Graphics:
5 out of 5: Easily one of the more impressive N64 games out there. The players are so solid and well animated that they seem more like blocky sprites than polygons. The amazing attention to detail really adds to the excitement. The night-game shadows and in-game weather effects are also very impressive.
Music:
4 out of 5: ISS 64's music makes good use of the N64's wavetable capabilities, but it still sounds amazingly like Konami's SNES music. Despite the 16-bit flavor, the tunes are catchy, and make the game more lively.
Sound FX:
5 out of 5: The relevance and helpfulness of the play-by-play announcer itself makes the Sound FX a 5. The other sounds are good too, such as the solid kick sounds and crowd effects. Most of the voice is kind of scratchy though (and the announcer's inflection changes with almost every word).
Play Control:
5 out of 10: This is ISS 64's only major flaw. The controls are unintuitive, and the manual does a horrible job of explaining them. Messing around with the training mode helps (although no actual instruction is given), and soon the game is very playable (and a heck of a lot better than FIFA 64). I was disappointed that the game didn't use the Control Stick for both speed and direction. Instead there's a separate sprint button. As it is, it's better to use the D-pad instead of the Control Stick. The key to mastering ISS 64's controls is patience and experimentation. Fortunately the rest of the game is good enough that this experimentation is a lot of fun.
Frustration Factor:
4 out of 10 (10 being the worst):
Learning the controls is where most of ISS 64's frustration comes from. However, the game itself is so fun that experimenting with the controls is actually enjoyable. Just remember to set the difficulty low and give yourself the advantage when you begin.
Controls aside, having a team wipe the field with you is no fun, but there are enough options to adjust so that this doesn't happen too often. If it does, the announcer may even be a little generous and comment that "It has to be said that [your team] was unlucky."
|