Dream League Soccer 6.13

Since we're still in soccer season here at Soft112, I wanted to draw attention on another title that might pique your interest. Dream League Soccer. I will inadvertently make comparisons with FIFA mobile, since I have been pounding that app for the most part of yesterday.

I'll be starting with the technical aspects. At 312 megs, compared to a fraction of that which FIFA mobile needs (initially anyway), Dream League is a beast to download and store. Make sure you don't use your data connection to install it, or you'll be shaving a few days of YouTube activities off your monthly allowance.

Dream League Soccer (DLS) is made to look like a 24/7 sports channel feed. I like the design. It's thematic without cluttering the screen with completely useless graphical gimmicks. DLS feels even more grounded in reality, with your club owning a home stadium. The stadium is used as backdrop during home matches and also represents and income source. You can upgrade it to make it look more impressive and to increase the cash flow.

From the "My Club" section you can spend on the stadium and also customize your team's outward appearance for both home and away matches. It's here also where you do your training. The training mode is very relaxed. It allows you to practice regular gameplay as well as specific instances like penalties and corner kicks.

Gameplay in DLS fairly tight, as there's virtually no AI associated with the active player, compared with FIFA, in which the player advances and passes on its own. You are in full control here, all the time. For this reason, the learning curve is a bit steeper. Every pass and shot is directly dependent on the player's orientation. There are also three ways to let the ball loose: There's a 'low' button which is reserved for short passes and quick shooting. There's a 'high' button, with which the ball is sent off in an arch over potential blockers. The button is also used to switch players when not in possession and to perform leap shots when receiving a high pass. Finally there's a third button, used for clearances and long passes.

If passes are relatively easy to perform, goal shots are much more difficult to pull off than in FIFA mobile. For once, you must be pointing in the right direction when shooting, which might not be the same as the one the player is moving towards. Beyond that, the combination of stats will determine success or failure.

A player has ten stats that influence everything from how long he can keep with the game, how fast he can accelerate, how well he can tackle et caetera. These stats can be developed by buying certain development 'packs' which develop three different areas simultaneously.

There's buying and selling in DLS. However, prices are automatically set, and there's no bidding on players like in FIFA. DLS can be played offline against the AI, on local Wi-FI, or online.

Final Thoughts

Dream League Soccer is a much more cleaner product than FIFA mobile. However, the 3D graphics are not that impressive. Player movements do feel a bit jerky, but that won't detract from the gameplay element, that is if you really enjoy the control scheme. All in all, Dream League Soccer looks honest to appearances. The InAppPurchase economy is simple to understand and not mandatory to use. In that, I commend the developers for creating the best possible experience for a freemium soccer simulator.