Everyone loves a little samba football. The step-overs and feints as most famously practiced by the two Ronnies (Ronaldo and Ronaldinho) never fail to evoke admiration from fans and they certainly suggest a more exotic game than the humble throw-in, frenzied clearance or desperate goal mouth fumbles that more readily mark out our national pastime. FIFA Street 3 – a game with no throw-ins, no long balls, and certainly nothing as dull as the offside rule – isn't concerned with muddy knees and scoreless slogs, and instead offers a bulging sack of trickery with which to dazzle amongst sun-kissed backdrops and impossibly gorgeous locales. It's a little like taking charge of one of those pre-World Cup football commercials that are dripping with cash and ego. That wouldn't be such a bad thing, if it weren't for the fact FIFA Street 3 has about as much depth and lasting appeal as said advert.
Acrobatic and adept, Brazil's answer to Joe Cole features strongly.
FIFA Street 3 is the first Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3 outing for Electronic Art's urban take on the art of running around and chasing a ball – and it is admittedly a big leap forward for the series. Taking its visual cues from the likes of Team Fortress 2, it stars the cream of the current footballing crop, all presented through a distinctive cartoon filter. By and large this approach does wonders for the game's presentation – not only are the likes of Rooney and Ronaldo injected with an added dose of character, the look clearly distinguishes the game from more serious attempts to tackle the sport. And Peter Crouch's mutated attributes as a human beanstalk are faithfully ported over, lending him the air of a man liable to snap in two at the faintest breeze. The look extends to the arenas in which the action plays out – from a Mediterranean beach to a rooftop jaunt, the pitches are vibrant and in keeping with the upbeat tone of the game.
Likewise, the aural side of FIFA Street 3 impresses, and this is one of the few games to actually benefit from EA's insistence on pinning an urban backbeat to its titles. Bowel bothering bass lines and bright hip-hop samples further reinforce the impression of taking control of a multi-million pound advert and the music reacts to the onscreen action to good effect, with heavy filters applied when a shot is rifled off and the BPM dropping off in more dramatic moments. Play is punctuated by the enthusiastic shouts of team-mates as they commend and deride in equal measure, although unsurprisingly the vocabulary of the cast is limited and soon becomes repetitive.
The Mutant in full flight.
First impressions, then, are favourable, and the first couple of games produce their fair share of grins and giggles as the players bound off walls and manipulate the ball with all the majesty of Maradonna in his prime. At its heart a game of five-a-side, players have at their command the usual suite of short passes and crosses, though the emphasis is firmly on the trickier side of football. The right analogue stick is assigned to skill moves and a few deft flicks will unleash a torrent of step-overs and feints. Another button is used for hoisting the ball into the air, allowing players to indulge in bouts of keep-ups sure to infuriate the opposition, or simply hooking the ball in the air over the heads of defenders.
Ficha Técnica
Produção: EA
Desenvolvimento: EA
Distribuição: EA
Gênero: Esporte
Acrobatic and adept, Brazil's answer to Joe Cole features strongly.
FIFA Street 3 is the first Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3 outing for Electronic Art's urban take on the art of running around and chasing a ball – and it is admittedly a big leap forward for the series. Taking its visual cues from the likes of Team Fortress 2, it stars the cream of the current footballing crop, all presented through a distinctive cartoon filter. By and large this approach does wonders for the game's presentation – not only are the likes of Rooney and Ronaldo injected with an added dose of character, the look clearly distinguishes the game from more serious attempts to tackle the sport. And Peter Crouch's mutated attributes as a human beanstalk are faithfully ported over, lending him the air of a man liable to snap in two at the faintest breeze. The look extends to the arenas in which the action plays out – from a Mediterranean beach to a rooftop jaunt, the pitches are vibrant and in keeping with the upbeat tone of the game.
Likewise, the aural side of FIFA Street 3 impresses, and this is one of the few games to actually benefit from EA's insistence on pinning an urban backbeat to its titles. Bowel bothering bass lines and bright hip-hop samples further reinforce the impression of taking control of a multi-million pound advert and the music reacts to the onscreen action to good effect, with heavy filters applied when a shot is rifled off and the BPM dropping off in more dramatic moments. Play is punctuated by the enthusiastic shouts of team-mates as they commend and deride in equal measure, although unsurprisingly the vocabulary of the cast is limited and soon becomes repetitive.
The Mutant in full flight.
First impressions, then, are favourable, and the first couple of games produce their fair share of grins and giggles as the players bound off walls and manipulate the ball with all the majesty of Maradonna in his prime. At its heart a game of five-a-side, players have at their command the usual suite of short passes and crosses, though the emphasis is firmly on the trickier side of football. The right analogue stick is assigned to skill moves and a few deft flicks will unleash a torrent of step-overs and feints. Another button is used for hoisting the ball into the air, allowing players to indulge in bouts of keep-ups sure to infuriate the opposition, or simply hooking the ball in the air over the heads of defenders.
Ficha Técnica
Produção: EA
Desenvolvimento: EA
Distribuição: EA
Gênero: Esporte
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