FIFA Street 2

"All of the flaws from the first game are blatantly overlooked"

Once upon a time, there existed a game called FIFA Street 2. It came out one year after its predecessor for which EA received a lot of criticism. Cries of flawed controls and unpolished gameplay were frequently heard, and unsurprisingly, a few gamers most probably threw their controllers in frustration due to the cheap A.I. With my little prelude over, I shall now go straight to the point.

Gameplay (2/10)
Let me start off by saying that the gameplay is almost identical to the first game's. This is such a ridiculous move on EA's part that I do not know whether to be shocked or angry. For example, one goal I conceded involved my 'keeper attempting to throw t he ball to one of my players. Sadly, it hit an opposing player in front of him and went in while my goalie stood still and gaped at it like a goldfish. And pro players can block pretty much any trick that you do. I mean, I understand that this is supposed to stimulate realism, but when you can't get a single O.T.T. over the heads of the opposing players and they're running rings around you, it gets very frustrating. And don't even get me started on Gamebreakers.

Sound (8/10)
As per all of EA's games, the soundtrack is great. Everything from rock to alternative to rap to R&B is covered. This is most certainly the game's saving grace.

Graphics (7/10)
Not too shabby, but if you ask me, that time could've been devoted to polishing up the gameplay. The environments are pretty vibrant and the players themselves look realistic.

Replay value (4/10)
Once the god-forsaken Rule the Street mode is complete, there isn't much to do other than to challenge your friends to a few matches. But ultimately, this as well will come down to how much you like the game and what motivation you would have to replay it. Definitely a rental, but for those of you who live in rental-less countries (including yours truly), the best option would be to skip it altogether and pray that the next one turns out better.

Closing comments
Just to add on to what I've said above; if you REALLY want a copy, get an, uh... cheap one *cough*. As for my closing comments, I feel that EA is getting more and more complacent each year. In typical capitalist fashion, they have snapped up most of the licenses, effectively eliminating the competition. The simple business equation is no competition = no drive. And it shows. I have heard nothing but despondent verdicts on games like Madden, NFL Street, etc. Maybe I'm not looking at the bigger picture, but IMHO, EA really needs to get their act together and stop doing football such injustices, otherwise a meeting with FIFA's top brass might soon be on the cards (no prizes for guessing what the meeting is for).

Reviewer's Score: 2/10, Originally Posted: 10/30/06