The new "Shop" element follows more traditional EA and FIFA lines of thinking, but they're very welcome additions. Building in more depth to the series, KCET enables gamers to accumulate points through training and exhibition modes, which in turn may be traded for new teams, players, strategies stadia, crowd effects, and even hair styles. Thus, as players complete more seasons, engage in the various modes and flesh out the title's new aspects, they're rewarded with goodies, be they trivial or meaningful. Either way, they add color and variation to a generally predicable annual game.
While I'll get to the visual improvements in a later section, it's important to note that the entirely new graphic engine (which no longer relies on RenderWare), has freed up Konami to create animations and motion-capture movements based on specific player moves. So if your favorite English or Finnish striker pulls off beautiful heel kicks or dribbles with unnatural grace, it's more than likely he can do so here.
The new engine also gives players a new wealth of control. After re-playing several hours of the superb World Soccer Winning Eleven 6 International, I noticed an instant change and improvement in response time and quickness in WSWE7I. Players make better, sharper cuts. The react quickly to situations and make the rather spongy PS2 analog controllers seem less mushy than they really are. Long-range drives and explosive counters are now more manageable than before -- if you're skilled that is (because otherwise the defensive AI is just as sharp as before and will intercept most mid-field passes). Players can perform smooth overhead lobs to a streaking forward (which fall perfectly in front of you when done well), flick it over a defender's head with quick heel kick and perform dazzling cuts and dribbling moves to bypass oncoming defenders.
The game is still based on smart passing and strategic movement to open up defensive lines. Thus, ball physics and powerful passes, kicks and lobs are crucial. The ball moves ever so much better than before, with a visual sense of physics that appears consistently throughout every second of the game. You can see that during curved crosses the ball is spinning with a left or right hook, and when it bounces of the ground or off a player's foot, it performs remarkable realistically. Back spins, side spins, you name it, you'll see it. The consistent physics enables players to do sorts of things well from anticipating defender crosses, to preparing for a through pass for a perfect scoring position. You can really tell how well the ball moves on the goalie bars. If a ball hits the cross bar, it clanks off at any angle, and in a crowded corner situation, you can count on realistic and intense pinball action. You can also just sit back and enjoy as it bounces off defenders' shins on blocked kicks, or out into the open field.
Konami still hasn't figured out the best way to present foul or corner kicks. Given the minute pressure needed to score a goal or to attain that perfect shot, which, believe me, takes time and patience, it's odd that to kick a foul ball or corner kick, determining the power, angle and direction of the ball is still a bit of a crap shoot for newer players. You never really have much idea where the ball is headed until you hone those shoulder button curves. Maybe FIFA has made it easier for us to perform these aspects of the game, but in many ways, it's also made things better. Going back to WSWE7I is to lose a certain amount of control in style and presentation. With regard to throw-ins, the crappy, boggy throw-in scenarios from last year's game has been replaced with better, more utilitarian mechanics in this iteration.