It sort of hits you as a blast from the past but as an alternative when the mainstream is worn out... It is worth it!
This is a prologue just to let you know that I value a lot the solo career mode and a major game editor like EA SPORTS shouldn't spend so many time without solving a big issue like that.
So... Not many expectations at the beginning and that's a huge help on finding a game, at least, worth playing. But it adds a little bit more to it. The graphics are even a few steps ahead when comparison comes to mind. The sound department didn't work so well but, technically speaking and apart from the fancy presentation and better built menu system that Fifa has, the japanese didn't fail to achieve at all.
But the most common comment regarding this game's lack of quality was not concerning these issues but more of pointing to a huge lack of improvement since the last edition. And I can comprehend that. It does lack on innovation!
The gameplay aspect is not brilliant and it has a lot of the past few games before but it is fun. You can see the ball all the way from the foot of the player till it hits the back of the net and you can, perhaps too easily, score a goal from 20 meters. That makes pretty football and I kind of prefer this to the rival's style of shooting where it's difficult to locate the ball once she leaves the foot as well as it's hard to position the actual shot itself.
It's not perfect but I guess this one is funnier due to the easier scoring mode.
Apart from this is always down the hill... Complicated career mode makes it harder to get it going, made up names are hard to accept and many teams and players have them, silly menu interface and money systems are an obstacle to a great experience, among some other minor flaws...
All that summed and you have a fair game that stands out for what has done in the past and not for this particular edit.