Does EA score an own goal with this FIFA Street reboot?
So, EA have decided to reboot the FIFA Street games. I wondered why it wasn’t called FIFA Street 4, even though it technically is…having said that, it’s clear that they wanted to distance themselves from the previous arcade-style like games, but has the gamble paid off or have they scored an own goal?
The game comes with 4 exhibition modes which mixes things up from being a standard 5-a-side match to one without barriers or one that changes the score line based on if you pull off panna’s against your opponent before scoring. Panna’s are basically one of the trick moves that you can pull off which lets you put the ball through the legs of your rival, FIFA Street is all about tricks and believe me, it’s far from easy. There are over 50 tricks in the game and most of them need unlocking via experience you earn from pulling off other tricks that you normally wouldn’t do.
There’s a career mode where you make your own team, build up their skills and so on, it’s a bit basic but does the job. While online play sets up 10 match tournaments and is definitely the most enjoyable aspect of the game. Having over 50 tricks at your disposal is pretty overwhelming and the controls do take a long time to get used to, but once you’ve mastered them you will feel like the new Demba Ba (Hey, he’s done amazingly well for Newcastle this season) and yes you can pick the majority of teams to play, but not all the Premier League teams are available. Neither are all the players, I wanted to put Newcastle’s new striker Papiss Cisse on the squad alongside Demba Ba, but alas he’s not there.
FIFA Street isn’t just about scoring goals; it’s about doing it with style and finesse. There are a few complaints I have regarding the AI which isn’t as sharp as it could be, while the camera also isn’t in the best position to aid you. In terms of presentation, FIFA Street’s locations look nice but the visuals look dated and the animations aren’t quite up to par. Commentary is absent and instead replaced with awkward cheering from the other players and crowd, while the soundtrack makes up for it slightly with some good tunes.
The Verdict
FIFA Street does a good job in rebooting the franchise, yet it’s far from flawless. The AI does let it down and the roster isn’t as good as I hoped, but its mechanics are solid once you get used to the controls. It’s a nice stop gap between the next entry in the FIFA franchise and one that any football fan should give a go.
