FIFA Street Review

Game Reviewed: FIFA Street

Release Date: March 13th, 2012

Developer: EA Canada

Publisher: EA Sports

Platform: [Reviewed: Xbox 360], PlayStation 3

Genre: Sports

Rated: E for Everyone

The streets is where you can drop all rules and regulations as far as sports go. It’s where you can be embarrassed beyond the norm. FIFA is one of the worlds must loved sports, so what can you expect when you take the game from the field to the streets?

Prepare to take it to the streets with all of your favorite FIFA teams, including custom players and special teams. The entire experience has been re-polished and the game keeps the authentic feel of the game true. The biggest aspect is the Street Ball Control. The very likeness of the style and skills used in the streets are replicated here. A few of the moves that can be performed like juggling, standing on of the ball and more are instructed through tutorials.

Game settings mostly consist up to 5v5 players tricking out in the process of claiming victory. Panna is a great game mode which requires you to bait or panna to earn as many points before going for the goal. Instead of the average 1-point goal, your score will be based on the number of moves you pulled off prior to the score.

This mode is possibly one of the best and the personification of “Street Games” in relations to soccer. You’re literally stepping away from the pass, kick, goal play style into a pass, panna, bait, ankle-breaking “gimme my points,” GOAL!!! To use the word “fun” is a clear understatement.

Another standout is Last Man Standing. The game has a bit of a twist as each time your team scores, you lose that player. Defense is the name of the game as your team drops, you need to rely on the remaining teammates, or yourself to get that final goal and win one for the team.

Multiplayer modes are a bit limited to playing with friends or a online tournaments. That’s not to say it doesn’t deliver, because it does. You miss online Panna and such game modes. However, it’s a journey taking your created team or player through the online sessions and showing off your tricks.

The tricks and created player build up in the World Tour, where you travel around the world to take on other teams and earn skill points that can be used to improve your players skills, tricks and attributes. When finishing top places in tournaments on the tour, you can also unlock clothing for your player.

Graphics are exactly what you’d expect in FIFA, using the same engine provided in FIFA 12. The environments are very detailed, whether your playing in the Stadiums or on the streets in your selected county.

Controls are not as complicated as one could easily assume. The practice area will work out the questionable lack of gameplay you think you may have. You can move up and down the field testing all the different tricks available (as you unlock them) and work on getting it the ball past the goalie.

Soccer has never been my forte, but I’ve been hooked to the street game since the early the NBA Streets series, so I can say this, the game has that high level arcade style that will keep you entertained for hours. The realism in the players and tricks are unprecedented compared to earlier installments. In other words, buy this game.

The Scores

Gameplay: 4/5

Visuals: 4.5/5

Audio: 3.5/5

Controls: 4.75/5

Value: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4/5