Games for Lunch: UEFA Euro 2008
In a nutshell: Football as 99% of the world knows it.
5/30/2008 6:07 PM | 0 Comments | Page 2 of 3
0:25 So far it's pretty intuitive just moving the players around and using X to do short passes between them. My computer allies seem smart about positioning. I like how the game automatically switches the defensive character I control. I put a few shots on goal, including one good one, but they're both easily deflected back. The British accents on commentators are darling, even if I have some trouble understanding them.
0:27 That's the end, without a goal scored on either side. My players look so sad about the loss.
0:28 Enough of this scenario crap, let's play a full game. I need all the help I can get, so I choose five-star France against half-star ranked Andorra. Poor Andorra.
0:30 I wish I knew enough about soccer positions and players to assign these guys intelligently. Wait, no I don't. Anyway, the game starts with a roaring crowd and falling confetti. The commentators go on about how not every team expects to win, but they can all at least get some points in these early rounds. Is that a dig at Andorra?
0:32 I get called for a foul when I slide tackle an Andorran from behind. That's funny -- in
Mario Strikers I was encouraged to knock people down for no reason.
0:35 I'm having a hard time getting anything going on offense. A wall of Andorran players seems to be hanging back to halt my advance. They have, like, nine guys on defense! Who does that? Luckily for me, they're especially easy to steal from when they're on offense.
0:37 I'm really liking the interface. The game shows where high balls are going to go with a dot on the field, and passes and shots have an easy-to-read power meter. What's not to like?
0:39 Still having a hard time getting anything going on offense, and now my defense is breaking down a bit. I keep getting beat to the ball. Maybe I should slide tackle less.
0:40 Into halftime. "It's a fascinating contest so far." Really? Really? What's so fascinating about this 0-0 game with barely any good shots?
0:43 The Andorrans are playing around in the corner, toying with me. I knock a guy down with a slide tackle just to stop the dancing. The Andorrans make a substitution. "No injury, this is a technical change, an attempt to win the game!" Really? An attempt to win the game? Who'd have thunk it!
0:44 Argh! I finally get a nice centering pass on offense, but it's called offside thanks to some bad timing on the run in by my computer teammate.
0:47 I take a cue from the computer and replace a weakening wing with a fresh one. I don't notice any immediate affect from this.
0:49 It's frustrating to see one of my defenders get beat just because he's slower than the guy he's covering. Bleh.
0:51 My first real good attack. I finally get a series of passes going back and forth, and pull off a point-blank shot that the goalie has to dive for. I suppose that's only fai -- my goalie has saved much stronger shots on the other end.
0:52 The game ends anticlimactically in a 0-0 tie. I was starting to get the hang of it at the end there. I get to choose whether I want extra time or a penalty shoot out. I'm pretty sure in the actual tournament that's chosen ahead of time, right?
