Then there are the foul calls, goalie reactions and out-of-bounds calls. KCET has given each player different reactions to foul calls, whether it's shock, dismay or anger. The players wave their hands, shouting at the referee or throw their arms up in the air, or they just walk away shaking their heads. In one scene, the offender walked away and wiped the sweat off his nose. It's just an ordinary detail, but what an ordinary detail to have captured. There are more examples. When a goalie is poorly defended enough times he flails his arms and you can see him yelling and visually growing angry his own players. The intro scenes are also luxurious with fanfare -- confetti, wildly waving fans, flash lights in the crowds and the like.
Normally, I play with the Long intermediate camera, and occasionally I use Wide. But if one selects the Medium or Short camera range the level of impressive detail shines through on each player. The character models display better facial work, more textures on leg muscles, wrinkled or creased clothing, and there are certainly better and more entertaining facial expressions than in WSWE6I. The facial models are especially good looking, with individual players appearing a lot more like their real-life selves. Overall, there is a plush level of impressive realism that gives this game a superb visual feel on all latitudes.
Sound
Technically, KCET has done small impressive things to gradually improve the sound quality of the Winning Eleven series. This year's wrinkles are all par for the course, i.e. predictable. Commentators Peter Brackley and Trevor Brookings have returned for their solid year-in, year-out performance. They occasionally make mistakes, but generally, they do a respectable job of sounding official, which is more than the commentators did in ESPN MLS Extra Time ever did.
The crowd sounds have increased and intensified. In the early presentations, the crowd is so loud that you can't hear the announcers talking. Is that Konami's way of showing better crowd participation and sound? Perhaps. But it does get in the way. On a random note, some button sounds sound like those in Silent Hill. Music-wise, do not expect anthing new; this rather trashy techno is hard on the ears over a period of several hours. Finally and unfortunately, WSWE7I doesn't offer anything but stereo and mono options for sound, so you'll just have to forget hearing that crystal clear sound of Dolby whilst you filter through the menus.
Closing Comments
WSWE7I a major step for Konami. KCET has started the mammoth process of widening and bolstering the already great gameplay with extra features that are more than just ornamental. I don't like the menus much, but persistent gamers who must rename all their players will get to grips with the Master League's acquisition system and use it to enhance and grow a team that can genuinely contend with the best of them.
It's really the graphics engine that is the biggest step. And that affects everything else. Visually, the game doesn't look all the different at first glance. But up close the level of detail is impressive. Everything from the animations to the character models and textures to the cutscenes and the facial expressions on the players themselves have significantly improved. The new graphic engine is also faster, enabling those new animations. But Konami has honed it to the degree that characters exhibit more and better moves. That, and the characters actually react quicker to your commands.
All in all, WSWE7I is superb, the best of the bunch. And while it still has a ways to go feature-wise (if you compare it to the latest FIFA), the gameplay is still the best in the business.