Pure Football Review

Football games are a bit like Lady Gaga’s wardrobe; every game is diametrically different. Some require a doctorate in rocket science just to get past the menu screen while others just ask for a sturdy forehead and repeated hits on the controller in order to win the World Cup. Imagine my surprise finding Pure Football has simple controls, even a thumbless chimp could play like Ronaldo on crack within minutes. It focuses more on the physical side of the game, doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t, looks great, feels great and it’s bloody fun to boot.

Pure Football is a game that as removed all the pretentious formality from the beautiful game. Gone are the commentators repeating the same four phrases with feigned enthusiasm. No fake crowds that look like a bad Picasso forgery. No referees, just you and four team-mates versus two hundred and thirty of the best professional footballers to touch the pitch in the last decade. It sounds too good to be true but it isn’t.

All that is required in a football game is a healthy dose of fun. We don’t need to think too much, nor over analyse the tactical side. I would rather play Forklift Truck Simulator for a week with my eyes taped open while listening to Cher’s greatest hits than play another football manager game. That said Pure Football does offer many team control features. More skilled players can be transferred to your team once they have been unlocked. Unlocking players is accomplished by reaching certain achievements along the campaign such as twelve shots on goal or stopping the enemy from scoring. Players can be transferred and swapped to field a more aggressive or defensive line up. You have full control of your team, right down to the socks they wear.

My first real experience with Pure Football was high in the German mountains, not too far from the Berghof. In the distance a traditional village taken straight from the set of “The Sound of Music”. Before me a lush green modestly sized football pitch and a team of five angry looking Germans. No spectators had gathered for this game, they had been too busy stuffing their faces with Wienerschnitzel and wearing lederhosen. It was just as well really, I lost.

I learned a valuable lesson from that embarrassing defeat, play through the tutorial. So I did. I learned how to shoot a skill shot using the shot meter. I discovered the “Pure Shot”, a slow motion shot of pure power that could peel the paint off of anything within a thirty mile radius. I picked up a few other nifty tricks such as tackling and crossing which I put to good use against the Germans. This time, in the middle of an industrial factory, I completely destroyed them.

The controls felt comfortable and fluid. Before long I had mastered the art of stopping the shot meter wherever I liked and was able to pull off some impressive shots. Because the game uses the five-a-side format I was able to move players more freely, execute great plays with more accuracy and tackle the opposition hard enough that they would remember my name. There is no referee but you can’t kick players to the ground for the fun of it. Every bad tackle you commit adds up, filling the red bar under your team name. When this bar is full the opposition will be awarded an instant penalty.

I was a bit put off at the games caricature styled player graphics. Once I got into the groove I realised they were just right, especially the goal celebrations. Whenever you score Ubisoft unleashes a class of tipsy art students to remind you but hell it makes you jump up and cheer and want to savour the glory just a little bit longer.

In campaign mode you have thirty days in which to battle your way to the top of the rankings by unlocking better players. Your captain will gain points throughout the campaign that can be spent on improving his skills. Ultimately the goal of the campaign is to reach the finals of the invitational tournament in South Africa.

I really love the amount of freedom Pure Football gives the player without compromising the game-play There is no off-side rule but the pitch is small, the game can change within a blink of an eye, your all out offensive can be completely destroyed by a smart counter attack. Pure Football reminds me of the football I played with my mates at school. It’s fast, furious and fun. Most importantly, it’s football. Pure Football.

[review pros=”Cheap price tag, great gameplay, fun multiplayer” cons=”you may spend too much time playing and not enough time working” score=4.5]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAzFiIoj_IQ