International Superstar Soccer '98

"The World's Greatest Ever Football Game!"

Introduction

Yes it's official, even now it is 2004 and the giants like PES3 anf FIFA 2004 are out, no football game has ever beaten the sheer quality of ISS 98. So, I proudly give ISS 98 the title of: The World's Greatest Ever Football Game!

Gameplay

Like any of the PES games, ISS 98's gameplay gives you that feeling of randomness, as if anything can happen, I bet that however many times you play this, every goal you score will be different. That is what made it (and still makes it) one step ahead of FIFA. You have to actually think like a footballer when playing this game to actually get anywhere, while FIFA is just run, shoot, score.

Graphics

You can't come to expect much from the N64 but the graphics are good for that time. The players all look relatively like they do in real life, you can even create your own player and put them in the team of your choice. The stadiums look nice so overall the graphics are solid.

Sound

The sound is good in ISS 98. The crowd chant accordingly with what is going on in the game (ie. if there is a goal, there is a big cheer). The commentary is not the greatest in the world but that is not a big issue. The music that is played at the menus is good because on other games the menu music can be very annoying and tedious but this one isn't. So, overall the sound is good.

Lastability/Replayability

With the sheer randomness of the game you can play forever! There are plenty of challenges to accomplish to keep you going, for example the league mode is no more than 96 games long! There is really only 1 reason why you might get bored of this game. That is the lack of teams. You can only play with international teams on ISS 98, and the number of teams is limited.

+ and -

+ Completely random and addictive gameplay
+ Plenty of challenges to accomplish
+ The best football game ever made!
- Bad commentary
- Lack of teams

My Final Thought

ISS 98 is a football game made by people who must know football inside out. It is just not like any other football game, because you have to know how to play football properly to be able to be successful at this game (unlike FIFA where you just have to know how to shoot, pass and run). Timing is essential in this game, as it is in real football. So, overall, International Superstar Soccer 98 puts you right in the heart of the action, and it is so addictive that you will propably never leave your house again!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/24/04