”FIFA 13” is out, as I’m sure every dorm-dweller knows, but the lesser-known but equally important “Tokyo Jungle” was released on the same day. Here’s a look at a game you’ve probably heard of, and another that you definitely haven’t.

“FIFA 13”

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 ($60)

4/5 Fireballs

I’m not exactly a sports guy, and certainly not a soccer guy. Prior to “FIFA 13,” my entire soccer career consisted of watching the 2010 World Cup final and playing a couple of matches of “FIFA 11.” But while the TV broadcast eventually left my curiosity as cold as any other sport, the game really caught my attention.

What sets “FIFA” apart from games like “Madden” and “NBA 2K” is the weight of the players. Those games give you almost unrealistic control over the players, sending them exactly where your control stick is pointed. “FIFA,” though, forces you to consider the simple physics of every situation, with players sometimes tripping over themselves to send kicks in the direction you dictate. This may sound like the opposite of what you’d want, but it feels more realistic and makes successful plays that much more satisfying.

As someone new to the sport, I found the game did little to explain things. There are some skill mini-games to teach you basic controls, but nothing covers the strategy of the game. I suppose the same could be said of any sports video game, but with soccer’s audience growing in the United States, I really think it would be useful. Some elements are imperfect with the shot meter, which determines the power of your kicks, making it a little hit or miss — literally.

The game modes are well rounded, with exhibition matches, online seasons, a career mode wherein you create your own player and the startlingly popular “Ultimate Team” mode, which mixes in some elements of a trading card game. You outfit your team with “cards” of different players and compete to eventually build the best team.

“FIFA 13” has made a fan out of me. Not many sports games can claim that. So whether you’re a World Cup champion or you can’t even understand why the timer counts up instead of down, it’s worth a try. Just don’t expect anything good to come of pitting an MLS team against Arsenal.

“Tokyo Jungle”

Platform: PlayStation 3 ($15)

4.5/5 Fireballs

Let’s get this out of the way: “Tokyo Jungle” is a game where animals — from terriers to elephants to velociraptors — vie for survival on the streets of Tokyo, long since devoid of human life.

This premise is exactly as crazy as it sounds and its novelty never really wears off. The developers could have easily gotten by slapping a simple action game onto a silly storyline, but instead, they made something engaging and surprisingly deep.

Playable animals are divided into two categories: grazers and predators, with only a deer and Pomeranian available at the start. You must hunt for food to manage your hunger, move through tall grass to avoid larger beasts and mark your territory, earning the right to mate with females —all playable animals are males — at nests.

The action is framed by challenges, suggesting that you eat a certain number of calories, or change generations by mating. Each individual animal has a unique challenge that will unlock the next animal, like taking over that animal’s territory. Finding gift boxes in the world also unlocks story missions.

These missions have you lead an army of beagles against a pack of larger dogs, or scout out the lions’ camp as a hyena. Yes, that’s a “Lion King” reference. The story is an interesting distraction, though survival mode is the real draw. It’s a little annoying to have to go back and forth between the two in order to unlock everything.

Other annoyances are minor. The camera is a little restrictive and the combat can be frustrating, particularly when in the story you don’t have the option of running away. It’s hard to beat the value, though. In Japan, this was a full $60 game, on a disc. We’re getting the same game as a $15 download. With such a low barrier to entry for such a jam-packed game, you owe it to yourself to experience the weirdness.

Published on October 7, 2012 at 11:34 pm

Contact Isaac: ikdavis@syr.edu