Final Kick Review

Final Kick is a simple but pleasant enough soccer playing experience. Focusing on the nail biting penalty shootouts that decide far too many crucial matches, it's a simple game to dive into during half time while the World Cup is on. It's pretty satisfying, too.

The key idea here is that players are either saving shots or trying to score. With the action solely focused on the penalty box, controls involve drawing a line to dictate where the ball is going to go. Curving shots are possible in this manner but so is overdoing it and sending the ball flying over the post. Saving a shot is similarly focused on drawing, with players needing to time when they leap for the ball. It's a simple mechanic, but quite effective and satisfying. It's also surprising how much skill is required in getting the shot just right, or timing when to catch the ball appropriately.

Final Kick offers up two ways of competing with offline tournaments as well as real-time multiplayer. The latter really needs one to hook up with friends, otherwise it can be pretty quiet, but the former should keep most entertained. As Final Kick is a freemium game, players are given a certain number of offline tournaments for free with more acquired by watching videos. It's not a bad system, but as someone who enjoyed playing it I'd be tempted to pay up to skip past the adverts.

It's also possible to train up one's side by setting up some timers, which is worthwhile in the long term but far from essential for the casual player. It does enough to add a little depth to the experience though.

Final Kick doesn't really evolve past the formula that players encounter five minutes into playing, but that doesn't strictly matter. It's a fun experience and the kind of game that lures one in any time there's a few minutes spare, even despite its relative simplicity.