Solid update to a classic series
The Sensible Soccer series has a long history going back to the time of the Amiga and Atari ST, where it became immensely popular with soccer fans, thanks to its fast, fluid gameplay. This is one of the last games in the series and was released after a large gap, and while little has changed in the intervening years, it remains a fun, albeit unrealistic soccer sim. In terms of options, things are pretty much as you'd expect, with a selection of European teams competing in a variety of cups (although as the game isn't officially licensed, player names are imaginary), while gamers can also choose to create a custom team to suit their own designs. As ever, gameplay retains the slightly simplistic approach adopted by the series, which fans of more realistic soccer games like FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer may not enjoy, but which is great for more casual players. However, a few subtle changes are apparent, including the introduction of stamina and perhaps most notably, in the control system which now allows for different shots to be made with different buttons. Graphically, the game takes a cartoony approach, which suits its nature but which won't win any fans looking for realism, while the audio is somewhat disappointing, with no commentary and only rudimentary background effects. However, the game retains the series' sense of fun and sheer playability and when played with friends, this is a great multi-player experience, with gameplay that is intense and frantic. While lacking in realism or innovation, Sensible Soccer 2006 is an entertaining soccer sim that keeps the series' reputation intact.
