Sega Worldwide Soccer '98

"The best soccer game available on the saturn!"

The Latest football game to emerge on the saturn has received much hype from the likes of Sega Saturn Magazine, but is it really as good as it seems?? Find out HERE!

Graphics:
The graphics are very impressive. The front end is very streamlined with nice menus and presentation. When you actually get in to the game, it becomes even more impressive. At the start, the camera swoops round the entire Stadium, showing the players walking on, and the fans in the stand. Its all very nice and glitch free in high resolution, showing the saturn can do 3D graphics. When you start playing, the players animate smoothly and the goal nets ripple when you score a goal. The weather effects are also brilliant, with rain, snow, and even lightning at times, which lights up the whole stadium. This is very impressive.

Sound:
This area is also very impressive. The commentary is very good, and smoother than the WWS'98 attempts. There are also many more lines, so you don't get the repetition as in the Sega games. Player names are included, and although they aren't real, they are easy to work out. (i.e. Shears, Whince, Seamain and Adder are among the England names) The loading times are also impressive, meaning you get commentary which applies to the action as it happens. One downfall is that sometimes the game pauses while the commentary loads up, meaning that your shot or pass gets directed the wrong way. The crowd sounds are also impressive, with the crowd cheering at a goal, and oooing when there is a bad tackle from behind. Also, when you play as South American teams, you get the inevitable drumbeats and sambas. Sometimes the crowd falls silent, if the opposition score a goal.

Playability:
Not as good as the sound and graphics. Whilst the playability is superior to the Sega games, it still leaves a lot to be desired. The control method has been greatly improved over the Sega games, mainly because of the analouge control and the aftertouch. But now for the bad stuff.... The referee is very bad. He fails to play advantages, and doesn't understand the off side rule. Here are some examples: You play a one two with another player, receiving the return pass that puts you straight through the defense and one on one with the keeper. But while this has happened your team mate is fouled, and the ref blows for a free kick. Very annoying. Another example: You've got the ball, on the edge of the area, and you fire a great shot into the back of the net. But, one of your players was in an off side position, and the ref gives the opposition a free kick. Also very annoying. Another annoying thing is the bugs. Once, i was running with the ball in midfield, and the next thing i know, its a goal to the opposition. Another time, a particularly powerful shot went past the post, and the opposition got a throw down the other end of the pitch. However, the main disapointment is the lack of rewards. You play a complete Premiership season, finish top of the league, and win the Cup competition (the arcade cup). And you get rewarded with a picture of the cup saying you won, then a game over screen and back to the main menu.

Lastability:
Depends. It's not gonna last you long in single player mode, because playing game after game with no reward but a picture of a cup soon gets boring. Maybe in multiplayer mode it would be more fun, but my friends always seem more intrested in XSF, MSH, VS ans Death Tank.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99