At its core this is a solid, decent looking game that attempts, with fair results, to replicate the feel of handball. It’s fast-paced and simple to understand. After a handful of games, I was able to grasp the basics in attack while heavily relying on my goalkeeper in defense. Though from what I understand, that isn’t an unfair representation of the sport (correct me if that’s wrong!). Controls are responsive with different types of shots and full control over aiming.

Where the budget constraints show is away from the match play. There are zero bells or whistles. Between games in season mode, you view a simplified league table or the next round’s fixture list, you select your team for the next match and begin. This is more akin to what I was used to with sports games during the PS2 era, though notable series had a lot more going on even back then. No player statistics (goals, assists etc.), no detailed league table, no way to view previous results or future fixtures (except the immediate one).

Stamina and fitness are clear issues that need management, on-screen tips even remind you of this. Yet I found no way of checking fitness levels between games, or on the substitution menu in-game. So, the only way to check is to pass the ball to a player, see it live and remember who needs substituting.

It should be noted after a handful of games, I very quickly encountered a game-breaking bug. Mid-game, the whole screen became a moving abstract painting making the game unplayable. Initially, I could continue just unable to see anything useful even scoring a goal or two! Soon enough the only thing usable on screen was the game clock. After letting it run down, the match finished normally, but the next game began with the same problem. Closing the game and restarting fixed the issue.

Being handball rather than basketball or football, this is clearly on a much tighter budget than bigger sports franchises and aimed specifically at (mostly mainland) Europe. The core gameplay should be applauded even if it is very repetitive. But not being a fan of the sport itself, I played my way through half a season and a couple of games in career mode and moved on. Unfortunately, career mode is just as bare bones as season, playing exactly the same except with a simple player growth mechanic.

However, being of a field hockey background and hoping year after year for a game, I would love my sport to get something akin to this. If you’re a handball fan, you probably already played one of these games and enjoyed it. If you’re not, this is unlikely to convert you.