The sequel to Adidas Power Soccer finds its way into the US during the World Cup, one of the sports most popular times. Soccer fever is everywhere and Psygnosis looks to bring the excitement home along with its partner Adidas. The first thing that one notices is that APS 98 is full of options and probably the largest selection of teams from many of the worlds premiere leagues. Teams from England, Italy, Germany & South America bring more than 450 different teams for players to choose from. Each team also features athletes with real life attributes from an extensive 10,000 player database.

The games deep options also finds its way into the gameplay. Gamers can adjust many different things, ranging from how strict the referee is, to the setup of your teams strategy. For example once you have the lead you can make your team play more defensively in order to protect the lead.

The game also has the option of playing either arcade or simulation though even the simulation is far from the real thing. Players looking for a realistic view of the worlds most popular sport will be sorely disappointed, as APS 98 takes a much more alternate route. In fact the catchphrase "Soccer reinvented" is all over the place.

As far as arcade style sports gaming goes APS 98 features many moves and plays designed to give the game flair. Players can actually link moves together, much like in a fighting game, to perform combo shots. However for a game that is trying to bring the fast paced nature of an arcade title, it sputters out quickly. The pace of soccer is already one that is slower than most other sports and this is most evident in APS 98.

The flow of the game never really finds its pace. The computer's AI as well lacks the challenge needed to give the game a competitive edge. Many times I witnessed the computer stand about a foot away from the ball, leaving open the opportunity for me to chase it down. The smoothness and flow found in other soccer titles just doesn't seem to be in place in APS 98, leaving a feeling that the product might have been rushed out to make it in time for World Cup fever.

With a ton of options, secrets and a different approach to the game of soccer, APS 98 gets points for trying to be original but ultimately fails to excite.

This is one of the other major problems with the title. While the game does offer many ways to perform different kinds of unique moves, the basic flow of the game's control seems to be neglected. Movement of the ball down the field is very awkward with basic dribbling of the ball seeming impossible. In most other Soccer titles moving the ball down the field is simple, allowing for the player to concentrate more on his strategy. APS 98 however utilizes a dribble button, which ultimately doesn't flow as smooth as desired by this gamer. Controlling the ball isn't as intuitive as has been seen in other titles. Both digital and analog control are offered with each being sufficient. The actual players move fluidly down the field and can perform a variety of combo moves. The game also has both a quick short pass and a long pass. The long pass is a very nice addition that allows you to hold down the button to determine the length of the pass. While the game provides for a number of special moves and combos, the basic flow of the game's control ultimately damages the overall feel.

APS 98 makes full use of the polygonal engine. Players are large, well detailed and utilize a variety of movements through the use of motion capturing. One of the problems with the game is that it has some texture problems. At certain closeup points in the game textures become broken or blurred. The animations in the game are also sometimes jerky. The game offers four different camera angles of which the default is the best. One of the things graphically that APS 98 does well is the detailed stadiums. There are 34 fully rendered stadiums in all which look very clean. Overall APS 98 has graphics that are the standard fare with a few slight problems in the texturing.

Brian Moore, one of Europe's most popular play callers, is on board to give the in game commentary. He does an excellent job here giving commentary on both the game and other odd facts. The best part here, though, is the fact that Psygnosis allows you to turn him off and replace it with music. There are several musical choices to choose from allowing for a greater amount of variety. The in game sounds are faithful and recreate an atmosphere of a large soccer stadium. Well done job in the sounds department.

While Adidas Power Soccer 98 tries to reinvent soccer, it ultimately leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Trying original ideas is welcome but only when they are good ideas.