Sensible Soccer 2006 Review

By Kristan Reed Published 26 May, 2006

Back in the big league.

Version tested: Xbox

It might only take a second to score a goal, but it's taken eight ponderous years for Jon Hare and co to make a new Sensible Soccer game.

You might ask: Why now? What's the point?

EA and Konami have had the footy market so tightly sewn up for so long it's embarrassing. Cast your mind back over recent years and the list of casualties is staggering: Take-Two's infamous Champions League efforts, Infogrames' deluded Ronaldo V-Football, Sega's unholy trinity of Worldwide Soccer/UEFA Dream Soccer and Virtua Striker releases, Virgin's awful European Super League, Acclaim's brief and pointless attempt to revive the Kick Off brand, and Codemasters' own ill-fated Club Football efforts. Sony has come closest to breaking the FIFA-PES duopoly with This Is Football, but even that hasn't built on a promising start it enjoyed in the early days of the PS2 (World Tour Soccer's PSP bundle success aside). Throw in the frantic five-a-side titles like Sega Soccer Slam, Mario Smash Football and Midway's Red Card and it seems as if every major publisher has had a crack at footy at some time or other - with limited commercial success.

So, anyway, why now? Well, the rebirth of Sensible Soccer hasn't happened overnight. You might recall that the mobile version released at the tail end of 2004 got the ball rolling and alerted Codies to the fact that demand for the brand was still strong. Radica's timely decision last summer to issue the Megadrive version of the original Sensible as part of its Arcade Legends plug and plug TV game range gave the brand an even bigger boost. Within weeks, the game's original designer Jon Hare let it slip that he was working on a new Sensible Soccer and here we are playing it and loving it. It really is as good as we hoped it would be.

Tight angle

It doesn't even really matter what angle you're coming at it from. The most charming thing about Sensible Soccer 2006 is that it's one of those rare everyman games that casual footy fans and hardcore PES-philes can embrace with equal enthusiasm. Even if you're a died in the wool thirty-something purist fan of the Amiga original you'll be overjoyed and mightily relieved at how Kuju Sheffield and Hare have managed to retain the classic 'feel' of the beloved old-school Sensibles.

'Sensible Soccer 2006' Screenshot left

A little more to the keeper's left and that would have been in.

So what? Haven't we moved on from shonky one-button early '90s play mechanics? What is the point? Well, if you care remotely about how a footy game feels rather than whether the likenesses are spot-on and the kit and stadia are 'authentic' then you'll be as happy as Dawn French at an Easter egg sale. The way passes fizz to feet, the ease with which you can bang in instinctive snapshots, the swirling aftertouch, the deft, drifting lobs over midfield, bullet headers, the warm humour, the crazy sliding tackles, the pace. It's all there. It's like it's never been away. As the brilliant theme tune reminds us: 'You're a goal-scoring superstar hero!'

As Hare and co have always known, you can't really 'do' a Sensible game from the touchline cam that FIFA and PES and a gazillion other games favour. The classic Sensible gameplay always relied on the greater viewpoint that the isometric, slightly zoomed-out 'sky cam' vantage point provided. Sticking to those principles in Sensible Soccer 2006 instantly affords the player a much better appreciation of their team's formation than you'll be used to. As such, you'll immediately find yourself knocking the ball about with precision and confidence rather than passing blind. And because of the fast, accurate passing system that the game uses, the pace of the game feels so much more exciting than the glacial approach favoured, for example, by EA's FIFA World Cup title currently hogging the top spot in the charts.

Button basher

'Sensible Soccer 2006' Screenshot replay

You can't play the game in this view, but in replays you can annoy your opponent in style.

Sensible Soccer 2006 gets the basics just right to the extent that everything else falls into place all around it. Take the control system. Rejecting the received wisdom that you have to use every button on the pad (and every combo therein), you'll use just three buttons and the left stick for the entire game. That's one button to pass, one to shoot/slide tackle/head/lunge, and the trigger to sprint (using a genius 'gas tank' approach where you only have a limited stock to last the entire match). What you do from there is down to the context you're in; where to aim your pass/shot, how much power you apply, when you choose to apply your sprint and whether you'll apply after touch. Will you bend your shot left or right, apply dipping top spin (by pushing the left stick in the direction of your kick), or loft the ball high (by pulling in the opposite direction)? You can even use the right stick to manually move the keeper out when you're facing a dreaded one-on-one or tweak your defensive wall when facing a free kick. In all, it's a hugely refined control set-up that works.

The fact that there's a directional arrow pointing out of the feet of man you're in control may seem a little weird at first (as in the first ten seconds), but it's actually one of the core reasons why Sensible Soccer 2006 feels so natural and intuitive. You don't just move players in possession, but in effect have a visual indicator of the direction and pace of their passes and shots in way that no other football game has offered. As with any footy game, holding down the shot button increases the power applied to the kick - but rather than have a separate power meter, the length of the arrow extends to reflect the extra weight behind the kick. As such, it's a much more instantly identifiable means of knowing how much welly you're putting in, and it's a real added bonus being able to precisely measure the direction of your shot. Every snatched shot or scuffed side-footer that misses the target is down to you. When you pull the trigger, the AI doesn't just arbitrarily hit or miss the target on your behalf (as seems to be the case in other popular footy games); it's down to where you aimed, the power you applied, and any after-touch. Simple. If the keeper's up to the job in saving it, that's another matter.

As brilliant as the classic Sensibles were in approximating an exciting, flowing pass-and-move game, you'd never try and pass it off as a good simulation of football. We all knew this and accepted it because it was like the fast, all-action Roy of the Rovers fantasy football we read about in pre-teen comics, but right there on our screens.

Sideways glances

'Sensible Soccer 2006' Screenshot setpiece

Free kicks and corners are as easy as pointing and shooting. Someone tell EA!

The fact that the 2006 vintage is as skewed an interpretation of 'soccer' is to be applauded; there are enough games out there that nail the simulation side just fine, and the market really didn't need another one of those. Sensible is exciting football pinball, where passes ping around at an unlikely velocity and accuracy, where shots rain in on goal, where you really can do sliding tackles. But that doesn't stop this sideways look at the beautiful game from appealing to the football purists. Somehow, as divorced from real football as it is, it still plays to the rules of the real thing. This isn't Mario Smash Football with comical power-ups, nor does it resort to the break dancing sick tricks in FIFA Street to differentiate itself. Sensible Soccer moves the goal posts alright, but nutmegs the opposition by going back to a purer approach where gameplay is the number one objective, where the controls can be understood by everyone and where it's (cliché alert) simple to play but difficult to master.

It's perhaps not apparent from the screenshots, but the light-hearted 'giant head' visual style works brilliantly within the context of the game. The artistry itself is actually really impressive, with some amusing 'likenesses' (married to the amusing license-dodging mis-spellings - which, incidentally, you can change back with the included data editor) giving the game a knowing comic touch. Seeing players from a distance doesn't really do the game justice, but during close-ups and action replays it's easy to see just how fluid and detailed the animation really is, and how much subtle attention to detail there is to pick up on. But as amusing as it is to see player's facial expressions during fluffed goal chances, celebrations or when fouled, the most impressive aspect of Kuju Sheffield's efforts is how well the animations connect with the ball. Whether you're tackling, shooting, heading or saving the ball, there's a genuine impact that few footy games ever seem to get right. Even if the big head art style doesn't do it for you, once you see a dipping volley saved by an arching keeper that smacks onto the foot of the post and cannons in off an unfortunate defender, you'll be mightily impressed. Whoever dismisses the game based on its art style should be reminded that Sensible Soccer's always had silly looking players with big heads - just smaller, pixellated ones with hardly any animation. No-one would try and convince you it's the best looking footy game, but the charm far outweighs any technical deficiencies you could level at it.

It goes without saying that Sensible is best enjoyed in two-player mode. That was always the case, and it still holds true today, so it's a blow that there's no online play option. Presumably if this version does the business then it's a formality for future incarnation, but it's an entirely understandable omission given that no-one's quite sure whether its comeback will go down in the high street. There is offline support for up to four players co-op if that's your thing, and the usual single-player league, cup and tournament options (preset or user defined) to keep you occupied, but nothing even comes close to the personal battles that ensue between two skilled players.

System addict

That's not to say that it's not an entertaining game for the lone player. Far from it. The CPU AI is, for the most part, ideally pitched to cater for every skill level in as seamless fashion as possible. Rather than confuse players with numerous difficulty and speed settings, the game just works as you'd expect it to. If you're playing against a five-star team with a lesser outfit, then you'll get as stern a test as possible, if it's some ropey Scots first division no-marks and you're Chelski then it'll be a breeze, naturally.

The other thing to note about the single-player game is the sheer volume of silly unlockables available for winning the numerous preset competitions in the game. Whether you go for something easy like the Charity Shield or attempt to play an entire Premier League season or win the FA Cup, you'll find there's some minor reward at the end of it, such as a custom comedy hairstyle, new boots, shirts and shorts, or even new balls and pitches. To be fair, gathering all of them is one hell of an achievement with eight leagues (and all their various cup competitions) up for grabs.

Elsewhere you can also create your own custom team and attempt to rise up to the top of the rankings from the depths of 300th place to the top of the pecking order. In what amounts to the game's career mode, you start off with a limited number of skill points with which to allocate to a squad of 16, choose from various basic playing styles and then attempt to bolster you squad's overall skills by winning matches and competitions (and therefore more skill points). As with the preset competitions, it's no mean feat to plough through and works as a decent means of honing your skills for the main two player event, not to mention a good time filler.

You say 'captain', I say 'Wot?'

'Sensible Soccer 2006' Screenshot rev

Is that the Rev?

Having spent ages evangelising, it's fair to say it's by no means perfect in every sense - not that we expected that on the team's first attempt. The first question everyone asks is "Is it Sensible?" We'd be lying if we thought it felt just like SWOS and the others, because it clearly doesn't. As swift as it is, there's no way you'd say Sensible Soccer 2006 is as fast and furious as the old days. That, in itself, might put off a few die-hards just looking for the same thing again, but like any evolution or re-invention, it takes time to adapt and get used to. Reassuringly, once you do, it feels as fun and instinctive as any of the old classics we fondly recall. (For those that do just want the old Sensible re-issued, maybe Codemasters should issue it on Live and give people the best of both worlds. Demand is bound to be huge. Come on Codies, sort it out.)

There are a few other niggly things we wish had been improved. The front end, for example, is functional at best and has barely moved on from the perfunctory style employed back in '92, while some of the sloppy issues crop up that should have been avoided. None of them are particularly game-breaking, but silly things like both teams being able to wear clashing kits is annoying (and no way to change them other than quitting the match), while not being able to save replays (or replay goals once you've kicked off) and having no half-time game stats are just basics that should be in any footy game. For next time, the inclusion of FIFA-style in-game tactical changes would be useful, as would a game speed toggle for those that demand to play supercharged or glacially-paced matches. And, we say it every time, why the hell is there no widescreen support? In this era it's maddening for developers to ignore this (especially for a game like this that would benefit massively from being able to see more of the pitch).

Perhaps the most fundamental issue we'd like fixed next time is the issue of tackling. By mapping the tackle button to the same one used for 'lunge' and headers, you're effectively encouraged to use this as by far the most effective method of getting the ball back. But, of course, if you do this in the box you're more often than not going to concede a penalty, and outside the box you'll get players sent off all the time. As much as we admire the simplicity of the two button controls, the tendency for any lunges and attempted headers to be read as sliding tackles is likely to get players into all sorts of trouble unnecessarily. There needs to be a PES-style middle ground of being able to 'press' and jostle for possession, rather than always having to dive in studs first. It's something you may learn to work around, but we can't help but feel the game could have been improved by offering a safer means of nabbing back possession. Having said that, this same tackling issue has been present since the day Sensible first appeared, so old hands will take it on board a lot easier than those that are coming to it fresh. It's always the same with something you know so well; you'll look at it under a microscope and pick holes in it. But then you'll take a step back and realise that you love it all the same

Promotion heroics

Sensible Soccer has always been one of the all-time greats of the gaming scene and never deserved to be relegated to the basement leagues of nostalgia in the first place - and this sympathetic reworking proves that more than ever. For the 2006 edition to land on our laps just in time for the World Cup is fantastic news, and gives the football gaming scene a much-needed injection of fun without lacking depth or resorting to being wacky.

The best compliment we can pay Sensible Soccer 2006 is that you don't need to be a fan of football games or even a footy fan to enjoy having a quick kickabout. In fact, for those of you disillusioned with the quest for realism or just fancy a game that takes a different approach, this arrives like a stunning volley in extra time after a tense 90 minutes. It's fast, flowing and exciting. It's instantly intuitive, it's rewarding and above all, relentlessly entertaining - it's the best football action game by some distance. If Sensible Soccer 2006 was a football team, it'd be getting an open top bus ride for its long overdue return to gaming's Premiership.

9 / 10

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Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (173) Latest comment 8 months ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • 3william56 #1 6 years ago

    It's a review of two halves...

  • Deadlight #2 6 years ago

    What goddamn format is this on? Nowhere in the review did it mention that.

    /is tired and pissed off

  • ttechh #3 6 years ago

    I'd like to know what format this is on too. Also is there a co-op 2 player mode?

  • krudster #4 6 years ago

    PS2 and Xbox versions reviewed.

  • Deadlight #5 6 years ago

    Is it true this is not due for release until June 9th? :(

  • krudster #6 6 years ago

    That's true!
    And before anyone asks, both PS2 and Xbox versions feel and look identical, though I prefer using the PS2 dpad myself.

  • TheEnd #7 6 years ago

    9/10?


    GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    /me puts shirt over head and runs around

  • TardKommando #8 6 years ago

    Ahhh..

    new boots, shits and shorts,

    Intentional?

  • krudster #9 6 years ago

    Hehe, no...

  • oneiros #10 6 years ago

    No widescreen? WTF?

    It seems incredible to me that, while the console manufacturers are pushing for HiDef, some games developers aren't even including a 16:9 option.
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 08:31

  • Carlo #11 6 years ago

    \o/!

    Gooooooooooo Sensi!

  • mustardkid #12 6 years ago

    heh how many pads did you smash playing this krud?

  • Triggerhappytel #13 6 years ago

    I have no interest in footie games whatsoever, but I am actually quite looking forward to this.

    Sensi on the Atari ST was the last football game I played about 14 years ago!

  • chacha #14 6 years ago

    krudster is the xbox version compatible with the 360.

  • Tyronne #15 6 years ago

    Might get this in a few weeks for the pc as play have it for 15 quid.

  • posh_geordie #16 6 years ago

    Post deleted at 18:45:04 02-01-2012

  • Xerx3s #17 6 years ago

    /does the wave

  • bloodflowers #18 6 years ago

    Bring out a version for the 360 (or get a compat patch issued that works unlike most), and put Live support in, then I'll buy it. There's no point now releasing offline only multiplayer games, especially in this case. Why? Cast your mind back to the Amiga days. Ok, we all remember playing Sensi Soccer, lots of fun. You probably had a bunch of friends at school/college/whatever with an Amiga, you probably went to see them fairly frequently and ended up playing games.

    Now pretty much anyone who remembers those days is stuck in the working world. How many friends do you have locally who play games now? That had better be some very good AI..

    And on a loosely related note - can someone please track down the Bitmap Bros and force them to port Speedball 2? :)
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 09:08

  • weaselrat #19 6 years ago

    another update for 360m is due next month and sensible is said to be on it.

  • Dougs #20 6 years ago

    Disappointed with no online play, but it does sound mighty fine. Might wait for the PC version to tumble in price first

  • oneiros #21 6 years ago

    ^ bloodflowers: good point, well made

  • Kiigan #22 6 years ago

    Played the Xbox demo, it feels and plays like Sensi, and that's the important thing. Looked a bit iffy when zoomed in on the players or showing the crowd in the background though. Still a good laugh - I can't help but think it would have been well suited to being a 360 Live Arcade downloadable though.

  • Hicksy #23 6 years ago

    GET IN MY SON!!!!

    Brilliant :D

    /pre-orders ps2 version

  • Salubrious_K #24 6 years ago

    @bloodflowers - I wrote an email to the bitmap bros the other day asking them to release it for XBLA! A friend of mine mentioned they may have gone bust though :|

    Maybe we should start a petition?

  • norf_london #25 6 years ago

    Oi 'Salubrious' in a couple of weeks you won't be allowed to game anymore : )

  • dr_zoidthrob #26 6 years ago

    Loved the demo, and I'd swear it was in w/s.

  • OnlyMe #27 6 years ago

    Anyone who says they won't be buying this simply because it's not online should be ashamed of themselves! It's a game made with a low budget, and to test the market and see how much people wants it. If it sells enough, we may get a Sensible Soccer 2007 too, or even better, Sensible World of Soccer 2007. It's also a very cheap game (18 GBP on Play.com), so I don't find any reason NOT to support the comeback of the best action soccer game in the history of gaming!

  • El_MUERkO #28 6 years ago

    \o/

    I said all I have the say about this on the forums. I've had it preordered since it appeared on play.com now I just want it to arrive.

    Its not perfect, but its sensible.

  • Stickman #29 6 years ago

    Brilliant! World Cup starts - 9th June; Sensi out - 9th June; Holiday in Cornwall with buddies - 9th June.

    Do your worst, shitty English weather!

  • WicKeD #30 6 years ago

    Can you play this game over Xbox Live?

  • Tomo #31 6 years ago

    I can't bloody wait for this. 9th June will be a good day!

  • posh_geordie #32 6 years ago

    Post deleted at 18:45:04 02-01-2012

  • Hicksy #33 6 years ago

    please don't tempt it :F

  • Jaggy #34 6 years ago

    The PSP, please bring it out for the PSP

  • mr_steve100 #35 6 years ago

    I don't see why they didn't implement the online play feature - that would surely have helped to make it sell even more than it might do. The reviewer saying that Codies wouldn't know how the game was going to be received isn't a good reason for there not being one. I see the offline and online experiences as two different entities, and if one fails then the other might redeem the game.

    Hopefully Codies are making a 360 version and will implement the XBL play.

    EDIT: But if it's only £18 then it's well worth a look. Hmm...
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 10:01

  • krudster #36 6 years ago

    I don't think implementing Live is exactly something that's simple to bolt on. Would you rather have the game out now, or wait another six months and pay more for it as a consequence? If the game sells and people like it, we'll get online, it's as simple as that.

  • WicKeD #37 6 years ago

    It's a crying shame there is no online play. But I'll buy this game anyway, just for the nostalgia trip. But Mr. Hare, please make sure that online play is atop your Sensi Soccer '07 to do list!

    And whilst you're here, get onto Microsoft, make SWOS come to Live Arcade. I, and no doubt thousands of others, would buy it at 800 points, which wouldn't be a bad earner for the few months work. :)

  • mingster #38 6 years ago

    For £18 its a bargain

  • Carrybagma #39 6 years ago

    Hooray! A footy game that's simple and fun at last. If only it ran on a console I actually owned :o(

    Like the Captain Sensible ref! And was that a ref to those 5 shiny-suited buggers from Essex whose name escapes me? Don't like that.

    ED:
    £18 too? Blimey.
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 10:23

  • krudster #40 6 years ago

    You mean Five Star? I never can get enough...

  • Perry #41 6 years ago

    Has to be a steal at £18 doesn't it?

    Am counting down the days. Haven't play PES for a long time now. Hoping this rekindles the fire

  • Carrybagma #42 6 years ago

    Urrghh. Yes, them.

    I can see the single/album covers now..

    /is dazzled

  • MisterFalseName #43 6 years ago

    Edited for clarity!
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 11:26

  • oneiros #44 6 years ago

    Anyone who says they won't be buying this simply because it's not online should be ashamed of themselves!

    Oh, don't get me wrong; I've had this in my WishList since it was announced. I just wonder if widescreen and online play might have made the cut, had this not absolutely have to be released in time for the World Cup...

  • Krusty #45 6 years ago

    I for one welcome our Sensible overlords!

    Been pre-ordered since I first heard about it.
    Nearly as excited about this as the World Cup itself.

    Get in!!

    Oh, and releasing the original on XBL would be a stroke of genius.
    Come on Codies, don't make us come down there!

  • Wobbler #46 6 years ago

    Will they make an updated Cannon Fodder. That's all want!

  • Tufo #47 6 years ago

    Whats with all the fuss over online play? Don't you have any friends? Or a sofa? Jeez. We've all known from the moment the game was announced it wouldn't be online so you've had time to get over it. And it's hardly likely to change now, is it?
    Lets face it, it's hardly a core feature either. If we'd had something akin to Sensible '98 with online features are you really telling me you'd be happier to buy it? The most important thing is the game itself captures the original Sensi spirit. Everything else can wait. Now cheer up, ffs.

    Nice review btw, so you think the game has plenty of life to it? I was a bit worried it might be a bit easy for us Sensi veterans :)

  • morriss #48 6 years ago

    /waits for backwards compatibilty'

    /knows he'll be waiting forever

  • gizmo #49 6 years ago

    Damn, good review and was going to buy this, but no widescreen, no sale.

    I know 2 people who don't have a widescreen tv!! 2 PEOPLE. Even my parents and in-laws have widescreen TV.

  • Troutio #50 6 years ago

    Will we have novelty team names? Your Dead Rockstars, your Things Found In Cupboards?

    Don't worry, I've already ordered it anyway...

  • KingOfSpain #51 6 years ago

    so i take it that this wont work on the 360

  • Tufo #52 6 years ago

    Gizmo - what, so you are gonna miss out cos it doesn't have widescreen? jeez. grow up. you are cutting your nose off to spite your face and you know it

    Troutio - doesn't look as those teams will be in it sadly :( but you'll be able to create your own if thats any consolation.

  • nickthegun #53 6 years ago

    So whats the update of 'Goal Scoring Superstar Hero' like? Any chance of a vid on EGTV?

  • Tufo #54 6 years ago

    There *is* a vid on EGTV! Look closer. It has goalscoringsuperstarhero on it too, but to be honest it doesnt sound much different from the original.

  • yonno #55 6 years ago

    There are a few other niggly things we wish had been improved. The front end, for example, is functional at best and has barely moved on from the perfunctory style employed back in '92,

    errm, maybe because they designed it to look like the old version

  • krudster #56 6 years ago

    And why do that, exactly?

  • OnlyMe #57 6 years ago

    Because it works better than the stupid FIFA/PES styled menus?

    And what's so important about Widescreen yet anyway? PES doesn't have widescreen, but everyone still buys it.
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 13:35

  • Flying_Pig #58 6 years ago

    No PSP version. How? Why?

  • krudster #59 6 years ago

    To spell it out to everyone asking for Live, PSP versions, etc, re-introducing this brand is a bit of an unknown quantity for Codies. It's much less of a gamble to do PS2 and Xbox (and PC, don't forget) and see what the reaction is than slave away on 6 different versions all with online play only to discover no one cares.

    Give them a break!

  • El_MUERkO #60 6 years ago

    The menus of old were easy to navigate without long loading times and other silliness.

    Fifa and PES have flashy, messy interfaces compared to SWOS, I dont want John Terrys head rotating in 3d to 50 cents latest crap on a menu.

  • bloodflowers #61 6 years ago

    krudster: Yes, I'd happily have waited and paid more for one that works online. Probably doesn't go for everyone by any stretch, but I'd have paid full price (Tesco version of).

    To the person who asked if I have friends: yes, but they don't play games - which was the point I was making, if you'd cared to read. Maybe you're 14 and this point is beyond you right now.

    And to all the people complaining about widescreen: wtf? Seriously, you don't need widescreen in all games. If you were familiar with the Sensi viewpoint you'd realise those extra bits of screen would contain nothing but scenery (or you'd have to zoom the view in such that it ruined the game). While I don't know many people with 4:3 TVs these days, I know even fewer 16:9 TVs that don't have a 4:3 mode...

  • Tufo #62 6 years ago

    Maybe next time they could introduce Alan Partridge's Soccermeter into the front-end somehow :D

  • El_MUERkO #63 6 years ago

    @Bloodflowers

    the view doesnt cover the whole width of the pitch so a widesreen view would allow you to see more of the pitch

  • chronom4n #64 6 years ago

    how come no mention of the awful sega effort that was 90minutes on the sega dreamcast?

  • Tufo #65 6 years ago

    @bloodflowers: don't you think it's more important they focus on re-creating the true sensi gameplay? there has to be some sense of prioritisation here, surely.
    This game gives them the sound base to expand and improve on in future and that can only be a good thing, if they had attempted everything at once this could have ended up the jack of all trades, master of none.

    And no, I'm not 14, i'm old enough to have played the originals :) sorry if it offended you but its very frustrating indeed to see people focus so negatively on a few omissions rather than appreciate the return of the best football game of all time :) Sensi is back! and its good!!

    @El-muerko - you still can see plenty of the pitch tho. Lack of widescreen hardly ruins it.

  • OnlyMe #66 6 years ago

    Yes a widescreen mode would be nice, but it's not a must. PES doesn't have widescreen, and I'd choose that over a FIFA with widescreen support anyday. Widescreen, online and stuff like that I count as bonus features. Not something that makes or breaks the game.

    Hell, many of the best games doesn't even support widescreen - MGS2/3, Splinter Cell, PES, Final Fantasy X. Doesn't stop them from being good.

    Tufo: yeah, but people are picky. Never mind that the game only costs a fragment of a full priced game, nor that the game is actually a million times better than most of the full priced games. That's second rate. Graphics, online and widescreen are the important things. I say let them waste their hard earned money on second rate games, and we'll enjoy a first class product at a lot lower price... ;)
    Edited by 2 at 26/05/06 @ 14:03

  • El_MUERkO #67 6 years ago

    @Tufo

    I dont disagree, I was merely correcting Bloodflower.

    I hope we do get a SWOS 2007 with all the features this lacks but that wont stop me buying the version in front of me :)

  • Tufo #68 6 years ago

    OnlyMe: How different is this to games back in the days of the Amiga tho? Or have I just got my rose-tinted specs on again? Cos I'm sure there wasn't this level of technophilia that we have now. It gets boring, very quickly.

    I kinda drifted out of gaming (or at least contemporary gaming) for a while before the new Sensi was announced. It's a real jolt to see how people classify a good game now. I don't get it.

  • smelly #69 6 years ago

    @Tufo : Totally aggree.

    I was of the opinion I bought games to, ugh, you know, erm - play them and have fun?

    People nowadays only seem to be interested in pretty pixels.

    Everyones telling me how lovely next gen games at e3 looked, no-ones said anything about any of them being "fun"..

  • OnlyMe #70 6 years ago

    Tufo: Of course, there were a lot of rubbish back then, but I think that overall the gamers were more interested in the gameplay than the eye-candy. The games that had great graphics but had bad gameplay were usually dismissed easily by the gamers and the reviewers for being nothing but eye-candy. But like today we have both good games with excellent graphics and good games with bad or mediocre graphics.

    But put it this way... there were also a lot MORE games back then, because they didn't take one or two years to make (Another World was an exception). I have currently about 300 games on my amiga, and I believe at least half of them are worth playing simply because they're fun. That's 150 games, compared to my list of PS2 games which is somewhere between 20 and 30 games in whole.

  • krudster #71 6 years ago

    /wonders how many of those are boxed copies ;)

  • bloodflowers #72 6 years ago

    Just watched the video, see what you mean about widescreen now - pitch edges could have been a bit more visible. Still wouldn't rank it as a dealbreaker though. The online thing really is, but only because multiplayer is so important for this game, and online is now my only way to multiplay.

    I'm with you on the sentiments that people don't care about gameplay anymore. Odds are the mainstream press are going to maul this one purely because it doesnt have bump mapped faces and real sweat droplets, or those 'great' EA Trax selections.

  • OnlyMe #73 6 years ago

    krudster: somewhere around 150 I think ;)

  • Tufo #74 6 years ago

    smelly: quite :) my theory is gamers get alot of stick and are told games are childish, so they obsess about realism etc. in order to make their pastime more "worthy". it's just a theory but thats my explanation.
    personally i'm more "hell yeah, it's childish, but hey everything is ultimately pointless really so just enjoy it". optimistic yet nihilistic :)

    sadly it looks like the next generation is just going to continue this "bigger and more realistic" direction, and charge a hell of alot more for the priviledge too :(
    wonder where (if?) Sensi will fit in... I don't fancy paying £400 for a PS3 just to play SWOS 2007.
    If only Nintendo were capable of delivering on their good initial ideas...

  • posh_geordie #75 6 years ago

    Post deleted at 18:45:04 02-01-2012

  • Tufo #76 6 years ago

    RG (or whatever your called here :p): That negative preview, it was so blatant they hadn't even played the game! i thought it was staggeringly bad journalism. Don't get me wrong, people are of course allowed to criticise but they did it with a total lack of substance and intelligence. The ignorance was astounding.

    It looks kinda promising tho there are enough people who "get it" to make the whole thing worthwhile. Trying to win over the FIFA-heads looks like a waste of time, but who needs their money anyway, right? heheh
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 14:47

  • #77 6 years ago

    I don't neccesarily agree with the gameplay argument (which I think actually started with someone saying what I'm about to).

    These days I think a game that doesn't deliver on gamplay is spotted a mile out and badly reviewed etc. I don't think this has anything to do with graphics. Sure people might buy a game because they heard somewhere the graphics were ace, but that doesn't mean they're going to play it for a long time or take it back/exchange it etc.

    Just look at the most popular gaming franchise of our (proabably all) time: GTAIII onwards. Never has had the best graphics, but offered a gaming experience like no other - players picked up on this (as did pundits) and as a result it sold, and sold, and sold some more. Then its sequel sold, and sold etc etc.

    I think gamers these days are pretty clued into noticing good gameplay when they see it. Sure they may be turned off by the look of some games (hence Nintendo being marginalised by certain demographics), but in the end I think gameplay wins over all. Obvioulsy, I know that the european and US gamers are severly missiong out on a game like Ouendan - but, you know what - this game is now being made for the west - gameplay wins again!

    Obviously this is a complicated issue and would deserve a much longer arguament than I have just outlined, but this isn't the place or time.

    So, Sensi - Looks good, remember playing the original and it was fun. The exclusion of on-line play does seem a woeful ommission, but the lack of widescreen doesn't seem as serious as some poeple have let on. I would consider picking this up for the xbox come cup season, but I don't think that I (or my mates) are big enough footie fans in the end. Probably worth a rent though (most overused expression ever!)

  • El_MUERkO #78 6 years ago

    Sensi on the PS3/360

    I think it'd fit in great if they went for scope, scale and atmosphere rather than attention to detail.

    SWOS! every league everywhere, I want to play in the south african second division and manage Ivory Coast to Workd Cup glory!

    Animate the crowd, flare, flag, camera, chanting and waving. Pack the sidelines with managers standing on the edge of the technical area, subs warming up, camera men following the game, linesmen, forth officials, ballboys, rotating advertising hordings, photographers.

    Add billions of pointless animations for players, bickering, laughing, goading!

    Start the game by zooming in from a blimpcam to the centre circle.

    7.1 surround sound, somewhere in the brazilian fans theres a samba band and every time you get near that area of the crowd you hear them playing, you get a throw in and there behind the player are the samba band and people dancing.

    A thousand chants suitably altered for children, "The referee's a plonker! The referee's a plonker!"

    Total online play where a full 32 people can play, total match recording so we can create our own highlights and upload them to friends.

    Voice comms that work on the pitch, yell over the crowd so someone 50 yards away can hear you!


    I dont want a 90% photo real Rooney coated in slime and animated like a leper, thats not my next-gen!

  • Tufo #79 6 years ago

    "These days I think a game that doesn't deliver on gamplay is spotted a mile out and badly reviewed etc. I don't think this has anything to do with graphics."

    You really think so?? I can't think of an era more obsessed with graphics - and in particular, realistic graphics - than now. No offence but I find that to be an odd statement you make. Seems to be the big selling point with games. I suppose if they spend 2 or so years making a game look as realistic as they possibly can they aren't going to be shy about it but really it's missing the point of games - surely it's meant to be a departure from reality? If you want real life, go and do the dishes :p
    In a way as soon as we achieve perfectly photo-realistic graphics in games it might be a cause of relief, because then games makers will have to focus on something else to bring people in.


    El Muerko - that would be ideal! I too hope for a SWOS on a massive scale. All the leagues they had in the original one and a few more besides. Expand the trialist/reserve player thing a bit so you can bring through young talent and yes make each different country have its own unique atmosphere where appropriate.
    I'd love it if when you went to "View World" you would go to a big globe and you could click on a country and see all the league standings and what have you. Just a huge game to reflect just how big a game football is globally.
    Just like the original ;)
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 15:14

  • Jaggy #80 6 years ago

    @posh_geordie

    You seem to suggest you are working at Codemasters. If you are, can you explain why this isn't coming to the handheld market (PSP and DS)? It would seem to suit them perfectly.

    As an old gamer, the only reason I got a PSP was so I could play in peace and quiet without the wife moaning at me and I'm sure their are many like me! I loved sensible soccer on the Amiga. Go on, port this to the PSP.

  • bloodflowers #81 6 years ago

    @Jaggy

    Even better, DS with wifi support, plain topdown. Surprised nobody has actually done something like that yet.

  • #82 6 years ago

    Tufo, I'm not saying that these games don't get made, I'm saying that they are generally not as popular as games that offer genuinely good gameplay.

    It may be a priority of the developers to generate more and more realistic games, but I don't think that (apart from the odd few dumbasses) gamers have the same priority. Certainly when playing a game, the graphics don't make much difference to the experience (it was amazing how quickly you stop even noticing how good GRAW looks for example - see review on EG). If a game plays crap, it is crap, and all but the weirdest gamers out there will notice this.

    Maybe I'm fluffing my point. I am agreeing with you about how games (and game developers) should be gameplay focussed, not graphical realism focussed, but I disagree that most gamers, once they have played a game for more than half an hour, will give two shits about how good the graphics are if the gameplay stinks. They may take the game back, exchange it or let it just gather dust.

    Of course, you and I know better, so we do out research first before investing in a game (well most of the time -PDZ!!).
    Of course footie fans are a bit strange anyway, so that accounts for Fifa/Pes etc in my view!!

  • posh_geordie #83 6 years ago

    Post deleted at 18:45:04 02-01-2012

  • Tufo #84 6 years ago

    Jamesphilp - developers wouldnt be going for ultra-realism if the market wasn't there in the first place. Most of the criticism so far levelled at 2006 is centred around it being deemed "unrealistic", for example, this goes to show how important it is to some people. I'm not putting forth the best debate here, too much of a rush!

    I'd agree about football fans tho, choosing Pro Evo/FIFa but to be fair thats about all the choice they've had for the last 10 years :( it's bizarre when you think about it that a game as globally popular as football has so few decent games based upon it.

  • #85 6 years ago

    I understand the supply/demand arguament, but IMO I'm not sure it's entirely valid.
    I think a lot of developers have a percieved demand for realism, and for certain genres of games that's ok. I think it might also be a human thing - that strive to perfaction etc etc.

    Also what I did not say is that there are examples of games that have very good graphics and gameplay. Some developers look to these games and think "hey, at least we can get one of them right!" What they don't realise is, they often choose the wrong one!
    In a market as competative as this it's easy to sympathise with developers who strive to deliver all, and wind up with broken games.
    -It looks to me that Codies have done very well in focussing on the important things in this case.

    I think we're on the same side of the fence, just in different places perhaps. :)

  • MikkyX #86 6 years ago

    Two questions:
    1) Where's the PC demo? :)
    2) Will the PC version be using Starforce for it's copy protection as other recent Codies releases (Brian Lara, TOCA 3) have done?

  • posh_geordie #87 6 years ago

    Post deleted at 18:45:04 02-01-2012

  • Neil_SI Verified Producer, Sports Interactive #88 6 years ago

    I'm looking forward to this release very much.

    It was one of my favourite games when I was a kid and I hope it does well enough for the development team to continue building upon it.

    If it's anywhere near as addictive and good as the original Sensi games then you really can't go wrong with the picking it up at the price it's going for at some stores.

  • HornedGod #89 6 years ago

    @posh_geordie

    Are there any plans to release this stateside?

  • miiiguel #90 6 years ago

    I can't be this much retro..., I can listen to The Cure, but this, no..., I don't think so.

  • OnlyMe #91 6 years ago

    It's not retro. It's Sensible Soccer 2006. Believe me, it's every bit as 2006 as it should be.

  • Furbs #92 6 years ago

    Good to see it plays well, but I'll be holding off a 360 version I'm afraid. And if it doesnt have Live or costs more than £30 then no sale. It is afterall the ultimate multiplayer game!

    I hope theres enough life in the Xbox market to produce the figures....sadly I have a bad feeling there wont be :( Are there enough of us late 20 something gamers who havent upgraded to make this a success?

    /crosses fingers

    Failing that, if Codies wanted to test the water, Live Arcade is surely an option?

  • El_MUERkO #93 6 years ago

    it doesnt have online but its only 18 squid, be 99% less ghey and buy the game then SWOS 2007 will sort you out

  • Furbs #94 6 years ago

    But the Xbox is a dead format to me now, I've moved on! If Codies wont support my format of choice, then sadly, we're both fuckt :p

    Single player in a football game holds no interest in me, and the days of getting all my mates round after college for 8 player leagues are long gone. Thankfully. My room stank after those.

  • Markusdragon #95 6 years ago

    I want Cannon Fodder back. All war strategy games these days are either complex turn-based games, Command and Conquer clones, third person games licenced by Tom Clancy, or Worms. And I'm getting fed up of Worms.
    Edited by 1 at 27/05/06 @ 04:23

  • groovychainsaw #96 6 years ago

    hmmm, really want to get this, but sold my xbox after i got my 360. I could dig the PS2 out again I guess...

  • OnlyMe #97 6 years ago

    Hey, krudster...

    I got the PS2 demo and have spent a lot of time with it. Kinda wish I got the Xbox demo, as it has a full game instead of just the first half.

    Anyway, I found the off-the-ball controls seem a bit automatic 70% or so of the time, which makes crosses very inefficient. In the original you had full control of a player most of the time, and you could position the player for that perfect header or volley (mostly headers). Since the player in this version automatically runs towards the ball without any help from you, nor with any form of "super-cancelling" the run, crosses are not really worth going for. That and dribbling is pretty much impossible, in the original I could dribble around the keeper with ease, but dribbling doesn't feel as tight as in the original so it's too hard to do and not really worth trying.

    Anything comments on this?
    Edited by 1 at 27/05/06 @ 19:35

  • captain-future #98 6 years ago

    I'm no football fan, yet Sensible Soccer on Amiga 500 was a real gem. I wonder, is there a classic version included on the disc (didn't read the review to careful, lazy me)?

    If yes, then I might migth buy it right away, although PES5 is at the moment king of the hill.

  • OnlyMe #99 6 years ago

    Well, I admit I'm a fanboy, but I haven't even touched PES5 since I got the demo of Sensi.

    Make of that what you will.

  • TheMoonRat #100 6 years ago

    El_MUERkO: there is a sensible soccer inspired online only football game...
    http://www.netsoccer.biz/
    It's all controlled via the mouse, and is a little quirky. But for now its the closest you will get to an online sensi soccer game :)

    As for the T-shirt competition, count me in! I bought another sensi soccer t-shirt last year, and i love it! Unfortunately there are only 2 guys in the office at work who fully appreciate it...
    http://tinyurl.com/jlz4o
    Edited by 1 at 28/05/06 @ 11:37

  • #101 6 years ago

    I've been playing the demo of this on Xbox, and have been suitably impressed. It's great fun, and sits alongside PES nicely, offering much more fun than FIFA for example. I honestly didn't expect it to be any good. Typically, resurrecting old titles like Sensi proves disastrous. But not so here.

    I may have to partake of a copy at launch. £18 is a barg. What's it going to cost in stores (HMV etc)?

  • BartonFink #102 6 years ago

    So what are the chances of BC for this on 360?
    Sort it out MS!!

  • El_MUERkO #103 6 years ago

    \o/

    Sensi is back at the top of the page above blood money!

    Proper order agent 47!! PROPER ORDER!

  • Beano #104 6 years ago

    "So what are the chances of BC for this on 360? "

    Hoping for this too :)

    Ordered the Xbox version (only £18 on Play.com) for the far-fetched chance that MS realize that some people want to play Xbox games on the 360 in HD.

  • Tufo #105 6 years ago

    TUESDAYS!!: the Game site has it has £30 pre-order so that presumably is a good guide for high street prices. Probably HMV won't bother stocking it though as it won't appeal to FIFA-loving chavs....

  • Sunrise #106 6 years ago

    This is going to be soooooo cool, I'm probably gonna miss a lot of real World Cup matches because of playing this game.

  • Beano #107 6 years ago

    Tufo, Sensible Soccer is only £18 on Play.com :)

  • SteveB #108 6 years ago

    Does anyone know if when using the analogue sticks to control movement, it is 360 degree movement or 8 way movement ? In other words will you use the D-pad or the stick (this will help me decide which version to get).

  • smelly #109 6 years ago

    360 degree movement in demo, So you'd use the stick.

  • Sunrise #110 6 years ago

    And Xbox.

  • SteveB #111 6 years ago

    Thanks. I'm really looking forward to this one.

  • Tufo #112 6 years ago

    Beano: I have noted that thank you :) but the guy asked what the high street prices were... yes internet much much cheaper as usual. and maybe earlier too.

  • Krusty #113 6 years ago

    I'm getting the PC version I think.
    Teams should be easily updateable, and a widescreen hack for 1920x1200 goodness should be a goer...
    An 360 version on Marketplace would be superb though. Maybe the next version eh, once this one rockets to the top of the charts and convinces Codies that there is demand.

    With this and the World Cup I think June may be a cracking month.

  • Kimura #114 6 years ago

    Hi, I have an impotant question: is this game running on a CD or a DVD? Cause my PS2 can't read CDs anymore, so if it happens to run on such a media, I'd have to buy the Xbox version.

    Thanks in advance for the answer.

  • Silverblade #115 6 years ago

    Great fun, this game. But I have a question about the review... "None of them are particularly game-breaking, but silly things like both teams being able to wear clashing kits is annoying (and no way to change them other than quitting the match)"

    Don't FIFA and PES both allow this to happen? (I know FIFA does for a fact). And the football game which allows teams to change in mid-game would be... ... anyone?

  • ERG1008 #116 6 years ago

    You can change the kits before you play in both Fifa & PES so unless you're colour blind it shouldn't be a problem.
    Can you choose the kits before you play on SS2006?

  • Silverblade #117 6 years ago

    Of course you can. Any Home/Away kit combo goes between the two teams and you even get to see the actual ingame models wear them side to side while changing them. So exactly how that is registered as a fault of the game is beyond me. If someone is blind and/or stupid then yes it's a fault, otherwise clashing kits are very easy to spot. But it is also a "fault" of every football game out there.

  • scott_holiday #118 6 years ago

    Just wanted to comment on something in the review...

    "Perhaps the most fundamental issue we'd like fixed next time is the issue of tackling. By mapping the tackle button to the same one used for 'lunge' and headers, you're effectively encouraged to use this as by far the most effective method of getting the ball back. But, of course, if you do this in the box you're more often than not going to concede a penalty, and outside the box you'll get players sent off all the time. As much as we admire the simplicity of the two button controls, the tendency for any lunges and attempted headers to be read as sliding tackles is likely to get players into all sorts of trouble unnecessarily. There needs to be a PES-style middle ground of being able to 'press' and jostle for possession, rather than always having to dive in studs first"

    You don't have to dive in head first, I find if you just keep tapping the pass button you will jostle for the ball and usually win it.

  • kaleii Verified Editor-in-Chief, Country Manager, Eurogamer Sweden #119 6 years ago

    Just ordered it from play.com for 17.99£ ... There's a slight risk that I'll have to pay customs fees to Sweden, which will set me back another 8£, but here's fingers crossed, eh?

  • mattman #120 6 years ago

    Is there? I thought that's one purpose of the EU: not having customs fees!? (Have ordered loads at PLAY myself, which means to Germany, and never have there been any additional costs.)

  • kaleii Verified Editor-in-Chief, Country Manager, Eurogamer Sweden #121 6 years ago

    mattman: Play.com operate from Jersey, and they've got tricky tax laws (hence their cheapness). They pay taxes themselves on stuff over 18quid, and the Swedish customs slap on fees on stuff over 200 SEK (15quid), so stuff that cost £15-17,99 are in danger of getting penalized.

  • Pots #122 6 years ago

    Can't fathom how this got 9/10. Been playing 2-player all day, and its buggy, repetitive, too easy to tackle from behind, full of shooting glitches close to goal, and goalkeeper randomness. Am going to persevere, but on first impressions I'm distinctly unimpressed.

    Using the D-pad eases some of the problems, but its still undeniably buggy - some quirky, some just plain frustrating - and I can't see me liking it enough to ever give it more than a 7.

  • kentmonkey #123 6 years ago

    Copy and pasting from my post on the forum:

    I got this today and after 2 hours play am somewhat amazed anybody even with the strongest pair of rose tinted spectacles on this earth could give this a 9 when....


    You take a shot that is going into the goal about 6 feet past the keeper and just as it's about to cross the line, the ball mysteriously levitates into the keepers hands.

    You take a shot which is going about 2 yards wide, only for the keeper to suddenly teleport to that space and push it out for a corner for no apparent reason.

    You make a pass back to the keeper who just stands there looking at it wobbling across the line and refusing to recognise that you are moving the right analogue stick to make him move.

    You push the controller into the top right hand position so the arrow is facing diagonally up and right and press the pass button....only for the pass to go backwards directly to an AI striker.

    Where scoring anything other than a fluke is almost impossible due to the keeper bugs.

    Where you press the shoot button to hit a volley, only for the player to slide tackle nobody.

    Where the stats for the teams are all over the shop, are England really better than Brazil? Are Aston Villa really better than Arsenal (no comments please!!)

    Where everybody seems to run at the same pace.

    I've just played a World Cup as England, I won every game and didn't have less than 20 shots in a game and conceded no more than 2 shots against. The difficulty level is seriously unchallenging.

    Where the easiest way to score is to pump a long ball from defence up to their goal, and wait for one of their moronic defenders to get the ball before you run straight at him, walk the ball off his feet and belt it at the keeper....only for him to levetate/teleport to save it 19/20.

    Where the penalty system shows which way you are kicking so the other player can easily guess which way you are going to kick the ball.

    Where the foul system is even more random than Pro Evo. You can slide and take players from behind twenty times and only get penalised once.

    Where it seems impossible to take the ball around anybody (never Sensi's style but you could at least do this in the original, it's seemingly impossible in this version...you have to pass)

    Where the loading times (PS2) are slower than anything I have ever experienced on the much maligned PSP.

    Where the sound effects are infinitely worse than those found in the old Amiga games.

    When this is clearly no where near as good as the original game, and that isn't rose tinted specs speaking, this is after going upstairs and trying it.

    For something I was so looking forward to getting and playing to bits over the World Cup, I'm really disappointed and have already found a buyer for it after giving it 2 hours to try and change my opinion. I so wanted it to suddenly click but it didn't and the amount of bugs/errors are quite frankly unforgiveable in my book. I just can't understand how, going on EG's scoring system, this could have got a 9 with so many bugs.

    I was actually speaking to Kdsh7 the other night saying I'd pre-ordered it on the strength of the review which, considering it was a footy game reviewed on EG, was probably a mistake. Should have listened to myself! :o(

    And in the words of that comedian (yeah, right) something Cricket..."come here...there's more"

    If you manage to pass the ball ahead of you in to the box just in front of the 6 yard box, the AI won't bring out his keeper and you can sprint past the last defender (the AI never seems to use the sprint facility) and get the ball.

    In one game there were 7 players in their box, 4 defenders and 3 forwards, after frantically smacking the hell out of the shoot/tackle button as the ball pinged about everywhere and the camera did it's usual job of trying to simulate the view of a fly sitting on top of some fat man's stomach who's in a car going over a bumpy road (wibble wobble, wibble wobble) so much that I couldn't see where the ball was anymore, I noticed that all 7 players were now in a heap on the floor without a freekick being given. The ball was just in front of the goalkeeper, by about 0.5cm's (probably about 2 feet in gaming terms) and did he pick it up...oh no, I managed to get one of my players up and smacked it into the top right hand corner...only for it to be mysteriously drawn back into the keepers hands as though it was a metal ball and he had magnetic gloves on. The replay of this incident would be so funny if it wasn't in a Sensi game.


    The buggiest football game I've ever had the misfortune of playing unfortunately and I was really looking forward to this as well!

    /cries

  • secombe #124 6 years ago

    I'm stunned by this review, seriously doubting the integrity of it (and on an unrelated note, did anyone else get a big shiney 9/10 Eurogamer sticker on the box?), how it ever got near 9/10 is beyond me, that's my trust for EG out of the window in all honesty...and I so wanted to love this game.

    I'm shocked, to be perfectly honest. Regardless of the problems as mentioned here already, it just doesn't feel enough like the Sensi of old. I played this for 2 hours and then fired up the Mega Drive and played Sensi, immediately the MD version was noticeably quicker, more entertaining and much easier to pick up and play.

    It's supposed to be a football action game for everyone, so my missus decided to have a go (she can play MD Sensi perfectly well, we often get 6-7 scorelines and ridiculous things like that, just how it should be), she just couldn't "get it" at all. The shooting/passing mechanism linked to the analogue pad is useless on PS2 as the analogue stick just doesn't seem up to the task of the very accurate directional touches you need...and I've not even mentioned the buggy nature of it, sometimes the ball goes off all over the place even though the arrow is telling you it should have gone elsewhere.

    I've had numerous 0-0s already, I don't think I've ever come close to that on the MD. I've not even mentioned the jerky camera yet, I had a headache after an hours play last night and I think the two may be related, it's sooooo poor.

    And if I'm to get picky, how slow are the menus and the loading times?!
    Edited by 2 at 10/06/06 @ 18:27

  • kentmonkey #125 6 years ago

    Dig that reader rating.

    ZOMG WHAT AM AMAZING GAME...THE AI ROXXORS

    etc.

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #126 6 years ago

    Seriously, the amount of deletion of completely innocuous comments is getting really shameful now.

  • jamm #127 6 years ago

    I queued behind 5 other pairs of players to give this a go on the PS2 at HMV yesterday...so, that's 6 games...every game went to penalties after 0-0 draws and we thought we'd broken it as the menu loading times were so slow! Playing the game was a laugh, though, but very frustrating at how difficult it appears to actually score. The gamers who played infront of us all commented they didn't like it due to the difficulty in scoring and preferred fifa, unfortunately... (HMV did a genius thing and put the sensi demo pod next to a fifa demo pod...)
    I dunno what's happened here, I was gonna get it on XBox but not sure now, I hope it does well but I just don't think todays gamers are going to get it :(

  • DDevil #128 6 years ago

    Loading times are mega speedy on PC, which is nice. And there's the chance it will be patched. Plus you can edit the view to a more classic Sensi angle, which gets rid of the shakey camera.

    Still, teleporting keepers and their magnetic hands... WTF?

  • kentmonkey #129 6 years ago

    Reader review submitted so keep your eyes peeled. It's not the best one I've ever written as I pumped it out in about 10 minutes as I just couldn't be bothered to spend any more time on the game than I already had but it should give a different perspective and be good enough to work out between the two reviews whether it's for you or not.

  • kentmonkey #130 6 years ago

    Serious question...why are posts being deleted EG? I don't know what they're saying and perhaps they might be abusive but I posted this questions last night...and noticed this morning that it's been deleted. Anybody?

  • andy06 #131 6 years ago

    A very name-based score for EG.

    At first the game appears a success - it looks like old Sensi, the players move like old Sensi, the ball initially pings around like old Sensi - but as you play for longer than thirty minutes you realise just how repetitive it is, how devoid of skill it is, how undeniably _easy_ it is, and how generically poor it is; and after that only disappointment remains. I'd write a list of reasons why this game is disappointing, but kentmonkey's post above succinctly sums it up. Needless to say the flair, excitement and skill of old Sensi/SWOS is missing.

    4/10 - Unless it is seriously patched and updated (obviously applicable only to PC), do not buy.
    Edited by 2 at 11/06/06 @ 16:29

  • Hunamster #132 6 years ago

    I actully quite like the game, put a few hours into it, i dont like FIFA or PES because meh, its too fiddly and not much fun, i find this honest cheap fun.

  • Pots #133 6 years ago

    I'm hearing you kentmonkey, and that list of bugs is by no means exhaustive. A terribly broken game, and until someone comes out of the woodwork to defend (or even change?) this review, my faith in Eurogamer is utterly lost. I pre-ordered simply on the strength of this review - never again.

    And even as a 'cheap fun' alternative to PES/FIFA, it doesnt work, because nigh on impossible to score, and the goalkeepers spoil so much of the flow. As a post-pub game it will result in endless 0-0s, followed by boredom.

    At least 6 years there was a demo free with OPSM of a sensi clone made on that old homebrew PS1 system - Yakuza was it called? - and it was honestly ten times as fun as this.

    To eBay!
    Edited by 1 at 11/06/06 @ 18:29

  • MisterFalseName #134 6 years ago

    I don't understand the claims that its difficult to score... I've seen hardly any 0-0 draws, and my brother managed to beat me 5-0 yesterday!

    I also , contrary to some, have found its got better the more I've played - you can make some really nice buildups to goals and it can even be quite tactical.

    This applies to the PC version, where I think the bugs are considerably lesser than on the console variants.

    (You do need to apply the view patch though, otherwise it feels nothing like Sensi!)

  • jamm #135 6 years ago

    since posting earlier I went and got the XBox version and have to say it's a massive improvement on when I played the PS2 version yesterday; loading/menu times are WAY quicker, scoring isn't a problem and haven't had any bizarre goalie activities...after putting a good few hours into it I reckon the XBox version is fine and a good echo of yesteryear...I'd rate it 6 or 7, it's certainly not worthy of a 9, though...

  • Troutio #136 6 years ago

    I'd been looking forward to this for months - and what a disappointment. My brother and I sat down for a day-long session at the weekend; within an hour we were playing Pro Evo again.

    Kentmonkey is spot on with his bugs. So many things are wrong with this, it's depressing to go into the details. Was this game play-tested at all? And what the hell is it doing with an EG 9/10? Why weren't these bugs mentioned in the review? It's not like they are difficult to spot.

    That's two of my favourite gaming brands taking a hit today.

  • Hicksy #137 6 years ago

    The score is definitely well out

    Enjoyed it more since I switched to Single Player on PS2 (thought the multi-player was average at best!). It is very buggy and a 6/10 multi and 7/10 single player is what I would rate it after 4-5hrs play between the game modes.

    EG I feel a little ashamed for you >:(

  • El_MUERkO #138 6 years ago

    The game is buggy, it was obviously rush released for the World Cup.

    On the PS2 version I've had:

    Situations where the ball has refused to move requiring me to wait out the half.

    Keepers warping around the box.

    The ball warping to the keepers hands.

    The ball warping to players feet.

    AI crowding where 3 or 4 of my players are running around it a little gang.

    Free kicks given for nothing.

    Own goals by my team and the AI for no reason.

    Corners not given when the keeper or a defender put the ball out of play.

    The controls can be a bit random which is most irritating in defence when a sliding tackle, headed clearance or penalty is the random result of pressing kick in the box.

    This is the PS2 so it cant be patched, releasing a game in this state is entirely unacceptable, you're QC team should be hung drawn and quartered as a warning to others.

    Moving away from the gameplay it seems to me they should have taken all the old menus from SWOS and stuck with them as all the new ones are crap.

    The loading times are crap.

    The crowd sounds are crap.

    The motion sickness enducing camera movements are crap.

    ...


    But I still played on and off for a whole weekend and loved every minute of the bug ridden turd, I'm buying the PC version in the hope that official or fan made patches may fix it.

    Will it sell well? Who knows, I think a lot of people are going to be very disappointed with it thou, maybe we'll get a SWOS2007 that rights all the wrongs but thats at least a year away and until then I'm disappointed by what could have been.

  • msephton #139 6 years ago

    I'm also stunned by this rating, and am sending back my copy of the game to Play.com as soon as possible. I've filled in their returns form and am waiting to hear from them.

    edit: As for Eurogamer - you should be ashamed.
    Edited by 1 at 12/06/06 @ 11:54

  • Eighthours #140 6 years ago

    So, EG staff: Any comments about people's issues with the review itself and the furore over the deleted comments? Usually you guys are all over the comments pages!

  • Lonestar #141 6 years ago

    Wheee...!! Another cliquey review. (see Pes 5)

    Try reviewing the game and not the brand name EG.

  • GamerAddict #142 6 years ago

    Unfortunately, the majority of bugs are as a result of this game using the Club Football engine but turn the camera 90 degrees!

    Most of the bugs listed by people playing the game were apparent in CF and never got fixed making that a dreadful attempt at footy too.

    The AI is not that great, having thrashed everyone so far. The camera is awful and makes u sick or messes with your eyes after 2 mins play. The keepers and ball warping was one of the major problems of CF and hasn't been fixed for this version. Loading times are dreadful for such a basic game.

    There is one thought and one thought only for the 9/10 score............"Big fat brown envelope exchanging hands"!!!!!!

    Watch this post get deleted now

    EDIT - Doesn't surprise me that there's been no comment from EG staff (altho I've not trawled through all 140+ posts), they're obviously too embarrassed to be associated with this game anymore!

    EDIT AGAIN - Despite my comments above, I did actually have a bit of a laugh playing this with my housemate, guess cos we were both in the same boat with the bugs........but give us Pro Evo ANY day!
    Edited by 2 at 12/06/06 @ 12:48

  • jamm #143 6 years ago

    i'd like to hear if any other XBox users found any bugs, coz it certainly seems it was just the PS2 version that was dumped on....

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #144 6 years ago

    Yeah, plenty of bugs in my Xbox version. I've certainly had it completely crash, requiring a reboot. No saving/loading problems as yet, though.

  • trevd72 #145 6 years ago

    I want Eurogamer to tell us how this got 9/10. it is appalling. the game is broken. you are better off getting one those megadrive controllers from asda with it on, cos that plays so much better than this crap. btw i have xbox version. 3/10 when compaired to the competition past and present. even internation soccer on the c64 is more entertaining - just though.

    Come on eurogamer tell us the story!!!!

  • mingster #146 6 years ago

    Xbox version seems ok.

    Not seen any goalkeeper teleporting bugs.

    load times are fast.

    seems its just the PS2 version is bugged

  • 8bitMofo #147 6 years ago

    best. rant. ever:

    "Take the PC version, and shove it up your Mothers arse!
    Take the PS2 version, and shove it up your Sisters arse!
    Take the Xbox version, and shove it up your Fathers arse!

    But what-ever you do, take your review and shove it up your arse!"

  • jamm #148 6 years ago

    it's certainly not worthy of a 9 rating but it's also not so bad that the whole dev team be condemned to hell or such-like, even though the PS2 version is buggy as hell (Rev, I now know 6 Xbox users who got it with no bug probs, dunno what happened to yours...)...it's a good laugh, it's not perfect, if you want original SS then go and buy one of those crappy megadrive controllers, or get an amiga with SWOS off of Ebay. I still play on my A600 with swos with mates after a night at the pub, put it next to SS2006 and SS2006 has made a fair crack at it, and at least I don't have to suffer callouses from playing it with a zipstick anymore :D it's not trying to be FIFA or ProEvo which is something I think a lot of people just aren't getting...

  • trevd72 #149 6 years ago

    i thought i would give a little more detail as to what i think is wrong.

    loading times are too long for a simple game.
    no manual player switch
    AI player switch is broken.
    keepers suck the ball ito thier hands.
    controls are messed up
    tackling is messed up
    ref AI slightly off.
    players group together and cant decide who to control.
    throw ins

    BOTTOM LINE THOUGH IS THAT IT IS MUCH MUCH THE WORSE SENSI< EVEN WORSE THAN THE SNES ONE.

    THis is better

    [link url=http://www.firebox.com/?dir=firebox&action=product&pi d=1108
    ]http://ww w.firebox.com/?dir=firebox&acti...[/link]

    Dont bother with the SWOS update if this is anything to go by.

    Edited by 2 at 12/06/06 @ 19:54

  • Username_taken #150 6 years ago

    This game is an insult to the memory of Sensible Soccer, it is utterly shockingly bad and I can't understand for the life of me how it got a 9/10 rating, -9 would have been closer, I gather Codemasters are working on a patch, thats an admission of failure if ever I've seen one !

    I bet there are plenty of copies being sold on ebay by disapointed buyers.

  • DasFx #151 6 years ago

    complete shite, i really want it to be good, but every try doesnt last longer then 10 minutes.

    3 out of 10 because im such a nice guy.

  • secombe #152 6 years ago

    Waiting in anticpation for my review to be published, how long do they normally take?

  • Rodafowa #153 6 years ago

    I've got to say I feel a bit conned.

    I bought this game for the PS2 based on this review, the quite-fun PC demo and the whole "well if it's a success we'll be able to sink more resources into the sequel" thing (roughly in that order).

    So yeah, I'm vastly disappointed to have paid the better part of twenty quid for a game that's painfully obviously been rushed to release absolutely crammed with stupid bugs, thoughtless design and assorted rough edges, each of which shaves a bit more fun away from the base quite-fun-actually-if-way-way-WAY-too-easy gameplay.

    Why weren't any of these issues - enormous loading times, horrible lag in the pointlessly overcomplicated front-end, moronic AI and stupidly easy difficulty level in particular - mentioned in the review? Why is the data editor so clumsy and limited? Why, if I want to play a different starting XI or formation by default, do I have to manually change the team at the start of every game?

    So yeah. Bottom line, why has this game gotten so many simple things so wrong, and more importantly why weren't we warned about them?
    Edited by 1 at 12/06/06 @ 18:57

  • Troutio #154 6 years ago

    +1 Rodafowa, +1...

    I'm feeling more and more annoyed about this.

    I know how much I wanted to like Sensi, and how early previews can be forgiven the odd bug, but if this was a review of the finished game then it is a woefully deficient one. I have a lot of respect for KR, and I know it can't have been an easy decision, after laying so much hype on a product, to not give it the brutal review it deserves, but without some kind of explanation/second review, Eurogamer will be badly diminished by this. Yes, the Codies are undoubtedly nice guys, yes, Jon Hare is a hero to all of us, and yes, we all wanted it to do well. But ultimately, we put our money where your mouths are, and it feels to me like you've let us down.

    EDITED to change KG to KR.
    Edited by 1 at 13/06/06 @ 10:57

  • trevd72 #155 6 years ago

    just got my new copy of GAMEStm and it got 5/10 in that. Now theres a sensible review. Its interesting how no-one from eurgamer has defended this review. also i remember in the previews comments the programmers made an visit. This game should be files under why do they release crap" as an outstanding example. at least dick turpin wore a mask!!!!!

  • kentmonkey #156 6 years ago

    Troutio, you might have a lot of respect for KG (Kieron Gillen) but when he didn't write the review, it doesn't really matter! :oP

    Just to clarify my position on this, I don't think anything dodgy has gone on as some proclaim, I'd credit the guys at EG with a lot more intelligence than to do something like that. But I do think it was a really poor "review". If Kristan thought it was worth 9 (which he obviously did) that's fair enough, just like his FIFA Street review. But the difference is the FIFA Street review was extremely well written and clearly told the readers exactly what the game was like and was enough to judge whether you'd actually like it or not, a score isn't everything after all as it's just somebody's opinion. BUT, to not point out the many numerous bugs on the PS2 version which was reviewed, is pretty poor form from somebody who should really be producing much better than this. Even if it was "even after ALL of those bugs, I still enjoyed myself...9/10" then that would be fine, as at least you'd have known about the warping goalkeepers, magnetic balls and ridiculous AI (which apparently wasn't ridiculous when Kristan played it and he found it quite challenging....well when you're used to watching Norwich I suppose that could explain that then) and you could have then made your buying decision accordingly.

    Anyway, sold mine on, lost £3 and it's taught me a valuable lesson to not invest more money in Codemasters games on pre-orders, that's two buggy games I've bought in the last 12 months of their's (Brian Lara being the other one but at least that was a good game and the bugs weren't too bad).
    Edited by 1 at 12/06/06 @ 20:02

  • Troutio #157 6 years ago

    Apologies KG - I meant to type KR.

  • Pots #158 6 years ago

    Still waiting a response from EG on this review. Normally quite vocal in comments threads.

  • Teeth #159 6 years ago

    I don't think you're going to get it, Pots. May as well let it lie.

  • kentmonkey #160 6 years ago

    Pots, a thread was locked in the forum the other day discussing this so I don't think a response is coming unfortunately. I also sent a polite email which has also been met with silence. Shame as a lot of people were leaving feedback about the review missing out lots of key points and not actually doing a "you've been bribed" but it seems they wanted to concentrate more on the comments that suggested something untowards rather than those leaving honest and constructive feedback.

    Ah well, to be honest it just makes me less inclined to comment on a review or a game again if it's just going to be ignored. I suppose it left me feeling a little disappointed that people's views didn't seem to be treated as worthy, I suppose I expected more if I'm totally honest.

  • IP #161 6 years ago

    I find the whole thing very sad indeed. EG was the one site online that I thought had some degree of integrity, perhaps coming close to the gaming magazines of old who "told it like it was". This was further borne out by the "rereview" of Zoo Keeper. However, this latest shambles massively damages EG's reputation as far as I'm concerned. According to those I trust, this is a real 3/10 game, so even if someone was trying very, very hard to like its retro charms, I fail to see 1) how it could have scored so highly, and; 2) how all its many bugs could have been so easily overlooked.

  • tengu #162 6 years ago

    Ha, I asked someone who'd played this what it was like earlier this evening. The response? "It's fucking crap." :D

    I'd usually be supportive of EG review scores(Despite one or two "disagreements" in the past) when I think they're fair enough, but this case seems like a bit of a screw up really, doesn't it? Glad I normally hate footie games, else I may have ended up buying this.

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #163 6 years ago

    A little investigation into the subject.
    Edited by 2 at 15/06/06 @ 07:55

  • valensi #164 6 years ago

    Played for a few hours on single player earlier, absolute horrible. I Just hope multiplayer is more fun. 3/10

  • thefilthandthefury #165 6 years ago

    I'm not sure how it's "impossible to score" exactly. I only played two games with my work colleague, but the scores were:

    Germany (Me) 2 - 0 England (Him)
    Trinidad & Tobago 2 - 4 England (him)

    Seems like a lot of goals to me. Can't comment on the bugs mind, as I only played those two games. Goalies seem to move a bit odd mind.

  • secombe #166 6 years ago

    Weirdly when you search for Sensible Soccer on here now no score is listed for the PS2. For a moment I thought they were going to revise it but I guess it's just a mistake.

    On another issue, Kentmonkey when did you submit your review? I submitted mine last Saturday morning but haven't had mine published, do they let you know either way?
    Edited by 1 at 15/06/06 @ 22:57

  • Username_taken #167 6 years ago

    If you want a laugh read some of the arselicking dross about this game [link url=http://community.codemasters.com/forum/forumdisplay .php?f=290
    ]http://co mmunity.codemasters.com/forum/f...[/link]

    Its amazing how many people like this game !

    The fools.

  • kentmonkey #168 6 years ago

    Hi secombe, I just noticed the score being withdrawn from the PS2 review database as well...weird! o_O

    I submitted mine Saturday as well mate, I think they had a few. I've never not had one published so I couldn't say whether they let you know or not but I assume they wouldn't if they didn't choose to publish it. Might be worth sending an email mate, just to ask.

  • msephton #169 6 years ago

    There's no need to ask Rev Stu how he knows the game is based on bad and buggy Club Football engine, all you have to do is search through the files on the disk to see the reference to "Club Football" yourself

  • Cronan #170 6 years ago

    It would be nice to see some honest comments from EG about their score for this appalling game. EG is the last "commercial" games site I read everyday, but I have to say I've lost confidence in them ...

  • Teeth #171 6 years ago

    Kristan posted this in the forum btw.

    >>>>>>>>

    Quick answer: many of the bugs discussed here and elsewhere I've never experienced, therefore didn't get mentioned in the review. There's no conspiracy. I've no idea *why* these silly issues aren't happening to me, but they aren't. It's that simple. I can't write about things I didn't experience.

    The one stupid bug I saw right from the word go was the teleporting keeper, which I told Codies about a good month before release. I have no idea why that didn't get fixed, and I'm very very surprised to be honest, and disappointed. I should have mentioned that in the review, fair comment.

    *Even so*, I've played it on and off for the last 3 months now, and I genuinely love it to pieces, warts and all. Even the very early version I played was fantastic. If people disagree, that's fine. There's nearly 3000 words on why I loved it.

    As Roop mentioned, what's not fine is people questioning my integrity and other personal attacks. As someone who takes pride in being thorough and playing things to *death*, to then be accused of taking bribes is out of order. People being spiteful and rude is all part of the fun here, but some of it has gone too far and I really don't want to get embroiled in spiralling discussions. If you don't like the review and you think I'm wrong, fine. If you love the game, great. 4 years of writing reviews for this site (nearly 500 reviews now) has taught me that people rarely agree on anything. This is just the latest example.

    The reason I've taken so long to reply is because I wanted to speak to Jon Hare and Codies and ask them certain questions. Another reason is because I was spitting mad at some of the bile I had to read, and needed to calm down before replying.

    I also want to set the record straight about deleted comments - I deleted around five in total from the review thread, mainly insulting, three from dear old Stu. We reserve the right to delete whatever the hell we like if it's people randomly flaming for fun. After a while I lost interest with the discussion. It's clearly one of those games that people either love it for what it is, or just want to pull to pieces. Fair play, it's not perfect, but it is the best action football game, and I stand by that.

    Sorry to cause any offence by staying silent, no disrespect intended.

  • Feanor #172 5 years ago

    Wow, I just read the article linked to by Rev. Stuart Campbell and suffice to say I'll never trust EG's reviews like I used to.

  • El_MUERkO #173 5 years ago

    just thought i'd pop in to say

    bahahahahahaha!

    god looking at this review must make you feel a little ill now

  • strange_powers #174 4 years ago

    Tesco are selling this for £3 in store at the moment. Bargainous.

  • gribb #175 8 months ago

    Four years on and people are still reading this review... controversial!