  "We hate Man Red, we hate Man Red, we are the Man Red haters…” Aww, it’s just not the same…."
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It’s that year again. The one that rolls around every four or so, where for a few hot summer weeks the entire world goes nuts for soccer. The tears, the joy and the incessant car horn tooting are but three whole months away, and how better to while that time away with than the latest in Konami’s flagship soccer series, Winning Eleven 9?
Right from the whistle, WE9 seems fairly simple, but gives the sense that there’s way more depth than just running up and down the field following the ball like a nine year old, and opening the manual reveals the immense collection of skills and ball control the game’s players possess. Mastering them all is fairly essential if you’re to progress, but thankfully with patience the process of harnessing the skills required to take on the top flight is fairly easy. There’s even a training mode, which for example explains what the heck a through ball is, and when it’s most appropriate to play one. If you pay attention, you’ll be scoring like Ronaldinho in no time.
It’s the realism that really makes WE9 premier division. It’s no arcade simulation that’s for sure - every pass, lob and chip is balanced perfectly considering the velocity of both the ball and player. Intercept at speed without control and it’s unlikely you’ll hold onto anything. But learn to trap and pass fluidly, and you’ll tame the ball every time and march on to glory.
Winning Eleven always has been the greatest soccer franchise around. Until of course EA bring out another FIFA. They’re the Arsenal and Chelsea of console soccer. Which is uncanny, considering they’re the only two English domestic teams with genuine team names and players. If you’ve always dreamt of playing for Everton, you’ll be letdown to find they’re not accurately featured, but then as a blues fan you’re no doubt already used to disappointment.
There is of course the ability to edit team names, players and kit designs to your hearts content, and whilst the masochists amongst you will enjoy hours of editing the data to give Winning Eleven 9 the slightest semblance of an English domestic league, the majority of us will put up with the approximated names Konami have provided. Either that, or go and buy FIFA 06. I must mention though that the Italian Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie and Spanish Liga Española are fully licensed, so headway has been made to represent European soccer accurately.
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WE9 provides a stack of play options, from quick pick up exhibition matches, mini cup tournaments to fully fleshed out league-based environments, and it’s the latter most will concentrate on. Offering a minor managerial slant on the proceedings, the Master League mode is the most rewarding option available. And whilst the coaching position is no rival to full on simulations such as Worldwide Soccer Manager (what could be?), it makes its case enough to allow your decisions to really affect the game’s progress. From creating play tactics, resting stars to trading players – the fundamentals of coaching are all covered.
And of course WE9 introduces online play to the franchise. No full on managerial options here of course, but certainly all bases are covered for instant matches.
Visuals are, as is to be expected, just as fantastic as ever. Many players are instantly recognizable and their animations are as fluid as any I’ve ever seen. The stadium intros give a great impression of a stadium full of excitement, which is very strange considering during actual play, there doesn’t appear to be anyone in the stands.
There’s never really been much scope for sound in soccer games past the relentless nonsense chants (someday someone will accurately represent particular stadiums with their respective home team’s chants…). Staple British soccer pundits Peter Brackley and Trevor Brooking once again provide commentary, but whilst the frequency of their remarks can be controlled so that their inanely random warblings aren’t repeated too often, it won’t be long before you’ve exhausted their penchant for soccer clichés and give them the red card.
Mastering WE9 could take some time for newcomers, but the depth in the repertoire of controls is the stuff soccer fans dream of and those who stick with it will reap the rewards. It’s unfortunate that EA have the sole rights to use real team and player names, because as superficial as it seems and as realistic a soccer gaming experience WE9 is, it’s just not the same playing a team with a soundalike name. If you can ignore this minor but yet oh-so significant irk, then good for you. But for me it’s just not as satisfying thrashing the hell out of Man Red as it would be the real Manchester United.
So whilst there really is no substitution for what’s to come in June, for now Winning Eleven 9 is pretty much as good as it gets at recreating the beautiful game on a console. It’s so realistic it makes me want to drivearound my block blasting the horn til' midnight.
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WHAM! Rating:
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9.5 out of 10
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ESRB Rating:
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E (Everyone)
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Official Web Site:
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