Perhaps because it’s a port of the popular European game This Is Football 2002, 989 Sports’ first foray into soccer fares better than the rest of the publisher’s flagging sports roster. While FIFA 2002 is definitely a better, more polished game, fans of realistic European soccer will find a lot to love about World Tour Soccer 2002. WTS hits the pitch with over 300 teams, including a healthy selection of national teams and European clubs—but no North American squads like the MLS or Mexican League. If FIFA isn’t quite realistic enough for your taste, WTS should scratch your soccer itch with its tight, sim-style gameplay and solid lineup of features, which includes custom teams, season play, the World Cup, and a variety of other cups. Excellent controls, including a sharp passing scheme, make playing the game a breeze. However, the graphics and sounds are merely respectable and lack the luster of FIFA. Still, WTS delivers a worthy showing. If you’re serious about European soccer, try renting it to see if you want to pop for a season ticket.
