Game Reviews

Real Football 2011 HD

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Real Football 2011 HD

There’s no reason why another contender can’t challenge FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer within the football genre.

Many of us long for the day when we can put this war of two halves offside and enjoy something fresh and keenly balanced.

Sadly, today is not that day. Real Football 2011 is a half-way decent throw in, but it still can’t contend with the big names.

Blocked

Being a port from almost a year ago, it’s fair to say that it looks a little dated. It may be the best-looking within its own series, but compared to its competitors there's a distinct lack of polish.

The game begins with a disclaimer that the ‘likenesses’ of players is licensed to Gameloft. But it becomes clear there’s no need for such a notice, as none of the footballers is even vaguely recognisable. The models are blocky and lack detail, making their movements and celebrations puppet-like.

What’s more, during the short ‘televised’ intervals you can often see them walk through each other or even the goals. For a game with ‘real’ in the title, it contains a lot of unreality.

Ball control

When you actually take control of these marionette footballers you discover that, while mostly competent, they sometimes handle like puppets.

Movement is straightforward enough. The D-pad or left touchpad controls the players’ running direction, while holding R trigger allows you to sprint. You pass short with X and long with the Circle button. When you get into the box you press Square to shoot. It's all very straightforward.

However, getting used to the players’ quirks and mistakes can be grating. At times they'll stop dead and look gormless when you need them most. Then there’s the very erratic automatic player-switching, which leaves you running players in the opposite direction from where you want them to be, wasting valuable time.

Fill-time

Despite these control problems, there's still a fair amount of enjoyment to be had from dashing straight through the opposition and lobbing the ball confidently over the keeper with some intuitive use of the L trigger.

And there's a slew of other game modes that will lengthen the time the game can sap from you, including a Manager mode that simulates entire seasons of play, and the Enter the Legend mode, which puts you at the helm of a single player’s career.

However, if it’s a straight-up game of footy you’re after, the iffy visuals and awkward motor skills of the players make Real Football 2011 feel more akin to a game of Subbuteo than to well-oiled titles like FIFA.

Real Football 2011 HD

Real Football 2011 delivers a strong enough kick but clumsy controls and blocky graphics mean its aim is still drastically off target
Score
Brendan Caldwell
Brendan Caldwell
Brendan is a boy. Specifically, a boy who plays games. More specifically, a nice boy who plays many games. He often feels he should be doing something else. That's when the siren call of an indie gem haunts him. Who shall win this battle of wills? Answer: not Brendan.