Review - Onside Soccer Beta

Gir Draxa · Post by **Gir Draxa** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 1:55 am

When I was a kid, I used to play soccer (football to the rest of the world), and I played it... BADLY. heh. Well, I thougth I would take another go at it in the virtual world and give Onside Soccer it's first review. Does it measure up to the 3DO FIFA standards? Well, yes & no.

Let me first say that this one was a surprizing treat to play. Most sports that are televised are quite boring to me, and usually that boredom translates down to their virtual world counterpart. I'm glad to say that is not the case here.

Graphicly, its pretty decent. Seeming not as refined overall as FIFA, but then not really needing to be as it's more an arcade feel than a simulation. Instant replays are available automatically when you score, and on the fly at your request with the PLAY button, and allow for camera movement and other features so that you can control your own playback, making you seem more a part of the crew, and of the game. Cool! Somewhat blocky characters are easily forgivable, as the animation is very smooth and makes playing a real treat.

Sound wise, this one is a bit bland. The ref whistle gets REALLY annoying as you navigate the various menus trying to set up everything, but once you're in the game, it becomes the standard THUMP, THWAP sounds of the sport. No in game music, but some durring the various menus, ranging from decent, to weird and repetitive. The announcer is pretty decent as well, but he sounds very mechanical and really chimes in at some weird times.

Control input is very tight. You've got turbo, slide, kick/pass & more all at your disposal any time. Control of the replay is good, but can be a bit distracting if you're just wanting to play. I suggest disabling the automatic replays for long term play, that way you choose when & if it comes on.

Desipte it's claim at it's launch screen, there are still a few bugs here and there, mostly with it's timer and such, but nothing that really deters from the overal enjoyment.

Overall, this is a surprizingly fun title with good graphics and a bit of fun for all. Even those who're not really fans of the sport, will get a 'kick' out of this arcade-y feeling little gem. Sim fans may be a little put off by the game initally, but then it's a lot easier to get a real human opponent for a quick game in this one, than to have them stay in for a 60 minute long haul simulation. I reccomend it highly.

Drax

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:57 pm

I am wondering where this game would rank against other 3DO soccer titles ...

-Fifa

-Striker

-Olympic Soccer

I'm definitely looking forward to comparing them all.

cdoty · Post by **cdoty** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 5:21 am

I just got this game today, and have played 3 or 4 matches (or games).

The crowd/ambient noise is sorely missed, and there are very few announcer variations. These are the only two glaring negatives, and are common of games in the beta stage.

The game is fun to play, and quite challenging. The controls are responsive, and the game plays at a good pace. The only thing I noticed is that the ball floats out in front of the player, making it a bit hard to tell when the player gets the ball. I haven't tried it in two player mode, but my son might just need a good whoopin' in soccer soon!

That won't last for long, so I'll enjoy the first few wins I can get.

I'm pleasantly suprised with the quality of the game. This is a game that I would pull out from time to time, to play a quick game of soccer. I can't rate it against any other 3DO soccer games, since this is the first one I've played, and it's a completely different game than Fifa '07 and Red Card.

elitegamer · Post by **elitegamer** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 5:42 am

Where did u happen to come across a beta version of a game?

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 5:55 am

http://www.gooddealgames.com/inventory/3DO.html