Dino Dini's Kick Off Revival is the latest attempt to resurrect the classic football franchise that began way back in 1989 with the original Kick Off. Back then, games came on cassette tapes and were played using rudimentary joystick controllers that often had only one input button known as 'fire'. As a consequence, Kick Off made use of a one button control scheme: you'd use the 'fire' button to pass, shoot, head the ball, and tackle, and you'd move the joystick after shooting to control the trajectory of the ball in a system known as "aftertouch".
Kick Off Revival eschews the options provided by the DualShock 4 controller in favour of staying true to the spirit of the original one-button Kick Off, while adding network play and high definition graphics to bring the series kicking and screaming into the present day. What's incredible is that despite these modern additions, the core game manages to feel more dated than the 1989 version of Kick Off in many ways.
The first thing you'll likely notice when you turn on the game is the deliberately retro presentation. Kick Off Revival wants to take you back to a simpler time, long before EA and FIFA set out to make the beautiful game, well, beautiful. It's unabashedly old school, and for anyone who played the original Kick Off games over two decades ago, the nostalgia will likely raise a smile. Unfortunately, if you didn't play the original Kick Off or any of the subsequent entries in the series, you'll probably be confounded almost immediately upon starting a game.
As you control your team from a top down view, you'll notice that the ball doesn't stick to your feet like in modern football games, and so you must hold down the X button to retain possession before changing direction when trying to dribble. None of this is made apparent to you and so you'll probably head to the tutorial mode to figure out how to play the game, but when you do you'll discover that the practice mode on offer here teaches you how to play the game no more effectively than visiting the cockpit of an aeroplane teaches you how to become a pilot.
Playing in practice mode puts you on the pitch with no opposition team and allows you to try and complete challenges such as scoring from the centre circle or making twenty successful passes in thirty seconds, but how you're even supposed to start these challenges isn't obvious, and the game makes no effort whatsoever to tell you how to go about doing so. There's no tutorial in the traditional sense, and even if you make the effort to hunt for a control scheme among the options you'll find that there is no control scheme present because there are no options. It's unfathomable that a game released in 2016, especially one that controls as unintuitively as Kick Off Revival, features absolutely no form of help for the player. Even Bloodborne gives you the control scheme.
If you manage to work out how to play the game, or you have the muscle memory required to do so from playing older games in the series, you'll find that the game plays much like the original Kick Off did. The football is fast and chaotic; it's occasionally thrilling but more often frustrating. The archaic controls make the game difficult to master, and while that makes pulling off a complicated move feel like a herculean accomplishment that should be celebrated, these moments of joy are few and far between.
While Revival plays similarly to the original Kick Off, there are numerous differences since the 1989 game featured yellow cards, injuries, and action replays after goals, and Kick Off Revival for some inexplicable reason does not. The offside rule is bafflingly non-existent too, and goalkeepers have no qualms about picking up the ball after a back-pass from a defender despite it being illegal in football since 1992. Even if you give the developer the benefit of the doubt and assume that it removed all of these things from the game in the interest of making it more fun, it results in Kick Off Revival actually feeling like a backwards step from the original game that came out 27 years ago.
The game modes on offer are pretty scant, too. You can play a standard game against the computer but the AI you'll play against drifts between sheer incompetence and superhuman ability on a whim leading to a frequently frustrating experience. There's also an option to play a standard game against a friend. You can play a European Cup, which is a thinly veiled unofficial version of the current 2016 European Championship, again, against the computer or a friend. Network play allows you to take on other players around the world online, and is likely the most fun you'll be able to have playing Kick Off Revival since few who are playing it online appear to know how to play the game yet leading to some unintentional hilarity.
Conclusion
Dino Dini's Kick Off Revival doesn't attempt to compete with FIFA and that's fine. There's a place on the market for simpler, old school sports games that rely on arcade fun rather than authenticity. But this reboot of the franchise is actually a step backwards for the series in some ways, and the lack of a tutorial or help of any kind results in the learning curve being more of a learning brick wall. There's nothing wrong with being difficult to master, but the game is difficult to pick up and play too, and the rewards too few to justify the effort. Kick Off Revival can be okay in short bursts, but the sheer weight of issues with the game make it hard to recommend to anybody other than fans of the original Kick Off games. And even they will likely be disappointed.
Comments 30
What a bummer!
I was somewhat disappointed. I couldn't figure how to control the ball, every tackling is a foul, there is no tutorial or manual, there are no options in the game to change the game length or the difficulty, no offside makes the game somewhat ridiculous (if you thought offside is not needed play the game and see why it is needed). Also the promised Vita version will arrive at an unknown date. After all those modern football games I wanted something simpler but this game seems unfinished.
Seems that Dino also left out other stuff from the game that previous Kick Off games had like leagues, cups, editing, etc. I can't help but feel as if this game was unfinished. The graphics are meh, the controls are frustrating, it lacks a lot of content and the only new it has is Euro 2016 and....online play I guess. It's sad really because I'm sure Dino Dini has putted a lot of effort for the game to ensure it'll captive its fans with pure nostalgia. Sony should REALLY take a break with this indie support, especially since Sony helped out Dino with its project which is weird because the game looks utterly rushed and outdated.
Now I'm worried if games like Furi would also turn out as trash. It's like a Ps4 exclusive would turn out bad if it's a: 1)low budget/broken/boring indie game, 2)low budget Japanese game, and 3)ports of games that nobody wanted or that it brings nothing new. As of now, Mighty No. 9, Umbrella Corps and Kick off are the worst games released this week.
I did not read the review but I did see the score. I was always a Sensible Soccer guy so can not say I feel sad for this result. Lets hope Sociable Soccer (or whatever its called ) gets a better result when it comes out.
Now that is a shame!
Oh poop!
My biggest concerns with the game are that the control is not so responsive as it was with Kick Off 2, it looks there's a small lag between your orders and what the player does. The other problem, as Mr Dini recognizes, is that the game is actually not finished. He has to fix a lot of things like replays, controlling the keeper and a ton more. I have hope that in the next few weeks or months, we will have a game that really deserves the name «Kick Off». I really want it. But now, I am very sorry to say it's not a good game. Even if you love (as I do), the originals, Kick Off & Kick Off 2.
@Neolit Rocket League is a perfect example of how you can make a smaller sports game that is difficult to master but is fun the first time you pick it up. This is like the polar opposite of that.
@Brunin73 I was pretty bummed out actually. Kick Off was one of the first games I ever played and I had a blast with it. This honestly feels like a step backward from that. And that was in the late eighties.
Even the best chef can't serve a decent roast when he waits for the guests to arrive before preheating the oven. I honestly feel there's a more than decent 'dish' to be had with this approach to football, but when it's rushed out lacking even the most simple of features because of Euro16, it's dead on arrival.
The big difference between the old days and now, is that the launch of a game of this size and budget pretty much seals its faith. Dino can add, tweak and improve all he likes, but he can only hope for Sony to add it to Plus when it's truly finished to be at least a bit of a succes.
It's a shame Dini and the game can't live up to their names and I have the nagging feeling DD grossly underestimated what it takes to develop a game these days, although he spend the better part of last decade educating teens these matters.
@johncalmc I am not sure its a fair comparison Rocket League had just under two million US dollars spent on its development this game had no where near that amount of money or the development team behind it.
I read an interview with DD and it was mentioned that the game WAS rushed out to cash in on Euro 16, and then other features will be added to in future patches. Doesn't help it now, of course.
@dryrain Of course, it's certainly worth pointing out that Rocket League had more financial might behind it. But the point was more to do with the philosophy of the game; Rocket Game sets out to be fun the moment you pick it up, but if you put enough effort in you can discover how deep it is. Kick Off Revival isn't fun at all when you pick it up. It's confusing, unfinished, and frustrating. It lacks that pick up and play appeal.
Yep,Sociable (ugh) Soccer in a much better form that's been shown so far would really be the football fan's football game.I doubt that will happen but this type of top down/possibly a little isometric football game has a lot of potential for a much more fun,ballanced footy game than the silly broken Fifa/Pes.Of course this one isn't it.an easy prediction to make really..Fifa 16 Pes demo really put me off udating with those products this year..A new Fifa street i'd take seriously.I know a couple of pro fifa players and they only play Fifa 14.Thats probably the best effort yet this gen.but y'know..old teams..merh..I absouluty refuse any ultimate team type of ripp off.so not good.
Totally agree with the review - the control button, shoot and pass buttons would be better placed on separate buttons. As for the rest of the game - who cares if you cant make a pass properly.
They should've remastered Emlyn Hughes International Soccer or Match day 2 , I didn't enjoy Dinos 30 years ago and certainly wouldn't now.
World leauge soccer '98! that was a good one..my fave that springs to mind.Other than SWOS of course,but i highly doubt we'll ever see a good SWOS again (or WLS) silly publishers/devs
So that's where the pushsuare podcast theme song came from
@MinerWilly Fun Fact: Emlyn Hughes International Soccer on the Commodore 64 is my favourite football game.
A generation will soon grow up not even knowing what a cassette is.
@johncalmc It was great and an often forgotten gem ,I seem to remember the crossing and heading being really good compared to what had gone before , I had it on Sinclair Spectrum 48K . Rest in Peace Emlyn YNWA.
Sociable Soccer is only 50% developed and looks streets ahead of this game already. I think when that comes out in 2017, it will scratch the retro football fan's itch
I used to play the originals against friends from school, I remember we had to come up with some house rules like banning the use of the lob goal from the kick off as it became more about who was going to mess that manoeuvre up first as opposed to any real skill. Who needs patches Eventually we replaced the game with the Sensible Soccer games and SWOS was still able to grab my attention in the PS1 days.
Review is a good read, but I would mention that, as Kick Off was an Amiga and ST game, it came on floppy disc and not cassette. I know you don't explicitly state that it does, and it is true games were still released for the C64 and other systems on tape, but it was a dying form of media by this point. We were a progressive bunch back in the late 80's you know?
@Dichotomy I actually owned Kick Off on tape, which is where that line came from. I was one of those Commodore 64 people. I'm pretty sure my mate had it on floppy on the Amiga though. What a world we lived in.
Here is the thing. This game is BRILLIANT! Sounds crazy based on what is said above? Sure because the truth is, the game is HARD and it lacks any tutorial, basic options and is bereft of features! So it's easy to hate on it (and not unfair either).
So why do I say it is brilliant? Because the actual gameplay is sublime when you get the hang of it. It feels like a true successor to Kick Off to me and I am in love with the game.
It is a travesty that Dino Dini was forced to release the game in an unfinished state for the Euro's and that because of that it is having a very hard time in reviews. Although retro soccer games always have it hard with reviews. Younger players just don;t get it and are not willing to spend the time to learn the joys of this type of game, and many older players have moved on to PES and Fifa (myself included) and some of them are also not willing to relearn the skills it takes to play harder soccer games like this and give up too soon. Don't believe me? Go look up the metacritic reviews for the brilliant Active Soccer 2 DX and New Star Soccer 5 (for PC not the android game which is very different). Easily the two best retro soccer games since Sensi and Kick Off (or Player Manager which NSS5 is most like).
While it is true that the lack of options and features is unacceptable, Dino Dini has promised that will all be fixed in free DLC. Options, red/yellow cards, editable teams/players. Fully customisable tournaments. All of this is promised of the next few months.
If you go into this thinking of it as an early access game, and you are willing to spend a little time to get used to the way the game plays (and you actually like this type of soccer game), then you will find a fantastic foundation of a game. The gameplay is good enough to justify 8 measly pounds! And if Dino holds to his promise then the game will just get better and better over the coming months!
Viva la Kick Off Revival!
@johncalmc Never realised it was released on the C64, my mistake sorry (I really should google these things). Must be losing my mind in my old age On the positive side of things, if I am I can hopefully forget this travesty of an update to the franchise.
@parabolee new star soccer is one of the only mobile games I've enjoyed and played for over an hour. I took my dude to play for a conference team then got picked up by AC Milan and then to Leicester won the league and champs league and then emigrated to Australia before coming back to PSG. Awesome game, like Player of the year on the 8 bit computers.
This version of kickoff on the other hand is unfortunately pants. The controls simply aren't good enough. Only 0.1% of players have scored off a corner and 1.1% off a free kick. Just what does that tell you? The controls are naff. There should be a 3 or 4 button configuration. No need for such an old old old school approach. I pre ordered my retail copy and have already traded it in earlier today.
@themcnoisy New Star Soccer on PC is a complete different game. It's more like Player Manager.
And I could not disagree more. Sure corners and free kicks are hard but that hardly speaks to how much fun the game is. I am loving the game, utterly hooked. And I have played ever retro soccer game to come out since SWOS. For gameplay nothing beats this IMO. For features check Active Soccer 2 DX, Super Arcade Football has a lot of promise too. But it's too easyily, the controls are excellent. Tons of depth. Check some of my goals from this weekend -
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uN5EmgMtUsk
I think you have up too eas
@themcnoisy Olimpic Goal 0,1% yep. And i no have time for explain u more about this game. If you have hand with 2 fingers (2 men, 2 fingers, 2 dont need more, and u say its imposible to play hahahaha) and a funcional brain u enjoy this game.
the beautiful lame
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