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I've often looked around for a game akin to Masterkick. And unfortunately for Industry Entertainment, I found it long ago. For free.

On paper, the concept itself is a good one-You take on a customizable table football team and can compete in a way that simulates real table football as well as soccer itself. Unfortunately it's not an original idea and alternatives can be readily found online for free,a kick in the teeth to Masterkick's 10.64 download fee for Microsoft PC's. But is Masterkick different? Is it worth the pennies?

The gameplay itself is, as intended, addictive. Having only played the demo version, in which only single matches can be played and I was kept happy for an easy hour. I was slightly late for work infact. But again, it comes down to the fact that I can become just that addicted to a similar game for free, if I spend five minutes browsing the net.

But there are areas in which Masterkick takes a step or two above it's online competition. The audio is gorgeous for a game of it's type. From cheering at a stunner from the half way line, to chants I recognize from Anfield, it was a joy to listen to and goes some way to alleviate the feeling that it's table football, giving you the impression that you're in the stands at Old Trafford. There's also an air of strategy not often found-the ability to choose a formation for your team gives you a feeling of control not usually to be had from a sim of this type. Added to this a very tidy, if somewhat quaint graphics set up all adds to an air of realism which was very pleasing.

But even after my hour of game play, the novelty was wearing off. Especially in the world of the Fifa's and the Pro Evo's, if we want a game with in depth strategy, we can turn to the X-box and the Playstation, which offer a degree of depth Masterkick could not hope to aspire to. The cute graphics and quality audio just aren't enough, which is a shame, but always I feel somewhat inevitable. Unfortunately for Masterkick, the depth which Industry entertainment have worked to install just doesn't make the grade. For an hour or so's worth of entertainment, Masterkick delivers, but not at 10.64, not even close.

I'm also unsure as to whether or not the full game will feature a multi-player option, a lack of which would be the final nail in an already hefty coffin. Let's face it, the real fun of table football is to give your buddies a thrashing and without a player two to keep you challenged, it is soon a simple matter to outwit the computer and your inevitable triumph by a large margin becomes standard, despite the claims of intelligent AI.

With games of an equal caliber readily available at no charge and a video games market already growing tired of sports games of a much higher quality, I'm afraid Masterkick fails to deliver. A very tired 2/5.

Learn more about this author, Robin White.
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