Inazuma Eleven Victory Road looks to revive the franchise after a 15-year drought for the mainline games. This game has been cancelled twice, delayed multiple times, and was originally announced all the way back in 2016. Thankfully, it’s finally coming out, and those who had early access to the game on Steam are already praising it. It has earned the Overwhelming Positive badge, and currently, 96% of the overall reviews are positive.
This is a major win for Level-5, the Japanese developers behind series like Ni no Kuni, Professor Layton, Megaton Musashi, and, of course, Inazuma Eleven. I think this Steam user review paints the best picture of what’s on offer here:
“Playing it again now just feels like being a kid all over — same energy, same love for football. The new game brought back countless special moves, and the team-building is actually deeper than I remember. Pure nostalgia.”
A Surprise Hit
With a game that has had such a shaky development cycle, you’d be right to expect the final product to be lackluster. Fortunately, that’s not the case here. Victory Road is not your traditional soccer game. It infuses classic JRPG mechanics with dramatic high-school sports storytelling, powered by super-moves, legendary team building, and anime-style flair.
The game has thousands of unlockable characters, and iconic animation studio MAPPA is responsible for the animated cutscenes. Its story takes place 25 years after the original series and follows new protagonist Destin Billows as he enrolls at South Cirrus Junior High and clashes with the powerhouse Raimon team.
The Chronicle Mode is a very interesting addition here, providing a completely separate storyline from the main Story Mode. It incorporates all the main campaigns of all previous Inzauma Eleven games, making it a very lengthy and nostalgic ordeal. Check out our breakdown of all the Victory Road game modes to learn more.
The actual matches in this game are fast, flashy, and full of energy. It has the kind of intense, stylised action you’d expect from shōnen anime. Signature special moves make an unsurprising return, and there are plenty of new mechanics and techniques to master. Cross-play and cross-save are also supported, letting you switch between PC, console, and handheld seamlessly.
For long-time fans of the franchise or anyone itching for a high-octane sports RPG, Victory Road is a rare gem that delivers on all its promises. The Deluxe Edition upgrade isn’t half bad either.
