Where to begin. I was really looking forward to Street Power Football. I was a huge fan of the EA BIG street series that gave us NFL, NBA and FIFA Street games. Even when the studio ceased operations in 2008, EA Vancouver took the FIFA Street reigns and produced the excellent 2012 game simply titled FIFA Steet. Since then though, it has been slim pickings. We got a glimmer of hope last year when EA added VOLTA to FIFA 20, but unfortunately, it ended up amounting to pretty much the regular FIFA controls on a 5-a-side pitch. I went into Street Power Football hoping it would scratch that itch. Suffice to say – it did not.
GRAPHICS & PRESENTATION
Let’s start on a relatively positive note. I like the art style in the game. It was initially what made me sit up and take notice during the first trailer reveal. The whole idea of street football is to be outrageous and pull off sick looking skills, so the caricature graphics add extra style to the game’s presentation. Locations in the game also look good and add to the overall atmosphere. Menus are serviceable and don’t take you out of the experience, leading to a good first impression.
GAMEPLAY
This is where unfortunately the whole game unravels. Now I’m not expecting realism in my cartoon-style street football game, but I would really like some ball physics. When in possession the ball is literally sellotaped to your foot while you fumble with the buttons to pull off largely unimpressive moves that rarely even gain you any sort of advantage. Shooting looks and feels dreadful as well – with shots showing all the force of a can being kicked down a street.
Passing in theory just lasers from one player to another, but sometimes even that randomly doesn’t work and the ball just ends up in limbo. Your AI teammates meander around aimlessly like a scene from ‘Escape from Victory’ in Father Ted. Thankfully they don’t look too out of place as the opposition rarely look interested either. Tackling somehow feels more like performing a steal in NBA 2k than any sort of football motion. All around, it’s just not good.
You also have the ill-advised game mechanics for panna. As an avid 5-a-side football player myself, I fully understand the beauty of a nutmeg (I refuse to call it panna again). I don’t think I have played a game of football in the last 15 years where I haven’t nutmegged someone and it never ceases to be fun. Here though, they have somehow ripped the joy out of it. A nutmeg is a beautiful, spontaneous act. So naturally here it’s a quick-time event. Lets just move on.
GAME MODES
The list of modes is more than adequate and if the game was enjoyable to play I would be lauding the effort the team had went to. You have ‘Street Power’ which is like exhibition mode – first to five goals is the winner. Then there’s the aforementioned ‘Panna’ which is again first to five, with two points for a NUTMEG and one for scoring a goal.
Freestyle is in theory a cool idea. It’s basically a rhythm game where you try to do keepy-uppies and tricks to gain a high score. This mode does actually showcase some cool ‘tekkers’ and make street football seem cool. Unfortunately you end up so focused on button presses and the timing of them that what’s happening on the screen ends up a complete afterthought.
There is also a trick shot mode, which I did actually enjoy a little. Here you kick the ball from a standing position and attempt to hit certain targets. Bonus points for using swerve or ricocheting the ball off other items before hitting your mark. The main problem with this mode is the camera. Instead of being behind you, it’s off to the side. So lining up your shot often feels like a complete shot in the dark.
Lastly, the main mode is the game is ‘Become a King’ which is the games career mode. As you may have guessed from what I have discussed so far, it’s not exactly a robust mode. Here you play different matches with ever changing win criteria. It’s not fun. Sometimes you will have to win games using a superpower, which I actively didn’t want to do. Winning the game without it though results in a loss and having to play the game again.
VALUE
This is the real kicker (no pun intended). The game is currently on the UK PlayStation Network for an astounding £39.99. At £9.99 I could maybe say it’s worth checking out… at somepoint down the line… on sale. But £40 is honestly jaw dropping. I can’t imagine many people who enjoy street football being impressed with the gameplay and so for that reason I find the value for money probably the lowest of any games I have reviewed on the website.
TROPHIES
There is a platinum trophy – so at least that’s something. Unfortunately, it is a helluva grind though. The silver trophy for winning a thousand games across all game modes is likely to be your last trophy if you somehow stick with the game that long. Also bizarrely that’s a silver trophy, while the quicker act of scoring a thousand goals is a gold. Don’t ask – I have no idea.
VERDICT
Street Power Football is one of my big gaming disappointments of 2020 so far. I had really hoped this game would scratch the itch that FIFA’s VOLTA mode did not. However, what we have here is a basic (at best) arcade game with very little redeeming qualities. Couple this together with the outrageous price and this is a game you should pass on.
-VDZE ✌️
A review code for this product was kindly provided by the publisher. Reviewed on PS4 Pro.
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