February 10, 2004 - For the past seven years an intense rivalry has continually sparked soccer fans worldwide to debate which of their favorite soccer games is better, Konami's Winning Eleven series (also known as Pro Evolution in Europe) or Electronic Arts' FIFA franchise. Much like the controversial Al Gore-George W. Bush U.S. election of 2000 where Gore won the popular vote and Bush won the judges' over (just kidding, sorta), Konami year-in and year-out owns the purists' hearts and thus, the popular vote. The critics LOVE their Konami soccer, but annually EA continues to sell more copies worldwide, so it's doing more than just a good job at marketing.
Has Konami created a more convincing game for the rest of the world with World Soccer Winning Eleven 7 International? Several changes, upgrades and refinements will easily win over long-time fans and soccer players in general. The gameplay -- AI, team differentiation, ball control, etc. -- has indeed evolved ever so slightly to create an even more compelling title. The graphics are entirely redone, and the sound and presentation all come together well. Very little, in fact, restrains Konami's game from an overall win. But what about those ever-so-slightly skating players? Those clumsy menus? For newbies, that steep learning curve? What about all those tiny little things that have always held back the series from smashing EA's game into dust? Though these are minor points, they still exist.
It's difficult to criticize a game that's so good in so many ways, especially one that brings such a rush of pure soccer bliss. I mean, there's no other game that comes close to beating this one. World Soccer Winning Eleven 7 International has moved forward with some major steps in the bigger areas -- the most important ones -- but small steps in the minor areas: It's not going to win over any FIFA fans or newbies anytime soon with its complicated trading system or arcane menus. Nor will it grab the attention of many US soccer fans, whose focus is most likely Major League Soccer. And what about online play? Those minor complains aside, there's very little else that should keep anyone from honing their skills in the best soccer game on Earth.
Gameplay
In the big picture, the cumbersomely named World Soccer Winning Eleven 7 International has seen a big overhaul in several regards. Rest assured, the gameplay itself, built around real soccer techniques and strategies, hasn't been altered in any major ways. It's the little improvements across the board that Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (KCET) has made to improve the playing experience.
There are several familiar modes of play: Match Mode, League mode, Cup mode, Master League mode, Training mode, and Edit mode. Match mode enables players to play an exhibition game or shoot penalties; League mode affords players to select from 16 teams in a round robin tournament against the computer AI, none of which include extra time or penalties; and Cup mode gives them the chance to set up custom leagues and cup tournaments. Gamers can customize all sorts of great aspects of this last mode, such as match time; difficulty; cup name (International, European cup, African cup, etc.); eligible teams, competition type, group name, number of teams, number of players, home/away; uniform selection, accumulated fatigue, and injuries. And for a spirited party, players can hook up two Multi-taps for an eight person multi-person bout. The customization aspect of this version is superb.