7 October 2001
After the relatively poor reviews this game received from the media, the ISS Realm had no intentions of buying a PS2 just to play it.  And that's an expensive PS2 ($750 at the time), mind you, in this part of the world.  It was clearly rushed and not a true ISS sequel to any version of ISS.  However, almost a year later, and with one of the ISS Realm members now owning a PS2 (for Gran Turismo 3, and other games, mind you) we've managed to at least pick up a demo of it to gain some impressions.

Much of the criticism directed at the game resulted from the fact that the traditional arm of Konami that made Nintendo ISS games - KCEO - was responsible for it meaning the legacy of inferior N64 ISS games continued into the PS2 version.  And logically, that makes sense, but in reality, most of these media probably failed to comprehensively play any of the N64 ISS games so don't really know for fact if the N64 games were that much inferior in the first place.  Fact is, while PS2 ISS is inferior to PS Evo, it is equally as inferior to the N64's ISS 2000, or even ISS 98 for that matter.  The other inference was that PS2 ISS was based on the N64, but in reality, it bares little resemblance to the fluid nature of those titles. So what is it exactly?

The intro-screen suggests N64, but in feel, it feels more like a PS game than N64.  That could be partly due to the fact you are actually using a PS controller, especially since it shares the same configuration, but it also feels relatively sluggish.  Now, the PS Evo games were not sluggish in their own right, but against the N64 ISS games they were.  But this PS2 version is even more sluggish.  The PS trend continues with the passing, which is non-search-pass, and the general dynamics of the passing overall.  However, it borrows some of that responsive one-touch, arcade-style play from the N64, along with seemingly the defensive system, goal-keeping AI and shooting.

There were obviously no option and menu screens, but other reviews suggest that it at least borrows some N64 features like the scenario mode, which you'd expect from the KCEO team.  Whether there are all those game customise options, controller configs and formation, defence and strategy settings, we won't know until we get a copy of the full game. 

The only real word to describe it would be hybrid.   Unfortunately, it is a poor hybrid that is in need of serious refinement.  The most lacking thing is the AI, which is just appalling (for ISS standards) at times, with players not chasing balls and poor marking, etc.  It is reminiscent of initial system ISS releases that have AI issues, which means, it could take them one or maybe even two sequels to get this hybrid right. 

With news that the actual PS2 sequel to PS Evo2 is not quite up to scratch either, this PS2 ISS incarnation's development is actually worth pursuing.  Quite honestly, the last thing we really want from a sequel is the same game, except with better graphics.  Neither PS or N64 games are absolute perfect and could borrow features from one another to create a superior game.  Both Konami teams need not kill the flavour of their respective system's games in an attempt to do this, but they should look to borrowing ideas from each other to further evolve the series.  After all, the most recent PS and N64 updates have hardly taken the world by storm and there's no guarantee genuine PS2/GameCube updates will, no matter how much prettier they are.  This PS2 ISS's only real meritorious aspect is that they've at least tried to give us something new.  Personally, I am more excited about that direction than the mere graphical updates that PS2 Evo and GameCube ISS promise to be.

12 July 2002
Finally, almost two years after its release, we finally play this game, courtesy of a friend of a friend.  Even before we played it, though, we were disappointed with it.  We anticipated that he'd purchased ISS 2, which had been out for a couple of months on the PS2, but instead had this universally denounced version for us to sink our teeth into to.

All previous impressions from above still hold true.   It is very sluggish, but probably more Fifa-like that PS Evo-like.  It just felt terrible.  In fact, a felt like a cross between ISS and Fifa to be exact.   Yuck.  All the games we played were in versus mode, but team-mate AI and collision detection problems were noticeable.  And that's just the existing problems that we were already made aware.  New problems that emerged were ball physiques, less passing moves, dodgy shooting and shoddy defensive system.  The ball physiques - a pet hate of mine on all PS games, bar PS ISS (N64 ISS 2000 conversion), whereby the ball just rolls forever - I can live with.  So too the reduced moves, especially since the ones omitted are rarely used.  The shooting mechanics can be familiarised.  But what was most appalling was the defensive system.

Anyone that's read the N64 ISS reviews will no doubt be aware of the scrimmaging factor in those games and the difficulty in retaining possession due to player-unbalance issues, well this game takes it to a new extreme.  First, the collision detection sometimes fail.  Seemingly a perfect tackle will leave the opposition player still with the ball whilst leaving you unbalanced as if you'd won the ball.  But you don't have it.  Second, is the recovery issue - it just takes too long to stand up after a slide tackle and to recover balance from standing tackles.   It's clear there's been little effort put into refining the subtleties of this area and it makes for a frustrating experience when you're perfectly well timed tackles actually sees you punished.

Overall, the disappointment of the game has only increased.   It's not even worth grabbing out of a $20 bargain bin.  Get hold of the PSone ISS instead.  It's much more fun, but more importantly, faithful to the ISS name.

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