Soccer Story

Sports games are usually reserved for sports fans who enjoy watching every match. The sports fans learn all about the players. the stats, the teams, everything, they keep track of really complex stuff. And pretty much all of that is usually reflected in sports games, but not all sports-based games need to be sports simulations of course. And Soccer Story is one of the clearest examples of this, as it combines the complexity of an actual football (soccer) simulation and a full-blown RPG game. It's quite clear from the beginning that this is going to be something special, even if the graphics aren't anything to write home about. So, let's talk about Soccer Story.

About the game

The game developed by PanicBarn (distributed by No More Robots) combines the development of a traditional adventure with role-playing and action elements, with the atmosphere that can be found in any soccer stadium during the weekend. What has surprised us the most is that its adventurous facet will feature dungeons, cities, an open world, a search for secrets, and puzzles, among other usual ingredients in the genre.

Soccer Story mixes sport with RPG elements and a fantasy story in which soccer has been banned in the world. After having chosen a magic ball, we will have to solve puzzles and compete in different tests with our ball to restore peace and harmony in the world. This is a very exciting title that takes the best from several genres and offers a new experience to those who look for something different.

Soccer Story features a single-player campaign with quirky characters, missions, rogue referees, and outlandish sports, and we will be able to face teams made up of sharks, babies, old pensioners, and ninjas. It also features a local multiplayer mode for two-player matches.

More of the same?

So, we're not saying that we've seen a game like Soccer Story countless times in the past, but we do find it at least funny that it's the second time we've seen the same kind of treatment of a sports game in a reasonably short period of time. You may have heard of a little game called Golf Story, that title was an RPG that had us taking the place of a golf player with a very similar treatment when it comes to the RPG mechanics.

However, Soccer Story indeed took it way further, at points getting to be more of an RPG game than a soccer game, which is, of course, just great. Not because the soccer part is poorly done or anything like that, but because the RPG part is pretty cool, and it's a good change of pace after playing it for a while.

Review: 7/10

Soccer Story is an interesting take on a different way to play a sports game, it appeals to both sports fans and RPG fans out there. However, we do have to mention that it fulfills neither of the two roles all that well.

Pros:

• Well-written story
• Nice cast of characters
• Great variety in scenarios and challenges

Cons:

• A bit too random when it comes to soccer gameplay
• Too much focus on RPG parts