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989 Sports skips a year. World Tour Soccer 2005 continues 989 Sports’ new found ability to produce compelling sports videogames. While 989 Sports had to do quite a bit to MLB 2005 to make it as good as it did, they didn’t have to mess around with the basics in World Tour Soccer. After all, I did rate last year’s version (WTS 2003) a 9.3.
The main mode in World Tour Soccer 2005 is the game’s career mode. Here, you start off with a soccer hopeful. One of those teams that have some potential but it’ll be quite a challenge to actually make them something. While it’s a bit daunting at first, it’s nice to see your hard work pay off when your team reaches the upper levels. The career mode allows you to create a version of yourself and is quite in depth in terms of how much stuff you can edit like the clothes, hair and facial hair.
The game’s Season mode has you building up your team from a more general role controlling the players you have and salary caps. If you don’t have time for this you can play in several tournaments to win cups like the World Cup. You can also play as one of 20 classic international teams for the Timewarp Cup. While WTS 2005 doesn’t let you compete online completely, there is an online-related feature in the game. In the game’s Challenge mode, you are scored on how good your strategy was. The point isn’t just to win but to win gracefully. You are then given a password that you can enter online to see how good you are compared to others. If you just want to play, the Exhibition mode is there for you.
The gameplay has been changed quite a bit from last year’s game. 989 Sports has apparently made the game more realistic. Last year you were able to get off with questionable shots and ball-handling techniques. In this edition, things are a bit more complex and you’ll need to set things up just right to get the goal. Shooting and passing have been made pressure sensitive making the game seem more realistic. Unfortunately, it’s best to play some Exhibition games first to get used to this since there isn’t a tutorial system to help you out.
The game’s visuals don’t disappoint, either. The players are very detailed: especially their faces. While the actual expressions aren’t all that great, the amount of detail present is. The stadiums look great sporting many differences and attention to detail, as well. The fans once again have a noticeable presence and enhance the feeling of the game. After all, everyone knows soccer fans are among the most passionate.
The commentary in the game is pretty good often providing insightful tips about the game. The sound effects let you aurally enjoy the game and do their job well. The fans are responsible for the great audio though. 989 Sports captured tons of different chants and it’s nice to hear the enthutiasm. It makes you want to keep playing.
World Tour Soccer 2005 offers a compelling soccer experience once again. It has made the game feel more responsive and added more immersion thanks to the fans’ animations and various chants. If you’re a fan of soccer or “football,” there are no complaints here. -- Jose Liz, PGNx Media
---- Apr 22, 2004
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