Own goal!
The Kick Off series of soccer games is one of the great franchises in the genre, and stands alongside Sensible Soccer as one of the most loved versions of the beautiful game. Kick Off 2002 is actually a remake of Kick Off 2, originally released for the Amiga, and was made by one of the chaps involved in the original game. You'd therefore expect it to be pretty decent but unfortunately it isn't. It captures some of the eternal appeal of the original but departs too much from its spirit and gives it a needless modern makeover. The game was made using the input of fans, who posted ideas and this too shows in the features of this version. It is essentially the same as ever, being a fast paced football sim that features tons of moves and heaps of action but which doesn't get bogged down in realism. The most notable change here is the updated visuals, while you'll also find an enhanced team editor as well as a few other bits and bobs. While this might have been a noble effort, in practice this remake just doesn't work. The first issue is those updated graphics, but for those who love the look of the original, this modern take just doesn't cut it, with unattractive sprites that just don't look right. The gameplay too feels off, lacking the intensity and furious action of the original and for those who have fond memories of the Amiga version, they're likely to be destroyed by playing this. Perhaps it's the fault of the original, but anyone growing up with modern soccer games like FIFA is likely to wonder what all the fuss was about.
