FIFA Street 2 Hands-On

The original FIFA Street was EA Sports Big's initial attempt at marrying the licensed roster of EA's FIFA series with the arcade sensibilities of the underground street soccer scene. While the fan reaction to the original was on the tepid side, the development team behind the second game in the series took it as a challenge to improve upon what was, admittedly, a pretty solid concept. Those improvements have come in multiple forms, as we've had a chance to see during our hands-on time with FIFA Street 2.

The new juggle mechanic is one of the biggest changes in FIFA Street 2.

First and foremost among the upgrades in FIFA Street 2 are the controls. Much like the original, Street 2 is still a trick-heavy game, with players racking up fancy trick combos and taunts in order to earn gamebreaker opportunities that can blow a game wide open. Unlike the last game, you're more in control of the tricks in Street 2, and the number of available tricks has increased dramatically. In the original, you could press the right analog stick in one of four directions to pull off fancy "beat" tricks that would get you around the defender. With Street 2, tricks can be pulled off by pressing the right analog stick in any one of eight directions, essentially doubling the number of tricks available to you right off the bat. Trick combos can be built not only from trick to trick, but also from pass to pass, letting you rack up huge point totals between multiple players and earning gamebreakers that much faster.

The most important trick tweak this year is the addition of manual juggle tricks. You've seen the videos of supremely skilled soccer players bouncing the ball between their feet, up to their shoulders, and head, all while pulling off crazy twists and spins. In Street 2, you'll be able to pull off these kinds of tricks by initiating the "juggle" mechanic in tandem with the left and right triggers and the right analog stick. It sounds complicated, but it's actually quite simple. To initiate the juggle on the Xbox, for example, you simply hit the Y button and hold down the left trigger. To pull off fancy moves, you hold both triggers down and trace the right analog stick along prescribed paths, some of which feel very similar to the haymaker punch controls in the Fight Night series. You can even move your player along the pitch while he juggles.

Once again gamebreakers play a big roll in the game. Come now, you didn't think you'd have a Street game without gamebreakers, did you? All of the tricks, combos, taunts, and juggles in Street 2 come with points that earn you gamebreakers. To the game's credit, gamebreakers play differently in FIFA than in any previous game in the Street brand. You still need to earn a set number of points to earn a gamebreaker, but once the gamebreaker is available, you'll need to run to an illuminated spot on the pitch to collect it (while also having possession of the ball). From there, you have two options. You can simply take a shot at the goal, which, if aimed properly, will pretty much guarantee a score, or you can try to beat defenders with the ball in your possession. Beat one defender (and score a goal, of course), and you'll not only earn a goal, but you'll also subtract one from your opponent's total. Beat two defenders and score, and you'll earn two goals. If you manage to juke all three of them and find the back of the net, you win the game outright, regardless of the score. To the system's credit, if you are defending against a gamebreaker, you do have the ability to steal the ball from your opponent, you just need to pay attention to do so.

Bring the keeper out of the box and let him get in on the scoring.

While Street 2 is an arcade-style, offensive-minded game, the developers at EA Canada have taken steps to improve the defensive controls as well. As on offense, you use the right analog to pull off defensive shoves and tackles, but there's an added element of strategy that the producers liken to a fighting game's countering mechanic. While you're on defense, if you press up on the right analog stick at the same time an attacker executes an "up" offensive move also on the right analog stick, you'll immediately steal the ball. If you guess in the general vicinity of his offensive move (say pressing up and to the left after the attacker chooses an "up" trick), the play will result in a free ball that either player can chase after.