As was mentioned when we reviewed the last title, there is one primary prerequisite to enjoying the game. That being, at least a basic understanding of the American Football (aka Gridiron) game. There are no tutorials or friendly pointers to help you through this game. Its all pistons running from the word go. As the title suggests, this is what we call Gridiron, played on the streets. So it’s essentially the same sport but with fat cut out and the capacity for tricks added. In a way, it’s a good thing that the fat is cut out of gridiron because one game can take a long time, even in video games. Thankfully, it’s not completely at the expense of substance.
Big hits and big limbs are back.
One of the advantages of the Street game is the large amount variations on the game. Traditional gridiron is played with the team making their way up the field by using defenders to protect the attacking players, who in turn are reaching for the endzone to score points. With the addition of trick points, you can play:
- Standard game: except it’s played on the street or for trick points
- Bank: accumulates trick points and gives them to the team that scores next
- Play Elimination: Fail a maneuver and you can’t use it for the rest of the game
- Time Attack: More points are awarded, the faster you score
- Yards for points: Gain yards to reach a predetermined score
The most substantial mode in the game is Respect the Street. It’s similar to the mode “Own the Street”, in NFL Street 2, in that you build up and customise your team from scratch. From there, you take that team and go all around the US to duke it out with numerous other teams, across various modes and pre-set conditions. The variety is there and the customization is totally optional. For the buffs, you can customise to your content. For the casuals, you can get around by just jumping into the next game. The biggest difference is that after every game you earn respect points and these points unlock the next opponent and become currency for buying upgrades. You get respect points by performing various feats, so you will actually need to play reasonably well to go through.
Tricky, aren't we?
In terms of gameplay, NFL Street 3 is virtually identical to its predecessors, though with a few minor additions. The core gameplay is pretty much the same, with the offensive plays being divvied into run, pass and trick categories and defensive plays divvied into run, short and long pass categories. The playbook is nowhere near as deep as the real game but it does provide a bit of fun. Just like in previous games, the highlight is the offensive game. It’s the most enjoyable and substantial. The defensive game takes a bit of a back seat and isn’t as enjoyable or as good as in the real game. The tricks put an interesting little twist into the formula but the more complicated tricks can be quite difficult to pull off. This could sometimes be put down to the PSP controls.
As for the new additions, there are two major ones. The first is taking the game to the air, by allowing the players to jump off on-field obstacles such as crates and posts. Doing so opens up a new avenue for tricks and the chance to grab some pick-ups that will enhance your player abilities or grab a chance for turning around the run of play. The second takes the “gamebreakers” and puts them into control of the users. Rather than activating a gamebreaker and watching as the offense fumbles or makes a superb break, you can now activate a gamebreaker to grab an intercept or to make a massive tackle in real time.
These additions don’t really change the gameplay much compared to the predecessors. Playing in the air is quite limited though you’ll need it much deeper into the game and the gamebreakers still give the user a massive (almost unfair) boost. If you’re a newcomer to the series who is keen for some casual footy, then you’re likely to be satisfied. If you’ve been playing any of the last two games (particularly the second) you’re likely to find the experience too familiar. Technically, EA still seem to be struggling with the PSP, as menu navigation and load time issues are still prevalent. That being said, the menu navigation must be given props for being much, much smoother than in the previous title. The load times can still be testing but at least there aren’t as many of them in between games.
Gridiron tries to make a scrum.
Graphically, the game is, again, virtually identical to its predecessor. The game is full of exaggerated character models, creative environments and over-the-top moves. Apart from a few little tweaks in the menu and art style, the same was done last year, though it could be argued that the motion is a tad smoother this time around. In terms of sound, well, all the in-game sounds are just as, again, the previous game. The only thing that has changed is the set of EA Trax but that’s not something that will concern anyone.
NFL Street 3 treads familiar territory too closely to be considered a must for experienced players. It’s still a fun game but if you played the heck out of the last game, you’re not likely to find much new or endearing. On the other hand, someone who is new to the concept and a fan of gridiron is much more likely to find a “fresh” experience. While it is enjoyable, there are still some issues that haven’t been remedied from the last game. For those experienced with Street, they probably need to wait for NFL Street 4.
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