International Superstar Soccer 2 Gamecube

Just when you thought you'd seen the best that Konami have to offer, along comes a football game that almost, almost, knocks the majestic Pro Evolution Soccer into touch. We say almost (twice, no less) because, let's face it, PES blew everything away when it appeared in late 2001 on the PS2, and it looked like nothing would match it for a long while, at least not until the next football release from Konami. Six months on from Pro Evolution Soccer, and here comes ISS 2 to rock your world. Cosmetically, ISS 2 is a bit different to Konami's last PS2 football outing, the aforementioned Pro Evolution Soccer, in that it looks, erm, lusher(!) than before. The grass on the featured pitches has been cut in a different pattern (veteran footy watchers will know what I'm talking about) and the overall impression is of a game that's been lived in. Does that make sense? Whatever - what does make sense is ISS 2's wonderful gameplay. Gamers already familiar with the ISS series' control system will be delighted to learn that things haven't changed a great deal this time around. It's as intuitive as ever, and combined with the improved visuals, an easy-to-navigate menu (by Konami standards) and the new commentary from ITV's Jon Champion, ISS 2 for the PS2 is everything you could want from a Konami football game.and then some. Believe us when we say that ISS 2 is worth investing in, even if you already own any of Konami's recent football titles. You may well hear a lot of talk and read a lot of guff about how difficult it is to score a goal in ISS/Pro Evolution games, but as in any great game of football, patience is usually the key, and the mantra is `pass and move'. That is, `pass' by all other games, and `move' to the checkout with a copy of this fine example clutched in your virtual mitts.