VR Soccer ’96
Review by Alfred Giovetti, 09/14/96
Price: $50 - $60
Release:
Developer: Gremlin Interactive
Producer:
Music:
Art:
Programmer:
Publisher: VR Sports
Phone: 800-468-3775, 714-553-6655
Website: http://www.vrsports.com, http://www.interplay.com
requires: 486 DX, 33 MHz, 4 MB RAM, DOS 5.0, mouse, sound card, 2X CD ROM drive, 40 MB free hard disk drive space, VGA graphics.

History: Football, soccer to you United States residents, is one of the most popular and ecumenical sports in the world. Trust me it is more fun than the second national pastime, domestic football. VR Soccer 96 (VRS96) shows the world what fun football, er soccer to you American chaps, can be. Gremlins are in the tele again, moma.

Plot: You play one of 44 international teams, of 22 player squads with 8 skill levels per player, in a race to win the game

Game play: This fast paced action game can be played in arcade of simulation mode depending on the level of realism. The simulation mode is much more difficult and for the grognards, while arcade mode is more for easier, casual fun. Too bad these are the only difficulty settings. A combination of joystick and keyboard commands provide all the normal functions to the player. There are friendly matches, league and cup tournament play.

Interface: A special player control highlight lets you see the player you control visually in third person perspective view. While in first person perspective no confusion about who you control should exist, this point of view (POV) makes it like playing the real game.

Graphics: High resolution, 320x240 pixel graphics

Animation: By modeling real players performing the actual moves, the two dimensional graphics which display in eight different facings are extremely realistic, even if every player looks the same down to the hair, physique, height, and complexion. Our reviewers cannot make up their minds whether bicycle kicks and many of the more complex moves are supported by VRS96. Jeff felt that the bicycle kicks, headers, booming goal kicks, subtle footwork, and short "touch" passes were some of the best features of the game, while Shane denies that you can make these moves. There are no frame rate errors the animation is smooth and accurate throughout the game.

Views: In any sports game the views have it, the blimp cam far view, floating wire like the dynamic camera of FIFA Soccer, isometric, goal-line view, and the you-are-there, on-the-field views which get up close and personal. See things from the unique for a sports game first person perspective of a player or ref, or the third person views. The views are one of the nicest things about this product.

VCR: Instant replays of the last 15 minutes of game play help to sum up what you did right or wrong and help to improve play in the future.

Voice actors: Barry Davies, a football commentator, calls the plays, players by name, the teams by name, and is almost always on the mark. Play-by-play calls give the game an undeniable little extra level of excitement. The commentary is incredibly realistic.

Music score: ?

Sound effects: Cheers, grunts, and all the normal stuff

Editor: Customize the team of your dreams.

Comparisons: Electronic Arts 32-bit FIFA Soccer is more fun according to our reviewers.

Multi-player: Up to four can compete at the same keyboard, up to 20 over the network and two with null or phone modem. Internet play is not yet supported.

Hints: Pass to score. Practice makes perfect. Go straight for the ball on defense. Don’t use the sliding tackle.

Reviews references
http://www.vrsports.com/website/press/e3soccer.html
Shane Mooney, PC Games, August, 1996, volume 3, Number 8, pages 72, B, 85%
Jeffrey Tschiltsch, Computer Player, volume 3, number 4, September, 1996, pg. 74, 9/10, (90%).