Midway's Hitz series has had considerable success over the last two years. Originally starting off as an over the top football game and then moving onto ice hockey, each game has captured the excitement of a no holds barred sports experience. Midway continues this tradition by moving into onto the pitch with soccer. While the end result is something different than EA Sport's footie titles, there is still something not quite right taking the game of soccer to the extreme in terms of contact. It is not a contact sport by nature, thus herewithin lies the major problem with the premise of RedCard 20-03.

The visuals in RedCard 20-03 took me by surprise. The Hitz series were never really renowned for their visual presentation but Midway has gone the extra distance here to deliver a very nice looking game that rivals any of the soccer games currently on the market. The stadiums are visually stunning with realistic texturing and beautiful shadow effects during night games. The fans are brought to life with massive cheers accompanied by the usual flag waving. The player animations are also very credible. Since RedCard 20-03 is based on the theory of extreme tackles and the sort, Midway have included different types of exaggerated kicks including bike, flip and scissor kicks as well as jukes, dekes and quick passing from feet to head. The soundtrack and voicework are competent yet standard for a soccer game.

The game plays fairly well considering the onslaught you must endure to move the ball up and down the field. Thankfully the developers have included a number of special moves and shot options for the offensive strategy. This in turn makes the game fun to play and experiment with. There are some nifty camera movements when certain button combinations are pushed. This time-warp camera effect delivers realistic replay animations and allows for increased shooting velocity when gamers approach the scoring range. The actual control is easy enough for anyone to pick up and master in no time. The key is learning how to be efficient with all of the special moves as not to get burned by your opponent. To do this, players must use their turbo and associated super human moves conservatively and timely.

RedCard 20-03 offers a number of options to keep players coming back. There are four main gameplay modes including Friendly Mode, Tournament/Party Mode, World Conquest Mode and Finals Mode. The game is FIFPro Licensed which is a global association that protects the rights of professional soccer players around the world. There is also a viable Create-a-Team mode which allows players to create their own custom super-team by collecting attribute points awarded by beating teams in single player mode. Add to this rewards and power-ups which allow skilled players to unlock modes, teams and stadiums and uncover hidden power-ups to enhance the game and add replay value.

If you are a hardcore soccer fan who is looking for a simulated experience, stick with FIFA. Otherwise those curious for something different in a soccer game should at least give RedCard 20-03 a weekend rental.