Dino Dini's Kick Off Revival

 PlayStation 4
User Score
4.5

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 73 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 73
  3. Negative: 43 out of 73
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  1. Lomiun
    May 16, 2017
    0
    Terrible game. I dont understand how this developer thinks this is a finished product at all. Dont bother buying or playing, waste of your time. Just depressing really
  2. Maazara
    Apr 25, 2019
    2
    A broken, abandoned, buggy mess.
    Hey Dini, next time you launch a video game "revival", procure to finish it, instead of discussing other studio's ethics on your idiotic streams.

    And by the way, the so required controller, most of the times isn't even recognized by the game. So yeah... do not buy it, unless you're into these kinds of massive failures.
  3. sbriso
    Feb 27, 2017
    0
    An embarrassing disaster
    There's lack of game modes, no game career, no team clubs, just national teams, you can play only the euro cup competition and friendlies!!
    The AI is really disappointing, the game is to be fair ugly on gfx and poor sfx too The developer is attacking everybody give critics to his game call them "haters" Just avoid this game if you never played the kick off    An embarrassing disaster
    There's lack of game modes, no game career, no team clubs, just national teams, you can play only the euro cup competition and friendlies!!
    The AI is really disappointing, the game is to be fair ugly on gfx and poor sfx too

    The developer is attacking everybody give critics to his game call them "haters"
    Just avoid this game if you never played the kick off games, and if you were a fan back then don't be fooled by fanboys review here.    … Expand
  4. nezzko
    Jul 2, 2016
    2
    Massively disappointed in how this turned out. One of the worst football games ever produced, and I've played some downright stinkers in my time.

    For anyone to actually feel this deserves praise for just existing is a tad delusional, and really not helping the developers to learn from their mistakes.
  5. echidistanti
    Jun 27, 2016
    0
    this game is pure crap, it's worse than the original game from 20 years ago. Don't buy it. it's price should be about 0.90c. No options, horrible graphics, horrible AI. There's nothing left to save.
  6. TrvsBeastwood
    Dec 31, 2016
    1
    This is a sad attempt to cash in on nostalgia by an old and totally irrelevant game dev.
    Not sure what he was thinking to release that bugged piece of code.

    Once again, as a consumer, I´m left behind with the feeling of being robbed.
    This is an experience you get more and more in this industry.

    Don´t waste your money on this.
    Rather play ride to hell retribution and pay for it.
  7. AlCappucino
    Jun 27, 2016
    1
    First of all - massive fan of Kick off. Still play Player Manager regularly but on Android - something I know Dino despises. Which is a shame, because had he made a recreation of that game with the different modes it could have been a fantastic game. This is not.

    No matter how much I really wanted to love this game, no matter how excited I got from when it was given a release date this    First of all - massive fan of Kick off. Still play Player Manager regularly but on Android - something I know Dino despises. Which is a shame, because had he made a recreation of that game with the different modes it could have been a fantastic game. This is not.

    No matter how much I really wanted to love this game, no matter how excited I got from when it was given a release date this is a lousy game. I had a small sense of fear when small clips of game play got released but still downloaded it.

    I don't really give a **** about graphics, but presentation, menu, no options, no different game modes, no bookings, no tactics is just a few of the bad things at hand here. The biggest one is sadly on the field where it's a combination of lousy AI, weird movement and just bizarre play.

    Quite frankly this wouldn't even be acceptable as a pre- pre- pre- pre-beta version. Sadly I have no real hope of being motivated to download this again (I deleted it). Because judging from comments on Twitter - Dino Dini isn't really prone for negative feedback.    … Expand
  8. SWOS
    Jun 29, 2016
    0
    Shocking that they was released in its present state. Rushed, buggy, missing the most basic features you'd expect to be included. All just to cash-in on Euro16.

    If it was advertised as a beta or an early access title then fine. But it wasnt. Game is almost as bad as the egotistical dev that made it. Almost.

    Avoid.
  9. f2525
    Jul 4, 2016
    3
    Let me try to bring some balance to this. This game is not a '0' and it is not '10'. It does, however, veer closer towards 'bad game' than it does 'good game.'

    I have been playing soccer games for 30 years. Goal! made by Dino Dini, was one of my favourites. The graphics were basic, the content was sparse enough, but the gameplay was fantastic. A one button game that felt very natural.    Let me try to bring some balance to this. This game is not a '0' and it is not '10'. It does, however, veer closer towards 'bad game' than it does 'good game.'

    I have been playing soccer games for 30 years. Goal! made by Dino Dini, was one of my favourites. The graphics were basic, the content was sparse enough, but the gameplay was fantastic. A one button game that felt very natural. Very close to the real thing. I was really looking forward to this game, bought it on the day of release and would have preordered it had the option been available.

    When you ignore all the valid complaints people have about Kick Off Revival, with regard to content, options, presentation etc., and look at the core of the game, the gameplay, you are left with something I can only describe as inherently broken and disappointing.

    Let's look at an essential element of any football game. The ball. The physics of the ball, how it moves, and how characters interact with the ball are just plain wrong. The ball behaves more like a cross between a ping pong ball and a tennis ball than a football. When kicking the ball, I have seen, on occasion, the ball bounce up higher than when it was struck, like you would see a tennis ball behave when struck with top spin.
    When you slide tackle you slide 15 yards, the strafe mechanism is awkward and I have also managed to score a header from 40-50 yards, close to the halfway line.
    These things shouldn't happen in a football game.

    I never had these problems with Goal! It wasn't a perfect sim, but it was more natural, more intuitive. That game was made over 20 years ago. It shouldn't be too hard to achieve these basics now.

    This game is nowhere near finished. Most importantly, the gameplay is broken and full of glitches. But also, the lack of content, options and customization is quite shocking. It feels like a student's project.
    This is a PS4 game. One of the factors that make games so good these days is the amount of polish and detail that goes into them. This is not a AAA game, but you just can't release a PS4 game in this state and expect it to be acceptable. Maybe Dino Dini needed more people around him to help him with this.

    The saddest thing about the this games is that it feels like a cynical attempt to cash in on a brand name. Indie and Retro games are hot at the moment. They're trendy. Combine this with the brand name and Euro 16 and you've the perfect opportunity to cash in.

    Dino Dini's handling of criticism and the game's reception is also regrettable. Criticism is squashed. All praise is celebrated. It makes me think the game will never come close to its potential.

    Those who say it's a '0' are angry. Those who say it's a '10' are nostalgic, unrealistic and are comforting themselves, in my opinion.
    It's a shame they didn't just wait until it was finished and focus on making a game that would stand the test of time and become a cult classic again. In it's current state it won't.

    It's a '3' or '4' for me now. Hopefully they can get it up to a '6'. I would take gameplay improvements over content.    … Expand
  10. mrEden088
    Dec 1, 2016
    0
    Worst game ever. Save yourself the trouble. Do not buy this game. Don't even bother playing it. This developer is clearly untalented and unmotivated. I wanted to buy it because I enjoyed the first one, but the fact they released this broken game is clearly a disgusting money grab. Game devs in their first year of school can make a better game than this.
  11. jupean
    Dec 2, 2016
    0
    Horrific game - I have never felt so angry with a game purchase as I did with this. If I lost £15 in the street I would shrug and move on, but this felt like my money was stolen. The game was clearly unfinished - at an alpha state at best - with fundamental features missing yet the greedy developer and publisher launched it early to try and take money out of peoples pockets based on theHorrific game - I have never felt so angry with a game purchase as I did with this. If I lost £15 in the street I would shrug and move on, but this felt like my money was stolen. The game was clearly unfinished - at an alpha state at best - with fundamental features missing yet the greedy developer and publisher launched it early to try and take money out of peoples pockets based on the Euros Tournament. This game has taught me that nostalgia is not what its cracked up to be, and has totally ruined any positive memories I had towards the original Kick Off and Kick Off 2. What's worse is that Dino Dini sits on twitter and aggressively attacks anyone in his own inimitable passive aggressive style if you dare to question or criticise the game or the experience of having bought it. His justification is that he has a community of happy players - the KORmunity. Well Dino - at last glance - this community has 80 members - count 'em. Sorry Dino, but you have to face the fact that you asked for money for an unfinished game, and you wrote a game that is not relevant. I would LOVE for someone to return my money - the very worst game I have ever bought… Expand
  12. kickoffworld
    Dec 10, 2016
    0
    Probably one of the poorest game I ever played on PS4, it would be a nice game on android at 0.99€ but 10€ is an offence to the game industry,
    I can believe sony needed a cash cow to milk some money from nostalgic players, so they find the right coder from the 90s which hasn't released a single game for over 20 years but had a great success on early 90s till better football games were    Probably one of the poorest game I ever played on PS4, it would be a nice game on android at 0.99€ but 10€ is an offence to the game industry,
    I can believe sony needed a cash cow to milk some money from nostalgic players, so they find the right coder from the 90s which hasn't released a single game for over 20 years but had a great success on early 90s till better football games were released,
    I would say the game looks exactly like being made by a coder that hasn't made games for ages, it's more like a student incompleted work than a professional football simulation, Kick Off Revival has been ridden with bugs and has missing most of the feature football games had even 25 years ago.(I mean seriously in 2016 can I only play the Euro Cup competition???)
    Adding this the attitude of Dino Dini insulting everybody that complain about having bought and incomplete game and blocking customers claiming their money back
    I can't be surprised the game is the worst rated game in 2016 on PS4, publisher and coder should be ashamed about their game, but seems they prefer insulting reviewers and players that don't like this rubbish.
    Time to move on, if u like old school football games try instead Active Soccer 2 DX or Sociable Soccer which they'll be released on PS4 very soon.    … Expand
  13. Allen123
    Nov 30, 2016
    0
    This is by far the most uncreative game I have played. It s almost as if the game developer hasn't improved one iota since the old days of gaming. It is a money grab and is inferior to most phone games. You can there there was no creativity here and it was a simple port of an outdated game.

    Don't waste your time, watch a video, and don't bother buying it.
  14. tobyto
    Jun 25, 2016
    1
    Worst game ever. I'm still looking for something to save this retro-horror game, but its salvation is lost in the three pixels used to make this crap.
    Dino Dini kicks out, soccer is off.
  15. devnine
    Apr 10, 2017
    8
    It could have been such a glorious return as the game itself is great fun. If your willing to put in some time and effort you will be rewarded. If you like shiny things that glitter, this isn't the game for you.

    This game isn't a pick up and play game. It will take game after game to appreciate how to play the game properly which may put off many players. Doing tutorials isn't fun but    It could have been such a glorious return as the game itself is great fun. If your willing to put in some time and effort you will be rewarded. If you like shiny things that glitter, this isn't the game for you.

    This game isn't a pick up and play game. It will take game after game to appreciate how to play the game properly which may put off many players. Doing tutorials isn't fun but you need to understand the game controls in order to get the most out of this game.This isn't kick off 2 but rather a mashup of kick off 2 and Goal.

    sadly, Kick Off Revival (KOR) was rushed to market by the publisher in order to capitalise on the Euro 2016 championships. The game wasn't ready and neither were the audience. It's now 1 year since the original release and there have been 8 releases which shows the dedication of the developer.    … Expand
  16. addyb
    Jun 25, 2016
    7
    First let me say im an old school gamer and kick off 1&2 are amongst my favourite games of all time. I was always dubious about this before release as i know remakes can be terrible at times.
    New comers to the game will more than likely hate it. Its nothing like fifa and pes. Its old school, one button does all. Its fast and frenetic and no room for error. Think of it like the dark souls    First let me say im an old school gamer and kick off 1&2 are amongst my favourite games of all time. I was always dubious about this before release as i know remakes can be terrible at times.
    New comers to the game will more than likely hate it. Its nothing like fifa and pes. Its old school, one button does all. Its fast and frenetic and no room for error. Think of it like the dark souls of football games. You need to sink plenty of time in to get some competent skills.

    Ok now the bad. Dino himself said it was rushed out so at the moment game modes are restricted to practice, single player, euro cup and 1vs1 online.

    The core gameplay itself needs some tweaks. The ai can be questionable at times and the game is also card free so some games can descend into foul fests with no repercussions. Corners and freekicks can be hard to do right as well and goalkeepers could be a touch better.

    The game will have ongoing patches so expect improvements. It is barebones at the moment and the gameplay needs some refinement but im enjoying it as the netplay connection is solid and its fun to play.

    Those on the fence id advise you wait for patches. Those like me who want to relive it now warts n all dive in!    … Expand
  17. STILTONFONDU
    Feb 2, 2017
    10
    Don't play this game unless you are willing to make an effort to learn its nuances.

    As with the original series you need to learn how to play. It doesnt come with stabilizers like your first bike (or FIFA/PES) Many reviews here are unfair as the users probably havent invested enough time to learn the controls or havent understood that the game is receiving regular updates and Dino    Don't play this game unless you are willing to make an effort to learn its nuances.

    As with the original series you need to learn how to play. It doesnt come with stabilizers like your first bike (or FIFA/PES)

    Many reviews here are unfair as the users probably havent invested enough time to learn the controls or havent understood that the game is receiving regular updates and Dino Dini is streaming its development on Twitch just about every day/night. Many negative points raised here have already been addressed.

    There is a growing community of players "kormunity" willing to help new players get to grip with the game.

    It is not a Kick Off 2 remake and its rather pointless venting about that. It is a new game by a great game designer that is improving with every update.

    My advice is to stick with it if you have it. Get the updates. Learn how to play.

    Don't be put off by the reviews. It is a difficult but thoroughly rewarding game which is quite rare these days    … Expand
  18. MeAndU
    Jul 1, 2016
    10
    As a fan of the original Kick 1,2 & Goal on the Amiga, I've been missing my multi-coloured cruiser joystick and hours of Football for years, I've looked at PES & FIFA and they just don't cut it for me, they look and sound pretty but don't quite remind me of the younger days.
    Even Amiga emulators and remakes / copies of the games don't quite work without my trusty joystick. Well here    As a fan of the original Kick 1,2 & Goal on the Amiga, I've been missing my multi-coloured cruiser joystick and hours of Football for years, I've looked at PES & FIFA and they just don't cut it for me, they look and sound pretty but don't quite remind me of the younger days.
    Even Amiga emulators and remakes / copies of the games don't quite work without my trusty joystick. Well here comes in Revival, it's fun and addictive with the original simplicity of the one button and a stick to do everything.
    I found myself smiling again playing this fast frantic game of football, Dino has somehow managed to recreate that good old feeling of Kick Off on a gamepad. Yes the options are not quite up to what we normally expect from a £50 game but for £10 this is a bargain and a must buy.    … Expand
  19. Jb1978
    Dec 7, 2016
    9
    Finally!!! Great football game, need to train a lot of hours before understanding how works the playability. Then you can send the ball where you want! It's fast, hard and funny. I think player that leave bad comment give up before a couple of hours. I was near too.....it's so hard but give you a lot of satisfaction when you master it. Hope in more content in future (league, teams,Finally!!! Great football game, need to train a lot of hours before understanding how works the playability. Then you can send the ball where you want! It's fast, hard and funny. I think player that leave bad comment give up before a couple of hours. I was near too.....it's so hard but give you a lot of satisfaction when you master it. Hope in more content in future (league, teams, tactics,....) cause a simple euro cup is not enough. Happy to see that number of player is growing and it become easy to match an opponent online… Expand
  20. t0ester
    Jul 1, 2016
    10
    The best fun and enjoyment ive had in ages, love the old school mechanics and gameplay, yes its hard to master but its oh so rewarding when you stick with, also got to mention its great online community of players supporting the game. Brilliant. From Wickerman73.(tony)
  21. tulkasdk
    Jul 1, 2016
    8
    On the surface KOR looks simple and control scheme is really basic (a good thing), but beneath this is a surprisingly deep, fun and addictive game. Give it 30 minutes to learn the basics and discover a few nuances, and most people find it hugely rewarding to play. Even after many hours, the player will find new skills and nuances to improve - skills that take practice to master.On the surface KOR looks simple and control scheme is really basic (a good thing), but beneath this is a surprisingly deep, fun and addictive game. Give it 30 minutes to learn the basics and discover a few nuances, and most people find it hugely rewarding to play. Even after many hours, the player will find new skills and nuances to improve - skills that take practice to master. Featurewise there is work to be done but game is being improved and expanded even while I type this, the game will grow and improve over time. Current lack of some features should not turn people away from the game though since the game's core is solid and there's a lot of fun to be enjoyed already. A must-buy.… Expand
  22. Raduga
    Sep 20, 2016
    8
    Harks back to days gone by of the Arcade style football game. A great game online and a great title to pick up and have a few games of FUN football.

    The idea here is to pit your skills against other people, not AI. Practice is in order if you are to develop the skills needed to string a fluid passing move together resulting in a curved shot nestling in to the top corner of the goal,    Harks back to days gone by of the Arcade style football game. A great game online and a great title to pick up and have a few games of FUN football.

    The idea here is to pit your skills against other people, not AI. Practice is in order if you are to develop the skills needed to string a fluid passing move together resulting in a curved shot nestling in to the top corner of the goal, leaving the keeper stranded.

    The new controls mechanism does take some getting used to with the left stick angle setting the power of your pass/shot/speed of movement, but again, practice playing against others online and you will start to develop a way of managing this, pulling off passes and shots you wouldn't have though possible when you started playing.

    None of the options people seem expect from a modern game are there; club teams, edit modes, career etc but this game is about having fun and pitting your skill against other players. Learn the basics in the tutorial and AI in the Euro cup then take your game online. Yes, you'll probably get beaten a few times, but watch the other player as you compete and learn from them.    … Expand
  23. gawagaa
    Dec 6, 2016
    9
    This game takes me right back to being 12, pleading with my Dad to bring back an Atari ST colour monitor from school (only had a mono screen), so that it could be a kick-off 2 weekend, using 3.5" floppy disks to save goal replays and endlessly trying to get better so that I could win a World Cup tournament....

    For core gameplay, Revival delivers on the look & feel of the original Kick    This game takes me right back to being 12, pleading with my Dad to bring back an Atari ST colour monitor from school (only had a mono screen), so that it could be a kick-off 2 weekend, using 3.5" floppy disks to save goal replays and endlessly trying to get better so that I could win a World Cup tournament....

    For core gameplay, Revival delivers on the look & feel of the original Kick Off series, and evolves in certain areas, perhaps even to its detriment for some users, (the game mechanics being more analog & consequently more expressive – or more difficult depending on what side of the fence you sit) I do find some sympathy towards this and perhaps the controls could be refined or customised a little so that they're more intuitively picked up by first time users.

    I personally find the game hugely addictive & fun. Would I be saying that if I wasn't already emotionally invested in this game because of its legacy? perhaps, perhaps not. Like a dissonant musical chord this game is going to either rub some people completely the wrong way, while for others it will arouse enough intrigue to get over the initial 'this is a bit different' factor to find something beautiful underneath. Perhaps I'm naive in thinking that Revival has the potential to attract a new audience, ok it's never going to get a massive mainstream gamer audience, but all for the better, in an era of Internet subcultures, niche is hopefully still sustainable in some way or fashion.

    My main point is don't let the naysayers get you down, if you enjoyed the original Kick Off & Kick Off 2, there should be something for you here. If you're new to top down football games and want to dance a new dance, there should be something for you here. Most negative ratings seem to be from the release in June which patches have since addressed with more on the way. If the cash-grab criticism towards the developers of this game had any truth, support & active development would have died long ago.

    Shine on all you crazy Kick-off'ers    … Expand
  24. Zague69
    Apr 4, 2017
    10
    "There are plenty of games out there that do not rely so much on skill building. Just as with KO2, KOR is about your own personal journey as you develop your skills. That is the whole point of the game." #AntiFOOTIX
  25. BlockMate
    Jun 28, 2016
    8
    I'm pretty certain that the majority of people calling this game trash have spent less than 30 minutes playing it. It's easy to be critical of a game when you find it too hard or you're not very good at it, but KOR is a game that gets better and better as you get better and better. If you want to play a football sim game where the ball sticks to your shoes like glue, I'd suggest playingI'm pretty certain that the majority of people calling this game trash have spent less than 30 minutes playing it. It's easy to be critical of a game when you find it too hard or you're not very good at it, but KOR is a game that gets better and better as you get better and better. If you want to play a football sim game where the ball sticks to your shoes like glue, I'd suggest playing FIFA. If you want to play a football arcade game that rewards players who spend time mastering the gameplay, you'll enjoy KOR.… Expand
  26. spencertherover
    Jul 3, 2016
    10
    At long last this gen gets a game with REAL playability. An 'old school' footy sim that's easy to learn, hard to master.A very welcome change from the annual FIFA /PES snoozefest.
    Fantastic online and offline play. I see lots of negative reviews, I can only assume they are from people who can't or can't be bothered to learn the game.
  27. Sheldon54
    Jun 27, 2016
    8
    Funny Soccer game where the ball is not stuck to the foot.
    Very easy and quick to make a network game with a friend.
    The game play is unique because legacy Kick Off 1 & 2, one likes or dislikes: 1 stick and 1 button, it's a game play choice desired by the developer. Need training (spending time to play) to control but we have fun in the first game. The interface is fast and simple.    Funny Soccer game where the ball is not stuck to the foot.
    Very easy and quick to make a network game with a friend.
    The game play is unique because legacy Kick Off 1 & 2, one likes or dislikes: 1 stick and 1 button, it's a game play choice desired by the developer.
    Need training (spending time to play) to control but we have fun in the first game.
    The interface is fast and simple.

    If you want :
    - to have fun alone or with a friend to a football game (KickOff2 Touch)
    - skill challenge at Football game
    - game not expensive
    => Go    … Expand
  28. Vader82
    Sep 6, 2016
    8
    Enjoyed the game at first but the new update has improved it greatly. More playable now, keepers are better, cards and deflections make it a better game. For the price its good fun.
  29. aidano
    Jun 28, 2016
    7
    It's a bit bare bones, and the graphics and sound are way too basic. I would recommend the developer works with a good designer to improve the visuals in particular. The stadium and crowd graphics are cringeworthy! It's more than a bit of a stretch to claim that this is all part of the 'retro revival' theme in this game.

    Overall though it's a very solid game at its core and is very    It's a bit bare bones, and the graphics and sound are way too basic. I would recommend the developer works with a good designer to improve the visuals in particular. The stadium and crowd graphics are cringeworthy! It's more than a bit of a stretch to claim that this is all part of the 'retro revival' theme in this game.

    Overall though it's a very solid game at its core and is very rewarding after you put the effort in to get over the steep learning curve, and I'm looking forward to playing this again and again as the playability is so high. But please, make it look better. Gameplay isn't *literally* everything.    … Expand
  30. Pidgod72
    Jul 7, 2016
    8
    As a self proclaimed lover of Dino Dini's Goal! an the Commodore Amiga from the 90's, much preferring it to the later Sensible Soccer in it's various incarnations, I heard about the new Kick Off Revival being developed earlier in the year. As the launch got nearer, I checked the Facebook page and saw the release had been delayed a week, now being released on the 24th June, what I didn'tAs a self proclaimed lover of Dino Dini's Goal! an the Commodore Amiga from the 90's, much preferring it to the later Sensible Soccer in it's various incarnations, I heard about the new Kick Off Revival being developed earlier in the year. As the launch got nearer, I checked the Facebook page and saw the release had been delayed a week, now being released on the 24th June, what I didn't expect then was the early reviews I read BEFORE the game was actually released, which all basically ripped it apart. These early reviews were based on the pre-release version, before the day one patch was available So I purchased a copy from my local GAME store and took it home expecting to be disappointed. All I can say is I wasn't, it's a really, really great game, by no means perfect! But it's laying the foundations for a great football game. This is why I don't understand the reviews or the 'haters' Dino made it totally clear that the initial release was going to be just that, he wanted (no doubt being pressured by time frames and commitments) to get it out, and made it quite clear that the game would receive free and regular updates.

    The problem with these early reviews and zero rated one's is, how can you rate a game like this after only a few hours (or more likely minutes) of game play, all the early Kick-Off games and Goal! took days and weeks to master, and when you did you were rewarded with fast, exciting, rewarding, FUN game play.

    As I say it's not perfect, and I think the speed needs to be tweaked a little to slow the pace a touch, the zoom level for me is a little out and would benefit from being a little closer to the action and while the control system is great, the analogue stick does take some getting used to using the single button, but once you do.... it becomes second nature and everything clicks into place.

    These (and many more) are things that Dino is actively working on, you can even interact with the guy and give him feedback from his Twitch page!! I'm sure when the 1.2 patch is release in the next week or so there will be lots of people having to eat their words - or more likely starting to play the game!!    … Expand
  31. peteuplink
    Jul 1, 2016
    10
    I'll be honest that I was a little worried about getting this game. some of the reviews haven't been good, and I've not properly played a football game since Fifa '98 on the original Playstation. So what was I going to make of this?

    I got the game Tuesday, being nicely surprised to find that it came with a limited edition t-shirt, and fired up my PS4. After waiting almost an hour for    I'll be honest that I was a little worried about getting this game. some of the reviews haven't been good, and I've not properly played a football game since Fifa '98 on the original Playstation. So what was I going to make of this?

    I got the game Tuesday, being nicely surprised to find that it came with a limited edition t-shirt, and fired up my PS4. After waiting almost an hour for the console to update itself and install patches for my installed games (I really should play it more often), I started the game. I was actually quite surprised at how minimal the game looked. It had no options screen that I could find (unless it's hidden away somewhere) and there didn't appear to be any setup options for match length or opponent skill. I started a match and... Oh no! What hell is this? I couldn't get possession of the ball. I kept running beneath it thinking it was on the ground. I kept losing the ball when I changed direction. Every time I tackled I did a slide and fouled the opposing player and then the AI scored against me, following in quick succession by 4 more. I could feel the frustration mounting, and was all set for packing it in. But then I remembered that the original game had somewhat of a learning curve too. The ball wasn't nailed to your foot like it is in other games, you had to time your changes of direction like a real player would so that the ball was on your foot when you turned. I was pretty sure that the problems I was having were me, the way I was trying to play it, and not the game.

    So I took a break and went off to look at Dino Dini's live Twitch feed (link) where he's feverishly working away on the game and fixing bugs for the next patch. Honestly, I don't think he ever sleeps. He was working away on the game when I went to bed last night at midnight and he was still there when I signed in again at 9am this morning. I asked him a few questions about the game, specifically about the controls, and he told me what I was doing wrong. I learned that by holding the X button down I could tackle the AI players without sliding and therefore had a better chance of taking the ball cleanly. With this knowledge I went to play a couple of practise sessions and started to re-learn the timing for changing direction. The players in Kick Off dribble the ball by kicking it slightly ahead of them, so if you change direction when the ball isn't on your toe you'll lose it. I started a new game and... I lost! But this time I understood why I lost and I didn't lose by as much as the first game. I've been steadily improving and, even though I'm still losing, I'm not losing by much. My last game was 3-2.

    There's been a lot of complaints about the game, mainly by people who don't understand what it's really about. First off I'm going to address some of these by saying that the game is not a football simulation. It's an arcade game that somewhat resembles football, in the same way that Pitstop II is an arcade game that somewhat resembles Formula 1. You wouldn't compare Pitstop II to Project Cars, so you shouldn't compare Kick Off Revival to Fifa or PES. It's a completely different animal altogether. Pitstop II was designed to be challenging but fun, not realistic. The same can be said of Kick Off Revival. Okay, so there are no red or yellow cards and no off-side rule (and I think the game should have different skill levels for the AI so the player can learn the game at an easier setting and move up when they're ready for a bigger challenge). But there was no off-side rule in the original game either and I can't recall if the original had cards or not, it's been so long since I played it. It's a retro-styled football game done the way football games back in the 80's/90's, before gaming and gamers started to take themselves too seriously, were done.

    Now, I know that the game has issues. I think even Dino himself will acknowledge this. He's busy working away on a new patch to chip off some of the rough edges. He's also very open to people visiting his Twitch stream and asking questions about the game. If you're struggling with the game, give him a shout and he'll try his best to answer you. You may still find that the game isn't your cup of tea even after doing this, but that doesn't mean the game isn't any good, it just means that it doesn't suit you. For example, I can't play any Dark Souls game. I'm totally rubbish at it. But I acknowledge the fact that I'm the problem, not the game. If I sat down to play Dark Souls properly I'd probably work it out. However, it's just not my sort of game, so I leave it alone.

    So in summary: Dino Dini's Kick Off Revival is a football game designed the way football games used to be designed. It's an arcade game that resembles football, not a football simulator. It's difficult, but you can learn how to play it well if you take the time to, and the developer is willing to answer your questions and accept suggestions (if people are civil about it) for the game.    … Expand
  32. vascr
    Aug 25, 2016
    10
    I really like the game and i think patches will fix the issues. Being fan of Kick off II back in 1990 i really like this new game. I can understand why young people don't like it. Its hard.They should give it a try. Its fast and exciting.
  33. DEANJIMMY
    Jun 29, 2017
    10
    Released in June 2016 I want to review the game right now, one year after its release.

    It was buggy and incomplete in June/July 2016 but I could feel the potential. As a former Kick Off 2 tournament player (until 2014) I was curious about how KOR will develop. Well, from August 2016 on, patches made the game more an more playable and now, in June 2017 it became a real good game! You    Released in June 2016 I want to review the game right now, one year after its release.

    It was buggy and incomplete in June/July 2016 but I could feel the potential.
    As a former Kick Off 2 tournament player (until 2014) I was curious about how KOR will develop.
    Well, from August 2016 on, patches made the game more an more playable and now, in June 2017 it became a real good game!
    You will need weeks of training to get the controls under control and you will need months of training to have full control of your play.
    But then it is very satisfying. The game does not deliver much content regarding leagues, tournaments, etc but I don't really miss it!
    Multiplayer online shooters never get a bad review due to a tiny one player part, right?
    KOR means to train vs CPU and play online or on your couch vs other human players.
    You don't have players on the field with different stats, skills, tricks and scripted animations.
    It is all about your own personal skill perfectly made for e sports competition :)
    The ball bounces from your feet and can only be controlled when it touches your feet.
    If you never played KO2, don't give up the first week or even first hour. It takes time to learn it.
    If you did play KO2, remember how your play did look like the first day and then one year later.
    If you still play KO2, compare your play from 1990 and today.
    Isn't there a huge difference in your play?
    Yes, and KOR needs the same time to learn. Younger players finding the souls series too tough should not try KOR ;)
    I mentioned KO2, well KOR plays a bit different. You still need only one button to stop, pass an shoot.
    You can add aftertouch AND you control your movement with an ANALOGUE stick.
    Most players always push the stick full way and never get the full potential of the game.
    Once you learned how far to push the stick in which situation, you will see that the game gives you much more possibilities than you thought.
    I guess most of the former KO2 players who wrote a bad review never got even close to this point.
    If you push the stick only half way thru, the player will run at half speed or pass with half power or shoot with half power.
    If you keep the stick pushed after the ball gets kicked, it will roll low.
    If you release the stick after the ball got kicked, the ball will go up in the air. As faster you release the stick, as higher it will go.
    Together with the traditional aftertouch you can send the ball at any height to any distance with any swerve you like... pure physics. Well, at least if you did train every day for a half years time ;)

    This is for retro and hard core gamers. Either you like it or you hate it but it is an excellent game!
    The Vita version is quite similar and very playable, both version are cross buy.
    This is my most played game on PS4 for the last 12 months and my most played game ever on this console.    … Expand
  34. Mohac
    Aug 15, 2016
    9
    The game is great in my point of view. If you are looking for old-school addictive arcade soccer experience, this is the one you've been waiting for. It lacks a few features that made the original Kick Off an epic game. But those can easily be added with updates. After the patch 1.02, KOR is much more fluid, fast and addictive. If you are not into fancy graphics & sound but expect greatThe game is great in my point of view. If you are looking for old-school addictive arcade soccer experience, this is the one you've been waiting for. It lacks a few features that made the original Kick Off an epic game. But those can easily be added with updates. After the patch 1.02, KOR is much more fluid, fast and addictive. If you are not into fancy graphics & sound but expect great gameplay, then Kick Off Revival is a must.… Expand
  35. TheLastofMe
    Aug 2, 2019
    1
    Quite how anyone thought this game was ready for release is beyond me. It’s more like a proof-of-concept demo, and for the many people looking for a nostalgic return to classic football games, a massive disappointment.
  36. CamyVero
    Feb 27, 2021
    5
    A good retro football game, but it has a big problem, the lack of content. If it had the options that for example 'Super Kick Off' had with the possibility to play cups, leagues and a squad and player editor, we would be talking about an excellent game. It only has the possibility to play one cup in single player mode and the online is by invitation only, which makes it difficult to playA good retro football game, but it has a big problem, the lack of content. If it had the options that for example 'Super Kick Off' had with the possibility to play cups, leagues and a squad and player editor, we would be talking about an excellent game. It only has the possibility to play one cup in single player mode and the online is by invitation only, which makes it difficult to play matches. Only recommended for fans of the old games. A real shame of a game. However, the graphics look fantastic and the control is as fun and challenging as the classic games.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
31

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 22
  3. Negative: 18 out of 22
  1. Games Master UK
    Sep 6, 2016
    8
    Like England's current squad this is woeful, broken, and actually depressing. [Sept 2016, p.85]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Sep 6, 2016
    20
    This may not be the worst Kick Off game ever, but even blind nostalgia can't redeem its many faults. [Sept 2016, p.108]
  3. Gameblog.fr
    Aug 26, 2016
    60
    If you were a Kick Off fan (or still are), you will probably find what you expected: a truly difficult game to master, faithful to its roots and that doesn't want you to feel assisted. If you're not familiar with the series, you'll first notice poor visuals and lack of content. But if you take some time to master, you sure can have some good fun.
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