As the PlayStation 2 surpasses its two-year anniversary, one development company has struggled to reclaim the fame they once had on Sony's original Playstation. 989 Sports used to be a strong contender against EA for many years, lead by their impressive Game Day, Face Off and MLB series. Both critics and gamers have not given much praise lately, as for some reason the company has lost a certain something that made their earlier games so special. That is until this year. So far we have seen a decent college basketball game, an impressive upcoming baseball title, and now 989 gives EA's FIFA series a good kick in the butt with World Tour Soccer 2003.

World Tour Soccer 2003 brings something to the table this year that EA's series neglected totally, the option of customization, not only to the players, but the team names and uniforms as well. Throw in a great looking game, fantastic game play and A.I., and a wealth of options that won't fail to impress any sports fan, and this year I'd have to give the "football" crown to 989. Let's take a look at what makes this title a winner this year.

Visually WTS 2003 is impressive in many aspects. The stadiums are detailed not only in design, but the effects of the flags waving and confetti/smoke machines in the crowd that actually litter the field is very cool. Unfortunately the crowds look a little flat and are 2D, and there are no deterioration effects to the field during game play. The player models are extremely detailed; showing facial emotion as well as each player is distinguishable from another. The player animation is very smooth and shows no breaks between transitions. Weather effects are also done nicely, not only in precipitation, but the overcast days are also gray and glum. Everything has a clean look to it, with very little jaggies revealing their ugly heads. The game also sports a stylish, yet basic front end that is easy to navigate through the menus. All in all the game looks great, with no major complaints. Easily, this is 989's finest performance thus far on the PS2.

Audio does an adequate job to keep up with its visuals. The on field sounds are on par, as you hear the cleats dig into the pitch and connect with the ball accurately. Commentary is very good in that you rarely hear much repetitive chatter. The play-by-play analysis mentions players by name, except any players you edit or customize. The crowd is very responsive, getting into game in big moments, relaying chants if their team is behind, and showing support when necessary. Commentary is also offered in an impressive seven languages, for folks with multilingual capabilities. The lack of surround sound is a disappointment, especially in a game that is designed for such capabilities, but the sounds are fine nonetheless.

WTS 2003 plays like a dream. Tight and responsive controls help you perform all the headers, passes, and goal kicks with ease. Every button has an action, and if you don't like the button layout, you can edit them any way you'd like. No presets here. The A.I. is also very competitive for even the best soccer players out there. With 4 skill levels, finding a challenge won't be a problem. The game is also far from a score fest, as the goalkeepers are always on their toes. No fan of the sport should be unhappy with the game play here, as it is amazingly spot on.

What good are visuals, audio, and game play if you can't utilize it in many modes? Don't worry, as WTS 2003 supplies more options that you can wave a red card at. Exhibition, Season, Cup Competitions, Challenge Mode, a Customize your own competition mode, and of course, a Career Mode. The Career mode allows you to start off with a small school, and you developer them until they are ready to challenge the best teams in the world. The game also features 15 international leagues with 24 divisions, real top star's mapped faces from over 13000 players. Throw in 10 impressively detailed stadiums and you're ready for some action. There is also a Record option that not only tracks your trophies and user records, but your personal management records as well. The Challenge mode give you the opportunity to track high scores and post them on the WTS website, with the leaders being awarded prizes for the highest scores. Unfortunately there is no practice mode, but you'll have plenty of modes to practice in.