March 24, 2005 - The PSP is finally here, and it's the first handheld making a dedicated effort to grab the attention of sports gamers. How are they doing? Here is a quick look at all of the PSP sports reviews on IGN so far…
NFL Street 2 Unleashed: 7.8
Jon Robinson wrote: NFL Street 2 Unleashed is about as faithful as a translation from the console versions to the PSP as you're going to find…and that's both good and bad.
First the good, where the seven-on-seven game of iron-man football actually translates well to the small screen due to there being less players on the field than normal, not to mention the widescreen to help you see the width of the field and any hot spots on the walls that you need to hit. The gameplay is also the fast and fun type where you can pickup your PSP, break some ankles, perform some cool Gamebreakers, and be out in a quick game of 24 in an average time of 10 minutes.
NFL Street 2 Unleashed also hits the handheld with a surprising amount of depth in terms of game modes as you can play quick games (NFL teams), pickup games (you pick the players), mini-games like crush the carrier with up to four players alternating on the same PSP, and even the Own the City mode from the console version where you create your character and travel from block to block attempting to be the fiercest football player to ever run on concrete. There is also an NFL Challenge mode where you have 150 days to complete all of the various NFL challenges, like score on a drive while only using running plays or score 35,000 style points on a single play, to earn rewards that help build up your team before entering in a 32 team tournament against the real NFL teams.
But with the good, also comes some bad. It takes 50 seconds to load a game, 60 seconds to play a mini-game…something just isn't right with that ratio. In fact, it seems to take so long to load a game, it's like watching Sam Adams run 90-yards for a touchdown, it's just that frustrating to watch. Another downer is the fact that even though this game is being released three months after the console versions, EA Sports still didn't bother to update the rosters. That means no Roy Williams on Detroit, no Antonio Gates on the Chargers, and no Larry Fitzgerald on the Cardinals. It's not like these guys were just discovered yesterday, how hard could it be to add them to the roster? I mean, you have Tai Streets on the Lions but not Roy Williams…what a joke.
Another problem with the game is how geared the gameplay is toward the run. The addition of the walls and being able to jump up them to avoid tackles, only compounded the running addiction of the first game, whereas in NFL Street, at least the defense could push you to run out of bounds, now as you're running with the ball wide, you're able to simply bounce off of the wall, pull a Matrix-like hurdle, and jump right over the defender. Sure, it's fun to watch Ray Lewis miss a tackle and smack himself head first into a fence, but it just makes the gameplay too uneven in the end.
Not to say that overall the gameplay isn't fun, because it can be, especially when you flip a pass over your head or behind your back 50 yards for a touchdown, it would just be a lot more fun if you needed to mix things up on offense a little more. You get a quarterback who can run, a good running back, and three offensive linemen to block, it doesn't matter who else is on your team, you're going to dominate the ball with option plays. Forget Peyton Manning, in Street, Michael Vick, Culpepper, and McNabb are the three best quarterbacks based on their legs, and nothing else really matters.
In terms of WiFi, three new Street modes have been added, including Street Slalom (an obstacle course), a Style Point Challenge, and even an end zone dance contest that plays similar to Space Channel 5…if only Michael Jackson would come out and dance with T.O., now that would be a game.
Closing Comments
All in all, Unleashed reminds me a lot of the St. Louis Rams. A lot of flash, some potential, and even some great highlights from time to time, but in the end it just doesn't have the goods to be crowned the champ.
World Tour Soccer: 7.5
Hilary Goldstein wrote: World Tour Soccer is a good starting point for the franchise. It's not as deep as it could be, not as pretty as it should be, but it's certainly a great base on which to build something far better. It's not that there's anything particularly bad about WTS, it just isn't all it could be. The only soccer game at launch, WTS is a good choice for those who simply must have a soccer game right away. However, keep in mind that this isn't the only soccer game of the spring on PSP -- EA has FIFA in just a few weeks -- and Konami's Winning Eleven will be on PSP some day down the line as well. On its own, WTS has the charm of old school arcade soccer games, a flair of simulation soccer and enough unlockables to keep you busy for a long time. For next year, I hope Sony's London Studios adds a career mode, some gameplay sliders and just a tad more depth to game modes and gameplay.
Read full review
Gretzky NHL: 7.5
Chris Carle wrote: Gretzky NHL is currently the only hockey game on the PSP, and for a first effort on the platform, it isn't bad. Frame rate sticklers will want to stay away, but if you're a hockey nut with a PlayStation Portable, you almost have no choice but to buy. The next generation of this title has to address the multitude of issues raised, but this will hold us over until then.
Read full review
Tony Hawk's Underground Remix: 8.7
Chris Roper Wrote: Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix is a nearly perfect extended port of the console version. Everything, literally everything, that was in the console versions can be found here. There are a few issues with the control setup, though after playing for a bit you can get used to them. It's possible that a few very picky purists will take no exceptions for console precision, but I consider myself an old-school THPS junkie and I didn't have many problems after playing for a bit. In all, THUG 2 Remix is a great portable game in that you can pick it up, session for a bit on the bus, complete a few goals and then flip into sleep mode when you get where you're going. If you're a fan of the series and are getting a PSP, you certainly should pick this up.
Read full review
NBA: 6.0
Jason Allen wrote: When you first start playing, NBA looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, especially with the promise of online head-to-head play, but ultimately the game is a let-down on several levels. Weak AI combined with problematic controls make for an experience that is more frustrating than it needs to be. I suggest waiting to see how NBA Street turns out before committing to NBA for your roundball fix on the PSP.
Read full review
 |  | |
Jon Robinson wrote: NFL Street 2 Unleashed is about as faithful as a translation from the console versions to the PSP as you're going to find…and that's both good and bad.
First the good, where the seven-on-seven game of iron-man football actually translates well to the small screen due to there being less players on the field than normal, not to mention the widescreen to help you see the width of the field and any hot spots on the walls that you need to hit. The gameplay is also the fast and fun type where you can pickup your PSP, break some ankles, perform some cool Gamebreakers, and be out in a quick game of 24 in an average time of 10 minutes.
NFL Street 2 Unleashed also hits the handheld with a surprising amount of depth in terms of game modes as you can play quick games (NFL teams), pickup games (you pick the players), mini-games like crush the carrier with up to four players alternating on the same PSP, and even the Own the City mode from the console version where you create your character and travel from block to block attempting to be the fiercest football player to ever run on concrete. There is also an NFL Challenge mode where you have 150 days to complete all of the various NFL challenges, like score on a drive while only using running plays or score 35,000 style points on a single play, to earn rewards that help build up your team before entering in a 32 team tournament against the real NFL teams.
But with the good, also comes some bad. It takes 50 seconds to load a game, 60 seconds to play a mini-game…something just isn't right with that ratio. In fact, it seems to take so long to load a game, it's like watching Sam Adams run 90-yards for a touchdown, it's just that frustrating to watch. Another downer is the fact that even though this game is being released three months after the console versions, EA Sports still didn't bother to update the rosters. That means no Roy Williams on Detroit, no Antonio Gates on the Chargers, and no Larry Fitzgerald on the Cardinals. It's not like these guys were just discovered yesterday, how hard could it be to add them to the roster? I mean, you have Tai Streets on the Lions but not Roy Williams…what a joke.
Another problem with the game is how geared the gameplay is toward the run. The addition of the walls and being able to jump up them to avoid tackles, only compounded the running addiction of the first game, whereas in NFL Street, at least the defense could push you to run out of bounds, now as you're running with the ball wide, you're able to simply bounce off of the wall, pull a Matrix-like hurdle, and jump right over the defender. Sure, it's fun to watch Ray Lewis miss a tackle and smack himself head first into a fence, but it just makes the gameplay too uneven in the end.
Not to say that overall the gameplay isn't fun, because it can be, especially when you flip a pass over your head or behind your back 50 yards for a touchdown, it would just be a lot more fun if you needed to mix things up on offense a little more. You get a quarterback who can run, a good running back, and three offensive linemen to block, it doesn't matter who else is on your team, you're going to dominate the ball with option plays. Forget Peyton Manning, in Street, Michael Vick, Culpepper, and McNabb are the three best quarterbacks based on their legs, and nothing else really matters.
In terms of WiFi, three new Street modes have been added, including Street Slalom (an obstacle course), a Style Point Challenge, and even an end zone dance contest that plays similar to Space Channel 5…if only Michael Jackson would come out and dance with T.O., now that would be a game.
Closing Comments
All in all, Unleashed reminds me a lot of the St. Louis Rams. A lot of flash, some potential, and even some great highlights from time to time, but in the end it just doesn't have the goods to be crowned the champ.
World Tour Soccer: 7.5
|  | |
Hilary Goldstein wrote: World Tour Soccer is a good starting point for the franchise. It's not as deep as it could be, not as pretty as it should be, but it's certainly a great base on which to build something far better. It's not that there's anything particularly bad about WTS, it just isn't all it could be. The only soccer game at launch, WTS is a good choice for those who simply must have a soccer game right away. However, keep in mind that this isn't the only soccer game of the spring on PSP -- EA has FIFA in just a few weeks -- and Konami's Winning Eleven will be on PSP some day down the line as well. On its own, WTS has the charm of old school arcade soccer games, a flair of simulation soccer and enough unlockables to keep you busy for a long time. For next year, I hope Sony's London Studios adds a career mode, some gameplay sliders and just a tad more depth to game modes and gameplay.
Read full review
Gretzky NHL: 7.5
|  | |
Chris Carle wrote: Gretzky NHL is currently the only hockey game on the PSP, and for a first effort on the platform, it isn't bad. Frame rate sticklers will want to stay away, but if you're a hockey nut with a PlayStation Portable, you almost have no choice but to buy. The next generation of this title has to address the multitude of issues raised, but this will hold us over until then.
Read full review
Tony Hawk's Underground Remix: 8.7
|  | |
Chris Roper Wrote: Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix is a nearly perfect extended port of the console version. Everything, literally everything, that was in the console versions can be found here. There are a few issues with the control setup, though after playing for a bit you can get used to them. It's possible that a few very picky purists will take no exceptions for console precision, but I consider myself an old-school THPS junkie and I didn't have many problems after playing for a bit. In all, THUG 2 Remix is a great portable game in that you can pick it up, session for a bit on the bus, complete a few goals and then flip into sleep mode when you get where you're going. If you're a fan of the series and are getting a PSP, you certainly should pick this up.
Read full review
NBA: 6.0
 |
Jason Allen wrote: When you first start playing, NBA looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, especially with the promise of online head-to-head play, but ultimately the game is a let-down on several levels. Weak AI combined with problematic controls make for an experience that is more frustrating than it needs to be. I suggest waiting to see how NBA Street turns out before committing to NBA for your roundball fix on the PSP.
Read full review
