your characters up close, and it plays better than Hitz in this view.

In truth, this game is more finesse than power, whereas Hitz is the other way around. At first, I found that a little annoying, since its an extreme title, but the more I played, the more I appreciated the subtle differences. It's really up to you which you prefer, but I like each game the way it is, and the differences in style makes owning both much more satisfying. But one BIG edge that Soccer Slam has over NHL Hitz is that once the match has ended in Soccer Slam, win or lose, you had fun. Hitz is a good vessel for your personal rage, but Soccer Slam is just one of those games that leaves you with a good feeling, my favorite kind.
9/10

Graphics
While overall better than Hitz, the statement every preview said of ''this game isn't pushing the GameCube'' is true. The characters look nice, the stadiums look nice, everything looks nice, but it could have been better. With that said, Soccer Slam is just as much fun to watch as it is to play. Seeing the player you were controlling pull off a scissors-somersault kick gives you a feeling that you wish you could play any sport with these types of moves in real life. But as good as the animation is, the effects still hold top graphic honors in Soccer Slam. The Killer Kicks and power-ups for EVERY player all look fantastic. And I can't say how great it is to have a fully polygonal crowd, I can't wait till this becomes a sports game standard. Basically, every spectator is alive with animation and color, not the flat textured board of fans that most games have. Hitz has this as well, but it is a sea of color and excitement in Soccer Slam, and more than just the few rows deep of fans in Hitz.

The characters are all unique to themselves and are designed extremely well, and the close-ups after scoring look great and make you feel even better about scoring. And the colorful aspect doesn't feel ''kiddie'', it just makes the game enjoyable eye-candy. Overall, this looks better than Hitz, but won't win any awards. Still, its beautiful for what it is, and I'd just say everything, from fans to stadium design to character design to palette to animation, all have a rich quality and are nicely done.
9/10

Sound
Yep, I'm sure you've heard by now that this is where Soccer Slam falls short, and I agree. The commentator is the most boring one I've ever heard, sim or extreme. And that's IF he's talking at all, there are some periods of dead silence, or you can hardly hear him, and it gets annoying fast. I used to hate Joe in NBA Streets, but I'd beg for him to come and do this game. The only redeeming sound at all are the player sound-bites after scoring, there are funny, appropriately exaggerated accents for everyone. Still, the sound is weak, but doesn't kill the game. It just doesn't add anything to it, which is a bit of a letdown. Its a good thing weak sound in a game is a forgivable thing, although great sound in a game can sometimes make a game (Resident Evil anyone?).
6/10 (I added a point for the character samples)

Overall
So far, I really like Soccer Slam, its different enough from Hitz to own both, and is still satisfying. The speed, lack of hitting and sound issues are the only real detractors here. But the graphics, acrobatic animations and still solid gameplay give this game a shine. Best of all, it gives plenty of replay in it's Quest mode, where you go for the championship and earn money along the way. With your hard earned cash, you can buy all assortments of gear for your character to wear, with each boosting a particular weakness of a member of your team. Best of all: you get to see your team member wearing their gear as you play the game. Its feels pretty rewarding to see El Diablo, your champion wrestler turned soccer player for team El Fuego, with the champions belt that you can buy him (hey, belts are bought in real boxing all the time).

And as I said in the beginning, this is a Hitz vs. Soccer Slam review, and if I HAD to choose one, I would choose Soccer Slam. Soccer Slam may be a little TOO true to soccer in speed and hitting, but the sheer FUN you get when playing this game, it makes it no problem for me to go from match to match to match without stopping, something I rarely do with sports titles. So I am quite happy owning both, and would recommend this game to everyone, those who have Hitz, and those who don't. Both games keep their sport intact while having extreme aspects, which will reward you with a fun session of gaming.

9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/21/02, Updated 03/23/02