Real Football 2008
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DS
| Real Football 2008

It may be called 'The Beautiful Game' but it's undeniable that football often brings out the worst in us.

Even if you consider yourself to be the most mild mannered of fans, chances are that when your team is getting a sound thrashing, your number one playmaker has limped off injured and your top goal scorer has just been given an early bath thanks to a particularly gruesome tackle, you'll reluctantly admit that it's rather hard to retain composure when the ref makes yet another terrible decision. The red mist descends and you begin to bellow the kind of obscenities you only thought sailors were capable of.

Admit it. You've been there. You've done it.

Flush from the success of the mobile version of Real Football, this DS update is feature-packed and certainly plays a mean game of footy. But the unique selling point here is the ability to influence the ref's choices by shouting protests into the DS microphone – by doing so, you may just convince the man in black to be a little more lenient with his judgement.

Granted, it doesn't actually matter what you shout, so you could quite easily call him a stinking, demented baboon and he wouldn't be any the wiser. Also, if you're playing the game in public then prepared to be embarrassed – particularly if you're a dirty player and therefore incur the wrath of the lead official on a regular basis. It's a fairly gimmicky addition but it certainly adds a unique hook to the game that rival football titles lack.

And, to be brutally honest, Real Football 2008 is badly in need of a hook.

That's not to say the gameplay is lacking. In fact, this is one of the most accessible football games we've played on a portable device; the controls are easy to pick up, the play flows nicely and it doesn't throw too many pointless variables in your path that prevent you from getting a match up and running quickly.

The interface sticks to the tried and tested formula laid down by the likes of EA and Konami over the past decade. So, actions such as shooting, passing, through-balls and lobs are all assigned to the face buttons, with player-switching and sprinting controlled by the left and right shoulder triggers. Craftier moves such as one-twos, fake shots and step-overs are executed via simple combinations of the D-pad and buttons. The system may not offer the plethora of options seen in other notable soccer franchises, but there are enough here to stop the game from becoming stale.

We've already covered the use of the mic, but it's worth noting that the touchscreen is also utilized for taking penalty kicks. It doesn't really add a great deal to the game but it's nice to see it incorporated. Having to switch to stylus control for spot kicks is less welcome, however, and quickly becomes tiresome – most players will probably opt for the good old 'finger on screen' method rather than removing the stylus from its dock.

Graphically, Real Football 2008 is certainly no slouch and when compared to fellow soccer sim FIFA 08 it undoubtedly looks the business. Everything moves along at a respectable pace and the player models are impressively detailed, showcasing some neat animation. Things can get a little blocky when close up, sure, but thankfully the in-game camera maintains a comfortable viewing distance to avoid this problem.

In terms of play modes the usual suspects are all here. You get friendly match, cup tournament and league competition options to indulge in. Multiplayer is also supported, with up to four friends being able to battle it out for supremacy (each player is required to have a copy of the game) but online multiplayer is lamentably absent.

Alas, when it comes to authenticity it's painfully obvious that Real Football 2008 is going to struggle against the behemoth that is FIFA. There's no official licensing whatsoever, which means the spectre of fabricated player names – something football fans had hoped they would never experience again – rears its ugly head.

International and domestic league sides are still included, of course, but thanks to the lack of licences many of these teams have somewhat dubious monikers (Aston Villa become 'A. Birmingham', for example). Although this obviously shouldn't prevent the game from entertaining, it does sour the realism slightly and it's only when you play a game like Real Football 2008 that you realise it's easy to often take FIFA's glorious comprehensiveness for granted.

Still, considering the relatively humble background of the developer, the complete lack of hype and the low price point, Real Football 2008 can only come as a pleasant surprise. It's an eminently playable simulation of our nation's favourite pastime, and in terms of gameplay more than equal to the challenge set by EA's FIFA.

But sadly, the trimmings that make today's sports games so infinitely appealing – accurate player stats, official licensing and authentic club strips – are all missing, and this ultimately handicaps the experience.

Real Football 2008

A robust game engine can't disguise the fact that Real Football 2008 is sadly bereft of the necessary embellishments a modern football title requires. Nevertheless, it's worth a look if the competition leaves you cold
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Damien  McFerran
Damien McFerran
Damien's mum hoped he would grow out of playing silly video games and gain respectable employment. Perhaps become a teacher or a scientist, that kind of thing. Needless to say she now weeps openly whenever anyone asks how her son's getting on these days.