Video Games : Virtua Striker 2 (Dreamcast)

Rating: - So Bad It's Good!
As a Pro Evolution 3 lover, I love to play football games which are fantastic in gameplay, have impressive graphics, as well as respond and act how you want. So when I dug out my old Dreamcast and decided to give Virtua Striker 2 a go...

The first time I played this game was at an arcade and all the Virtua Striker games are just that - arcade games. The players don't move where you want to, the tackling is annoying, passing is a nightmare - but the game is so addictive!

It will always be a classic game but if you're after gameplay and a sense of satisfaction when you play it then this probably isn't the game for you. Although flawed in many ways, apart from the Pro Evolution series, all other football games I have played on various consoles (Ronaldo Football, the Club Football series, TIF & UEFA Champions League to name but a few), are still inferior to Virtua Striker 2 ver 2000.1.

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Rating: - Irrepresibly addictive
What can I say about a game like this which hasn't already been said.Undeniably flawed and yet so playable. It's true to say the players aren'tvery responsive, especially when chasing through balls, and it's true tosay you don't always feel in control. Despite all this, if you persist,you'll soon find a style of play to compensate for this and before youknow it, hours will pass trying to find that spectacular goal. I for oneseem to have wasted 4 Megs save space with Beckham free kicks!

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Rating: - So nearly awesome
This is a marmite game. You'll either love it or hate it.

It's hard, very hard but scoring is much more rewarding than any FIFA game. The lack of options is actually a good thing as more emphasis is put in playing. This also stops your mate pausing when your lining up a shot coz he ain't got any defenders - it's just a button.

A lot of people slag the controls but i like them. It means you have to knock the ball around, weight passes and the same goes for shooting. This all makes winning feel better.

The view point is pretty poor but eventually you'll get used to it. The abensce of commentry is a nice touch - no more having to put up with poor comments the weather and things like that.

To sum up: BUY IT and play it until your good - then you'll love it. Don't give up and keep going untill...

GOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL

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Rating: - Could have been a fantastic game!!!
This game looks great and the feeling when you actually score a goal is amazing!

BUT here's the problem ... when playing against the computer - whether you win or lose is actually decided BEFORE you play the game.

You can beat Brazil 4-0 with spectacular goals and its fantastic. However, then the games 'AI' obviously decides to compensate for its lack of intelligence ... suddenly your players act as if they are running around on ice (without skates), they ignore your commands and stand rooted to the spot or even run away from the ball or run round in circles or keep running in one direction when you are trying to get them to run in completely the opposite direction, strikers in front of an open goal simply refuse to tap the ball in and often run away instead or just stand there until a defender comes and kindly takes the ball away, kicking the ball upfield often resorts in an off-side decision even though you have no control over the offending players and have chosen a defensive formation, a button press to pass the ball is often ignored at which point your player is dispossessed and then the computer recognises your button press (from 2 seconds ago) as a sliding tackle - the tackle is made and your player gets red-carded (for trying to pass the ball!!!), your defenders run away from the opposition strikers leaving them with an open goal or just stand rooted to the spot as they run past, strikers chasing the ball will suddenly turn about and head back towards your own goal for no reason, all your passes go straight to the opposition players and any time an opposing player gets within 2 yards of you (even 2 yards behind you when you are running full speed away from them!) they magically 'tackle' you and get the ball!!

In a word ... frustrating!!! and pointless. ok, that was two words but you get the point!!!

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Rating: - virtual stinker
Now before i begin, i will say this....Scoring a goal in this game is very rewarding ...You can quite easily bend a beckham-esque free kick in from outside the box to huge applauds from friends and lovers alike and there is also a ' days best goal ' function which is a joy as your
star striker bangs one in the onion bag after a wonderful 1-2 with your flying wingers....BUT and it is a big but ...the control system on this game is about as slick and enjoyable as being at the wheel of a 18 ton runaway jugganaut wearing a blindfold with your hands tied to your feet.
The reason i say this is that your player will not respond in the way you request... your backtracking with the opponents striker ..just you and him ..what happens ?.. your player decides he's not intrested and stops in his tracks , With an automatic player change which is frustrating to say the least , as the computer decides that your closest player to the ball shouldn't infact be the closest player to the ball it should be the player down the other end of the pitch,which has caused me to nearly toss my dreamcast from a large bridge.
The tackling is poor , the reaction to button pressing is slow, but above all the players seem to be stuck in a circle of movement meaning you cant just turn around, you have to do a 360 turn..frustrating is the name of this game ...

Why do i still play this game ? I have no idea .
call me crazy ...call me a goal monkey .