Soccer games
are a tough breed. It seems that, like basketball and hockey in years past,
the genre is constantly being bombarded with a new “take.” A new plan or
concept – a new way to make the game better. I’m all for developer
competition. But the trouble with soccer games is that, aside from the genre
leaders, none have managed to stand out for any length of time.
One of the
few that has stood the test of time is Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer.
That name might not roll off the tongue as easily as Madden, but when it comes
to the brightest and best in gameplay mechanics, Winning Eleven is the Madden
of the soccer world.
Winning
Eleven 07, the series long-awaited follow-up for Xbox 360, has more than its
share of pressures to deal with.
For
starters, as far as the next generation is concerned, this game is currently a
360-exclusive. You know what that means: instant scrutiny. Multi-platform
games have the ability to soften some of their mistakes by using other
consoles as an argument. (“Our resources were stretched,” is one excuse.) Yes,
Winning Eleven 07 is available for several older consoles, but those should
not influence the outcome of a next-gen release, whose anticipation is
considerably higher.
Second: as a
next-gen title, Winning Eleven 07 is expected to be the most beautiful soccer
game ever created. Third: you can’t think “360” without thinking “Xbox Live.”
Fourth: gameplay advancements. The series has evolution in the title.
If the latest doesn’t contain at least a little innovation, there’s bound to
be some disappointment.
With so much
riding on its success, a weak studio would probably drop the series and run
the other way. Fortunately, this series is in the hands of a much stronger
team. Through polish, perseverance, and top-notch gaming, Winning Eleven 07
delivers a great soccer experience that’s imperfect but positively stunning.
Controlled Like a Champ
Winning
Eleven 07 has a lot going for it – a roaring, high-res audience; a wonderful
(and varied) difficulty list; great game modes (including Master League); and
a perfected replay system. You can spin and twist the camera in any way you
like. Speed up or slow down the image, and rewind the scene as many times as
you please. This is done without any clipping or pixelation.
No, the idea
of a great replay system is not a new concept. It might be foreign to some
games, but the thought isn’t new. Regardless of how high replays rank
on your list of must-have features, when you see what Konami has done with
their replays, you’ll wish that every game had their replays.
These
features are great. They’re enough to make any game worth, at minimum, a few
hours of your time. The thing that makes a game go even further – and enter
that desired must-own territory – is when something about the gameplay goes
above and beyond what you’d anticipate. For sports and fighting games, that
could only be achieved in one way: through an unrivaled control scheme.
Winning
Eleven 07 plays like a dream. You start to live that dream the minute you
press start. Players are not just smooth and functional, two elements you can
get from other soccer games. They’re also very natural and accurate. Moves are
triggered through a deep (but easy to learn) system of holding and/or pressing
multiple buttons. Aim with the left analog stick.
It sounds
conventional – and if you look to this game solely for innovation, your search
will not be well rewarded. But the inclusion of it all, and the way the
developers have applied each technique, is rather unconventional.
Whether
passing quick for a one-timer or weaving in and out of traffic for a traumatic
and tension-rising assault, the controls are the best this genre has to offer.
If you’re
new to the series, you’re bound to notice the similarities between Winning
Eleven and FIFA. But while FIFA has hopped around over the years, and while
World Tour Soccer has stayed true to its addictive arcade roots, the Winning
Eleven series has been moving toward this day for quite some time. It doesn’t
accept change for the sake of change – it’s all about polish. The other guys
are good in their own way, no question. But like Madden in the world of
football and NBA 2K in basketball, there can be only one leading soccer game.
And it’s Winning Eleven 07.
Go Pro
Out on the
field, Winning Eleven 07 is an amusing game to watch. Player animations are
guaranteed to catch your eye. They contain the same level of depth and
fluidity you’ve come to know from this franchise. There are noticeable
differences between the 07 and 06 editions, like the camera and presentation,
which jump around in between plays to keep the momentum up.
No two
patches of grass look exactly alike. Shadows are plentiful and are reminiscent
of Madden’s PS2 debut. Score a goal and the net conforms to the ball’s shape,
stretching and then retracting back to its original form.
As far as
detail and realism are concerned, Winning Eleven 07 nails it. What it doesn’t
do, however, is look like a next-generation title. On one hand you’ve got
realistic player animations – on the other you’ve got poor facial expressions
and generic appearances. There aren’t any defining features among the players,
nothing to make any single athlete stand above the rest. That’s a huge
disappointment. NBA 2K7 has Shaq looking scarily close to the real thing. I
hope it’s not wishful thinking to believe that other sports games will be
equally as ambitious with their visuals.
Though it’s
not detrimental to the gameplay, Winning Eleven 07’s collision detection is a
little off. Look closely during the game or during a replay and you could see
a player block the ball without actually touching it. From afar it looks fine
(usually): the ball bounces off his chest, as it should. But up close there’s
a significant amount of space in between the player and the ball. This doesn’t
happen so obviously or frequently that it becomes a distraction, but it’s a
flaw worth noting – and worth fixing – in order to ensure a full evolution to
the new generation.
Another
Winner
Winning
Eleven 07 may not be next-gen perfect, but it has the gameplay content to
compete with anything the competition could dish out. I can’t praise the
controls enough; they feel just right. The matches, whether playing solo or
against a friend, are very rewarding.
Jump into
Master League to take a team from the bottom of the game to the number-one
status. You play as a self-constructed team, gain access to management
options, and will have a significant impact on your team’s strategy. League is
Winning Eleven’s answer to the season mode. Practice mode lets you refine your
moves and techniques. Finally there are the multiplayer options: two players
online, four offline (two co-op!).
So to answer
the all-important question – is Winning Eleven 07 a winner on the next
generation – I must respond: do you really have to ask?
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Gameplay: 8.5
Deep, realistic
and full of fun, Winning Eleven 07 is Xbox 360’s best soccer game. On its
surface, this doesn’t appear to be any different from the other guys. And with
EA’s soccer franchise playing eerily close to Winning Eleven, you won’t notice
as many differences between the games as you might have a few years ago. But
give it a few minutes you won’t care about the copycats, and even find it
possible to forgive the lack of evolution in this year’s update.
The
buttery-smooth, precise and accurate control scheme takes most of the credit.
They turn the game into something more. You’ll be seduced by the experience,
and succumb to its lure and addiction, within a matter of minutes.
Graphics: 6.8
A mixed bag of
blah and beauty. Winning Eleven 07’s animations are terrific. Their cheers and
taunts are amusing, and the audience – shown from strategic camera angles
(that don’t reveal too many flaws) – looks great.
But get up
close to the players and you’re going to be disappointed. Faces are a little
too SpongeBob for my tastes (they’re square-ier than the average 360
sports game athlete). Facial expressions are lacking – sometimes nonexistent –
and the textures aren’t that impressive (their hair looks like it was painted
on a bald scalp). A few noteworthy elements aside, Winning Eleven 07 doesn’t
come across as a next-gen title.
Sound: 6.5
The subdued
commentary is a bit of a contradiction to the crowd, whose loud roars and
excessive sighs leave the player feeling pumped for the next goal attempt.
Musically the game is rather stale, opting for techno-rock over the
wider-range sounds usually found in mainstream sports games.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
A decent
challenge with a fair amount of flexibility. Winning Eleven 07 can be either a
cakewalk or a 20-mile hike up a steep mountain (or something in between).
Concept: 7.0
Konami says it
best. (From the back of the box): “Smooth moves and animations bring the
beautiful game home.” That’s what you’re getting with Winning Eleven 07 for
the 360 – a better, more polished soccer game. But innovation is not a part of
the equation.
Multiplayer: 8.7
One to two
players online; one to four on the same screen offline. One word prevails all:
addiction. If you love soccer, gather as many friends and 360 controllers
together as you can – this is the game you’ll be playing every weekend for the
next six months.
Overall: 8.5
A must-have for
every soccer fan with a 360, Winning Eleven 07 is a rock-solid winner. The
controls, shot and pass options, and many layers of gameplay depth have turned
this into a life-altering experience. “Life-altering” as in “Sorry boss, I
won’t be coming into work today. Got a new game – achoo! – I mean a
terrible cough.” The League and Master League modes have several hours worth
of replay value, ensuring you’ll want to come back for a second play-through.
Multiplayer,
as you’ve likely predicted, is the leading function. It doesn’t offer the best
in online opportunities (two players only), but whether you’re playing against
one opponent online or three in the same room, Winning Eleven 07 is the
league’s new champion.
