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The International Superstar Soccer
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ISS 3 - Website Review |
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The International Superstar Soccer
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ISS 3 - Website Review |
This isn't right. Something's gone wrong here. The ISS we remember was a feisty footy sim with real pep, that was puppies 'n' ice cream to play. But what we have here is a real salt lick of a game, that's soggy, frustrating and a poke in the eye for those who liked the previous game. What's going on?
Never has the passing in any Konami football game seemed so stodgy, even in their Disney effort it seemed loads crisper than this. Just trying to roll it to a free midfielder is a risk as you never now when the passing icon is going to switch to another player and force you to lose possession.
Therefore the best way to play this game is get it over to the wings and run with it - which is where you discover the game's one new feature - the Close Up mode. This is where the camera zooms in on one-on-one situations on the wings. Surprisingly it doesn't disrupt the flow of the game as much you'd expect, but then it doesn't seem to have much of an effect on the game at all - it's all just a little bit hokey.
The other big niggle is the tackling which is so delicate that you can get sent off for just putting your foot in. It's all so infuriating because you can see that the foundations of a very good football game are there. The animations are tight, the player movement excellent and the ways of scoring are convincing. Also there are some segments of play that put the FIFAs and TIFs to shame, which makes the lazy and scruffy finish all the more inexcusable.
It's playable, it even borders on fun occasionally, but KCEO have really failed to dot the 'i's on this one. 6/10
Ever since Pro Evolution Soccer burst onto the scene there really hasn’t been much of a need for any other football game, unless you want a fully licensed experience (you poor deluded fools).
So when ISS3 turned up we were surprised Konami was still investing in the arcade-based series, as it can never be more than a fun throwaway knockabout while we all await the return of the main event, Pro Evolution Soccer 3. In fact ISS3 is no more than a sideshow to that event.
This is particularly evident in the new gameplay elements such as the ‘Close Up Dribble’ mode. As your footballer hurls himself down the pitch and comes face to face with the opposition defence an L1 icon will flash above his head, hit the button and the screen will zoom in on the action allowing you to skip past the defender.
It’s a gimmick, granted, but it's a gimmick that along with the secret moves, such as spins, flicks and dribbles help liven things up if rarely adding to the gameplay dramatically.
But such moments sum up ISS3 – it's a frivolous arcade title that aims to please the masses with fast-paced football, novelty moves and scorching goals (you’ll rarely score a three-yard tap-in here).
For the most part it all works, ISS3 is instantly fun and accessible. A new points system even allows you to unlock new moves, including Rene Higuita’s Scorpion Kick, to add some depth to the basic pitch action.
The downside is that many of the more subtle elements just don’t gel. The ref, who you’d think would be lenient and let the play flow, is an unstoppable card machine. Rarely will a match end with a full squad on the field. Also, the basic game mechanic is too wooden and inflexible.
A feeling made worse by the controls, which are identical to Pro Evolution Soccer. You know they should be more responsive, you know they should be smoother, subtler, and basically more fun as you own Pro Evo 2 already.
If it's the mass market you’re after Konami then open your eyes, you’ve already succeeded with the far superior Pro Evolution Soccer 2. Essentially, ISS3 is a good game nobody needs or wants right now. 69%
As one that is sick to death of lenient referees - even the so-called strict ones - in ISS/PES games, ISS3's actual strict ones is welcome news. However, that seems to be the game's only salvation. Want's happened to the famous ISS passing system? And surely there's an option - as with all ISS games of old - to tone down the referee strictness. What's with the gimmicks? Leave those to the Fifa series. After some reasonable expectation, it's difficult not to feel disappointed that they can't just grab ISS 2000, update the graphics and fix the tackling system. The only salvation is that this game was actually delayed a few months and these reviews could have been based on a version that has henceforth been updated. Please hope so, because these reviews are no endorsement for anyone, let alone the ISS Realm, to part with their hard earned cash.
