A quicker game that focuses on tricks and limits tackling

Feb 29, 2012 10:52 GMT  ·  By

FIFA Street is in a strange position: it needs to keep its mechanics as close as possible to the core FIFA series from EA Sports in order to gain an interested and familiar fan base, while also delivering enough differences in order to persuade customers to pay for football for the second time in less than one year.

About one hour worth of game time spent with the demo version of FIFA Street on the Xbox 360 home console points to a successful blend of old mechanics and new concepts all topped off by a presentation that evokes the known FIFA while offering some brighter colors and some actual player banter.

The game mode offered by the demo version of the game is 5-a-side and a few teams, including a selection of the best street players and an Adidas branded ensemble, are offered alongside the more traditional line-ups of AC Milan and Manchester City.

The game is fast and exciting at all times, with matches rated not only on goals scored but also on the tricks that players managed before putting the ball in the net.

Tackling options are much reduced when compared to FIFA 12 and I haven’t yet found a reliable way of stopping an attack aside from simply shadowing players and aiming to exploit their mistakes.

The football in FIFA Street really comes alive during the attack phase, when quick movements of the sticks and button presses create cool tricks that serve to both get through packed defenses and create space for good shots.

The only big problem with FIFA Street is the way the players move, which at times seems jerky and distorted in a way that was never present in the core series.

Take a look at the included gameplay video for the FIFA Street demo in order to create your own idea about what the new football game has to offer.