Review: The Goalkeeper
July 30th, 2007
Soccer isn’t very popular in USA, I admit. Even after the World Cup 1994, this lovely sport failed to gather the interests of the americans. However, in the rest of the world is quite popular. One of the most fascinating roles in a soccer team, is without any doubt the Goalkeeper one.
That’s what the omonymous game, called “The Goalkeeper”, tries to simulate: the whole career of a goalkeeper, starting as a new promising talent of only 18 years old, who will have to struggle to get his place in the first squad, and eventually lead the team to win the league.
The game uses a sort of “world goalkeeper ranking”, based on “prestige points”. Prestige points are awarded every match you play (and the CPU controlled goalkeepers as well). They are based on your performance only: even if your team lose, what matter is how you play, this way even if you end in a poor team, if you do your best you can still be considered one of the best goalkeeper in your country or even in the world.
The game itself has many options but it is not really hard to learn. You’ll start with the creation of your “digital soccer alter ego”, choosing his basic 4 skills (jumping, reflexes, handling and charisma) and then the starting team, from the bottom one in the major european leagues (that is Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Uk and Netherlands).
Then you’ll have to train your goalkeeper to increase his skills, or if his physical conditions are bad, you’ll have to rest (but resting slowly decrease the other skills). The difficulty seems well balanced, but depends mostly on what kind of match type you’ll decide to use.
The games indeed offers two kind of match simulation: arcade mode, or strategy mode. In arcade mode, you’ll move the goalkeeper gloves with your mouse (the speed will reflect your current goalkeeping skills) and you have to stop the incoming ball to save the goal. The accuracy of your save will determine the quality of your save and consequently the prestige points awarded.
In strategy mode instead, you’ll have to choose between 3 types of save. A spectacular save will increase your prestige points but will also have less chances to stop the ball, while a comfortable save will be less spectacular but more effective.
There’s a 3rd possibility: setting the match speed at “instant”, everything will be decided by the CPU, including your performance. Recommended only if you are sure the opponent team strikers won’t be able to score any goal…! 
There’s a lot more to be discovered in this game. The interviews with the journalists is one example. Another good example are the coach feelings towards you: like in real life, even if you’re playing not bad, there can be problems with your trainer and you could even end up in the reserve squad. This in the beginning was a bit disappointing. I mean, I was playing well but still that dumb coach was excluding me from the first squad! After thinking about it though, that’s exactly what happens very often even in the real soccer world (how many times you’ve heard the phrase “that coach is crazy, he left player XX out of team!). In any case fear not, because you can change team after the end of the season, starting with a new coach that maybe will be able to better appreciate your skills!
