Game Reviews

Score! Hero - A game of pass and no moves

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|
iOS
| Score! Hero
Get
Score! Hero - A game of pass and no moves
|
iOS
| Score! Hero

Score! Hero is one of those football games that cuts the beautiful game into tiny little snatches. Those little moments in each match that change the outcome one way or another.

Although here you're not really changing anything. The score is decided before you even get a chance to touch the screen. All you're doing is completing a specific task to move things on to their inevitable conclusion.

It does make your victories seem a little hollow, but overall this is an entertaining short-stop ball-kicking experience that has a lot going for it.

Give it some welly

You start the game by choosing a footballer. You'll lead him through his career, changing teams, trying to break into the national squad, and kicking or heading the ball whenever you get the opportunity.

Every game is essentially a puzzle to solve. The match pauses at certain sections and you have to swipe the screen to pass the ball or shoot. The controls are responsive, and you need to curl the ball and think about each kick.

You don't just control the kicks of your hero though, you need to pass to other players and set up situations where you can fulfil the star-rating-giving challenges of the level.

Each move has to end in a goal, and if you fail to score you'll have to use up some energy or currency to have another go. In matches with multiple chunks of play, failing one will see you heading back to the start.

Managing to score after messing up a few times does make you feel pretty special, but having to go back and score goals you've already smashed into the back of the goal with style and finesse does take the shine off things a little.

You can spend the cash you earn on customising your hero with new haircuts, beards, and other accessories. They don't make any difference other than a stylistic one though.

Boot up

As free to play sports games go, Score! Hero is by no means the worst. Yes, there are wait timers and currencies, and videos to watch, and the way the design is changed by the monetisation system can be frustrating.

But the actual core mechanic is surprisingly pleasing. You might not have much control over the outcome, but there's still something genuinely thrilling about swiping through a perfect through-ball to set up another one of your players.

And for that alone it's definitely worth giving a go. If you're a football fan and you'd like a game that doesn't require that much commitment, Score! Hero fits the bill perfectly.

Score! Hero - A game of pass and no moves

A neatly put together game of pass-and-don't-move, Score! Hero is a simple but engaging experience
Score
Harry Slater
Harry Slater
Harry used to be really good at Snake on the Nokia 5110. Apparently though, digital snake wrangling isn't a proper job, so now he writes words about games instead.