So hold onto your hats, because Jon Murphy, (Mr. PES for Europe) has tweeted a link to what can only be described as an underwhelming teaser trailer for the first PES 2013 trailer, set to land Tuesday 24th April.

The taster 30 second video shows Cristiano Ronaldo, well, not doing much to be honest! It can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2WGpOAdBt0&feature=youtu.be

Your views to what might be the strangest piece of Konami marketing in recent history are welcomed below.

Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that EA SPORTS ™ will celebrate UEFA EURO 2012 ™ with the only officially licensed videogame of the 2012 European Football Championship which begins June 8 in Poland and Ukraine. EA SPORTS UEFA EURO 2012 ™ will be available as a paid digital expansion pack to fans who own EA SPORTS FIFA 12 on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and PC. The videogame will be available to fans beginning April 24, 2012.

EA SPORTS UEFA EURO 2012 recreates all the drama and excitement of the official tournament with all 53 UEFA member national teams, all eight official stadiums in the tournament, and all the pageantry and atmosphere of one of the largest and most-watched sporting events on the planet. Fans will be able to compete online* for national pride and glory as their favourite European country in the UEFA EURO 2012™ tournament against rival nations in the group stage, progress through the sudden victory knockout rounds, and ultimately compete for the chance to be crowned UEFA EURO 2012™ champion. Plus, a live service will drive real-life story lines from the UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifying campaign and during the tournament into the game, enabling fans to relive dramatic moments with challenges based on real-life matches. Challenges will enable fans to earn experience points and level up their EA SPORTS Football Club profile.

“This game will tap into the passion fans have for their national teams by capturing all of the national rivalries in-game, and re-creating all the emotion of the UEFA EURO 2012™ tournament,” said Producer Sebastian Enrique. “We are utilizing the best-playing FIFA videogame ever, driving live, digital content created from the biggest headlines from the tournament into the game, and offering an exclusive new mode that will challenge gamers in unique and compelling ways.”

The all-new Expedition Mode designed exclusively for UEFA EURO 2012enables fans to build, manage and compete with a customized team against other European nations, crafting the perfect strategy for European domination. Fans will choose their favourite European player or FIFA 12 Virtual Pro to captain their customized team, win matches to earn better players from defeated nations, and then defeat the best nations to earn the best players in a campaign quest to defeat all 53 countries and complete the journey to conquer Europe.

EURO 2012 is set release for April 24th as a Digital Download, and will be available on PC, X Box 360 and PlayStation Three

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fortunately, there are no worries here. Gone are the cartoon styled characters, physically impossible tricks and immature gameplay, and what has taken its place is a well-rounded, realistic and very urban footballing title, which comes into its own in a multiplayer environment. Many reviews will reel off facts about teams, players and venues, so I am going to skip through these and just bring you my own opinions. I have included links to the official site at the bottom of the page if you want to know which teams and players are involved!

FIFA Street takes street football seriously, and this shows as soon as you start up the game. More popular‘radio friendly’ tunes featured in the flagship FIFA 12 title are replaced by hip hop and garage music, and the polished menus of its big brother are replaced by simple but effective short sharp buttons. The ability to go from menu to kick off in under 30 seconds is something that really works in FIFA Street, and does emphasis the pick up and play nature of the game.

Whilst I did promise to avoid the stereotypical lists, one area where it must be mentioned is the range of games you can play. Be it a standard 5 a side game, a game of Futsal or even the inspired and party friendly Last Man Standing mode, there is more than enough to cater for all needs, and if not the ability to customise games completely (first goal wins, no keepers anyone!) is a really tidy touch. Gone are the days of being restricted to 4v4. Venues feel different, and the variety of rules means one area may have regular 5 a side goals, whilst another may see touchlines and larger goals to play in. It feels like time and effort has been taken here, and anyone playing small sided games during their working week will instantly appreciate the time taken.

Of course, if the game play is poor, all the game modes in the world wouldn’t save FIFA Street. Again, care has been taken, and building from the impressive FIFA 12 engine has allowed EA Sports to develop a style of play that is both unique and familiar. Controls are mapped in the same way as the annual game, with a couple of little variations. One of the trigger buttons (depending on your console) allows for instant tight ball control with the sole of your foot, whereas holding down another and executing a simple pass of shot turns that action into an erratic move of pure flair! At times, this fancy passes are too accurate and shots too powerful to feel realistic, but when one v one against a friend, you really won’t notice. Tricks are mapped to the right stick, however holding down a trigger is not a necessity to perform some of the basic moves. The practice arena and in game tutorials will help you master the basics, and timing on a skill move is everything, with nutmegs (pannas) being the ultimate reward for a well timed flip flap or double touch.

In terms of difficulty, the hardest setting will be the place most gamers will spend their time, and in my playtest stage I registered approximately 95% win percentage on the medium setting. Skill points, which are awarded for beating a player or performing a trick are a nice touch, however during the game they are an unneeded distraction, possibly put in before the game began to take form as a serious and realistic street footballing game.

Career mode, aptly named World Tour, has received a lot of press,  and I have attached the below video (it is an EA Sports one) for more information on the mode. Basically, think more Tony Hawks Skateboarding than Pro Evolution Soccer’s Master League, with unlockables and new venues being awarded for successful wins and well executed tricks (the main use of the aforementioned skill points system). Aside from the multiplayer mode, here is where FIFA Street’s lifespan will really be put to the test. A game which is designed to be picked up and played invariably is going to suffer in the longevity field. Whilst reviewing games only gives you a brief opportunity to look at a title, it will be interesting to see if FIFA Street keeps me coming back for more outside gaming nights with the lads!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Other than this, FIFA Street needs to be hailed as a success. It is a game that lacks the tactical prowess and depth of its big brother, yet manages to capture a previously untapped area of the market, in terms of the small sided football game. Whilst not being perfect, it offers enough variety and challenge to make it worth a look for both casual and hard core football gamers alike, and for those with several controllers, an active gaming social life or a passion for a dabble into playing online, it moves well up the pecking order. The demo is currently available on PSN and X Box 360 Marketplace now, and FIFA Street is in most gaming stores from 16^th March 2012.

Link: FIFA Street Website

Sports Interactive Offer up to 75% Discount on Football Manager Titles

Sports Interactive and SEGA are delighted to announce the release of the winter transfer update for Football Manager 2012 and some very special offers to go with it!

The new data update includes all the transfers and managerial changes that happened during the transfer window, even including manager moves from last weekend. It’s available, for free, via Steam, and if you already own the game and boot it up whilst online, the update will automatically download.

To celebrate its release, we can also announce some very special offers running for the next couple of days.

From now until Friday 9th March at 6pm (GMT), Football Manager 2012 is available on PC & Mac at a special discounted price of just £7.99 to anyone who doesn’t own the game. On top of that, if you do already own the game, you can now gift the game to a friend via Steam for the ridiculously low price of just £4.99!

We are also pleased to announce that Football Manager Handheld on iOS devices has been nominated for a Carphone Warehouse Appy Award in the Best Game category.

To celebrate this, there’s also a very special offer running from 6pm today (GMT) until Friday 9th March 6pm on the app store, with the game available on there for just £2.99 (from £6.99).

FMH also includes the brand new scenario mode, and a free app to help you find your way to football grounds in 6 countries.

An update for Football Manager Handheld 2012 including all of the recent winter transfer window activity will be available for free in the coming weeks.

For further information please go to www.sigames.com or www.footballmanager.com.

Where other handheld devices (3DS, iPad, PSP) have featured footballing titles, including EA Sports’ very own, in the past, FIFA 12 for the Vita is the first one to use the current next generation engine, meaning graphics and physics are said to rival that of the PlayStation Three! Having played the Vita (but not FIFA) I can confirm that the device is impressive, and will get my hands on a Soccer Gaming review as soon as is physically possible. However, with touch screen passing and online support, there is certainly alot going for the latest release of the best selling football title.

IGN gave the game a respectable 8.0 (lower than the console version) and that review can be found HERE, whilst Metacritic is currently scoring the game at 77.

Gameplay footage can be found at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2QlEPiezcE

If you own the game, drop us a e-mail and tell us what you think. dan@soccergaming.com is the place to direct your mail!

Using the FIFA 2012 Engine is a bold move, but I genuinely hope that FIFA Street may become the pick up and play online title of 2012, and potentially redefine the way football games are to be played! Bold words, and I will post my own views after a few games.

Watch the latest (and rather exciting) you tube trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Wf2sEuHq7zQ

Enter the Hauppauge High Definition Personal Video Recorder (HD PVR). As someone who has longed for a way to get their gaming footage onto their PC in high definition, the device seemed almost to goo d to be true.

In a nutshell, the HD PVR acts as a go between for your gaming console and your computer. Using a set of composite cables, you connect your TV and console into the device, and then use a USB cable to link it to your PC or laptop. This allows you to still play your games using your HD TV, but also for your computer to record any action taking place, giving you potential to show off your best goals, skills and games in High Definition.

Sounds simple enough, and after about 10 minutes of getting mine, I was up and running. To start off, I used some of my saved replays on Pro Evolution Soccer to test the water, and was pleased with the results. The fact that the action is still viewed using the TV means you really don’t notice your being recorded, and the overall quality of the footage far outweighs some of the other non HD alternatives on the market. A link to one of my captured videos can be found HERE! (Due to time constraints, I have only been able to upload this footage in SD. I will upload HD Video footage over the next few weeks on both Soccer Gaming and the PES Gaming You Tube Channel)

Of course, this technology comes at a price. The standard HD PVR will set you back around £150, with specialist gaming edition weighing in at £180. When I spoke to Hauppauge, I was lead to believe there is very little difference between the two devices, so personal preference may dictate which one you’d prefer. If you are looking ton record PS3 footage, you will also require a PS3 Composite cable, which start at a couple of pounds right up to around £20 for the official Sony ones. Whilst the price is something that initially put me off, I did spend time and money on cheaper alternatives that ultimately didn’t do the job required!

After using the device several times, I have been exceptionally impressed with the results, however ultimately it will come down to the gamer. If you are someone who uses their console to play video games, and wants to get their action onto their PC, there is no better alternative for the price, with even novices being up and running in no time at all. If capturing action isn’t for you, or you only have a casual interest in it, then the £150 outlay may be slightly more than you willing to spend.

If you would like more information on the device, please feel free to e-mail me personally on dan@soccergaming.com, and I will be happy to try and answer your questions.

The Hauppauge HD PVR can be viewed at http://www.hauppauge.co.uk

The Hauppauge HD PVR is used to capture all footage exclusively for the Soccer Gaming Network.

EA Sports are looking for people, regular football fans like yourself, to get involved in data collection for their upcoming projects (unofficially FIFA 12). The program is called EA Sports Football Talent Scout, and you can get involved, or find more information by visiting http://www.eafootballtalentscout.com/TalentScout/TalentScout/index.aspx

If anyone does decide to get involved, please feel free to drop us a line at Soccer Gaming and let us know of how you get on!

EA Sports have today announced that when FIFA Street launches on March 13^th 2012, it will come with a new feature called ‘the Street Network’.

The feature is intended to increase competition between friends – as well as a progress tracker that shows how far you’ve progressed against your friends (a typical inclusion in today’s video games), there is a system that allows you to film and upload your best tricks. Naturally you can then upload these videos and taunt your friends with how many stepovers you just did before scorpion-kicking the ball into the back of the net. As series’ producer Sid Misra puts it:

“Street football is all about the one-on-one battle, when you pull off a trick to roast your opponent.”

This announcement seems to enrich a game that was missing an online edge, which EA have been so keen to push in recent times. The game continues to look good and a March release date is good news to those who believed rumours that it would be pushed back for a Summer release. As a sidenote, it’s worth pointing out that if you’ve already bought into the Season Ticket programme, you can get access to FIFA Street three days before then, so on March 10^th.

Also worth noting is that pre-orders will come with the ‘adidas all-star team’ – a team featuring Messi and “12 of the greatest footballers in the world” (whoever they may be). Also coming with the pre-order is exclusive access to a venue partly designed by Messi himself, set in the heart of Barcelona. So if you’re keen on getting the game, a pre-order may be a good idea.

Source!