Horror. Headers. Strikers. Scares. What do these things have in common? Nothing, really. The popularity and mass appeal of football (or soccer, if you’re in the United States) isn’t necessarily something you’d attach horror elements to, as the two worlds of screams and sport seem at odds with each other. But much the same way that games like Mutant League Hockey or Blitz: The League twisted their accompanying sports into something hilariously corrupted, FEAR FA 98 melds soccer with retro horror games in a delightfully irreverent package deal.
Co-developed and co-published by Jacob Jazz and Celery Emblem, FEAR FA 98 melds jagged polygons and copious amounts of blood with the top-down gameplay of your favorite soccer games of the past. There’s just one thing we have to ask: Does this combination actually work? And does its Steam Next Fest demo set a good impression for what’s to come?
Playing FEAR FA 98
Right from the get-go, it should be noted that FEAR FA 98‘s demo is just a playable teaser more than anything else. It only features a small snippet of content compared to what’s planned for the full release. Is there still enough here to get a decent idea of what to expect? I’d say so.
After a delightful callback to Silent Hill (“There are violent and disturbing images in this game”), you’re greeted with a main menu that gives you only two ways to play in total: one where you face off against the CPU, and one where you can play against a friend nearby. From there, you’re given a choice of two teams to play as. Do you want to play as some vaguely cult-looking hooded fellows or masked murderers? It’s a tough choice to make. Whichever horror aesthetic fits your mood.
From there, you’re thrust into the demo’s sole playable map, where you’ll engage in . . . well, a soccer match.
It’s not like an ordinary soccer match, but that’s really the crux of what you’ll be doing here. Eschewing the simulation elements found in the modern FIFA series or its competitors, FEAR FA 98 instead embraces both the arcadey and fantastical, giving you (and your opponent) some additional tools to work with. In addition to your standard tools of the trade—e.g., your legs, which let you pass, shoot, and take the ball from the opposing team—you also have a bevy of power-ups and stage hazards to avoid.
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My experience with these mechanics can be summed up in two words: “Silent Field.” The demo’s only playable map is defined by a giant roaming tree monster whose allegiances lie with nobody. He’s just there to knock the ball around and cause a bit more mayhem. Likewise, the numerous floating candles found along the field can grant a variety of supernatural effects, which can quickly stem the tide of an incoming rush. Or they’ll just annoy the hell out of you. The latter is best represented by a mysterious glowing field that can occasionally pop out of these, which slows everyone and everything to a snail’s pace for an uncomfortably long time.
Thankfully, what amounts to a simple soccer game is carried heavily by its unconventional aesthetics. Not only does FEAR FA 98 borrow its style from early 3D horror games, but it also comes with all the eccentricities of the era. Repeated voice lines with cheesy performances and gorgeous prerendered stills rival the very same games they’re inspired by. The occasionally offbeat moment promises an atmosphere on par with the best (and worst) of games like Silent Hill. The “KILLER GOAL!!!!” graphic that pops up every time you or the opposing team score made me nearly pop a stitch laughing the first time I saw it.
Should You Play FEAR FA 98?
It’s admittedly pretty tricky to talk at length about FEAR FA 98. What’s there to say? It’s all there, black and white, clear as crystal: the arcadey gameplay of FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 mashed up with retro horror elements in a gruesome twosome of contrasting ideas. But it works. In a functional way, at least.
Does the demo give off a good first impression? Sort of. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done. Some questionable GUI elements and a lack of overall polish occasionally raise an eyebrow, but it can be forgiven given the context of its release.
Is FEAR FA 98 worth trying out in its current state? It’s a strong maybe. The concept itself was enough to draw me in, but there’s not a lot going on with the demo right now otherwise. Still, it did its job in grabbing my attention. I’ll be keeping a passive eye on the game’s development in the meantime.
FEAR FA 98 will release on Steam in the near future. No concrete release date has been announced as of writing.
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