Why oh why is it that the soccer series by EA is made in Canada? If their is any explanation to solve the mystery as to why their soccer games have been so dreadful it's because the ice hockey crazed canadians are making the damn thing. So surely when they are handed a soccer game that doesn't require realism they would get it right? We were sure to find out and were dying to know can EA Canada give us what Wayne Gretzky gave to Ice Hockey?
Fifa Street revolves around the backstreets of football combined with the professionals from around the world to take part in specialised events based upon flashy techniques, power shooting and football without rules. This is a follow on from EA's new brand Big which takes its sports series to the extreme, the brand kicked off with NFL extreme or which I have never really understood, American Football on concrete? Work that one out. Thankfully this genre works in soccer, afterall the Brazillian backstreets of Rio have brought some of the best footballers to the beautfiul game and these players have played in environments that similar to the game. However the game straight away has a clear stereotype issue about it, because the game promotes football from the backstreet it almost racially believes that the game needs to have a black persona about it. Dizzy Rascal who is a Garage and Hip Hop star in the UK fronts the commentary annoying utterances of "Easy my selecta" are more than enough to get intensifyingly annoying and pulling your hairout and so does the sound track, garage sounds and drum and bass all add to this underground ghetto feel which so clearly misrepresents the black community but the way football was brought about in the first place, I cannot phathom it but the same questions were asked about NFL street when it was first brought to the air, even video game expert Brian Kid Hype Smith agreed with this on an episode of retro gaming radio.
As for the game itself the football is great, with a range of over 30 tricks you really can create some style and you are rewarded for doing that, the goals are satisfying enough and the rule the street mode add's to the game's longetivity. Looking at the in game physics itself its pretty darn good although the ball sticks to the players feet as if chewing gum was stuck to it. Along with the montage of tricks and the wonderful replay on demand service their is a gameblaster powerup which once the trick metre is full puts you into a Matrix mode which makes your ability to score raise through the roof, it can change the impitus of the game and its very important to take these into account. Sadly once the Rule The Street mode is exhausted in the game (which to be perfectly honest isn't particularly thorough and when I was playing it my only excuse to hammer out the games was to complete and unlock all the stadiums) their isn't much to offer afterwards. In essence though its a good Arcade style game which has fantastic multiplayer opportunities and its small pitch and direct forward approach leaves for some mouthwatering close matches and thumb sweating action.
In essence Fifa Street combines some sweet graphics, lovely use of Brazillian like showmanship the odd EA glitch that we come to expect and some very near racial stereotyping that would literally shock you on first boot up, but if you can turn down the sound bytes that you find most irritating its a good play, however its replay value will let its mark down and only allow it an above average scoring. On a positive note its EA Canada's best creation and they are sure to knockout another instalation, however I can't see where the game is heading in the future and the staff here wont be investing its money into seeing whether the sequal is any good, well at least not for the mean time.
Trivia: Fifa Street isn't the original idea for this concept Did you know that the first idea for this sub-genre of game was released by Sunsoft under the name of Puma Street Soccer?
PROS: Beautiful tricks, smoothly executed
Plenty of unlockables
Upgradable Players
CONS: Near on Racist release
Dreadful Commentary & Music
Verdict: Buy It: If you forgive the poor commentary and near on racial stereotyped release, its a very good title
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