FIFA08 beats PES2008 to 1 million sales.
December 5, 2007
EA has today announced that FIFA 08, the latest and possibly greatest title in the long-running series, has become the first title released in 2007 to reach one million sales at UK retail.The publisher cites a host of reasons for the game’s success, including the brand new game engine, the extensive in-game licenses (including the Premier and Coca-Cola leagues with all the official teams and players), the inclusion of the FA Cup and the host of problems reported with its rival PES 2008.
FIFA 08 Vooks WII Review.
October 16, 2007
Each year like clockwork, EA release a new iteration of their successful sports series. Fifa, Madden, NBA Live and NHL, are all guaranteed to make a yearly appearance on every gaming platform known to mankind. After missing out last year tho, this season Fifa finally gets a chance to pull on its cleats and hit the pitch on Wii, bringing with it promises of more intuitive gameplay. How does it fair? Well, its somewhat of a mixed bag.
Firstly lets talk about the controls. Obviously a big motivator for getting the game on Nintendo’s console is that it controls radically different from every other version on the market. EA for the most part
have managed to translate the simple controls quite well on Wii, with A handling pass, B through pass, Z sprinting and a Wiimote gesture up or down to shoot. It works well and beginners should have no problems in putting together a nice passing game pretty quickly. Unfortunately, this will be a recurring theme, when it comes time to do more complicated moves, the control scheme quickly breaks down. EA appear to be reluctant to use the dpad on the wiimote for actions, and this severely limits the number of buttons available, making the game rely on a confusing array of button combinations to perform actions. The C button has essentially been turned into a modifier, and is used in almost every move imaginable. Double tap C to send a player on a run, hold C and Z to do pace control, and C plus either A or B will do a cross. In all other console versions of Fifa, these moves each have their own button, making it much easier to remember what needs doing in the heat of battle.
Gestures have also been used for the trick system, with some tricks implemented using the nunchuck and others on the wiimote. I must applaud EA for giving very clear indications as to what will happen when each gesture is activated. In previous versions, using the trick analog stick for anything more then flicking in a particular direction was a very, hit it and hope, system that didn’t give predictable outcomes. Unfortunately, and there’s that word again, the wiimote tricks are very hard to execute reliably without having your player shoot the ball. This is because moving the wiimote left/right will execute a trick, and moving it up/down will perform a shot. It seems far too easy to trigger the shoot gesture when you want your player to do a lane change instead. The other gesture that gets in the way is slide tackling on defense. Slide tackling is also mapped to wiimote down, the same gesture as shooting. This becomes a problem when an attacker and a defender are both near the ball, and instead of shooting like you want, your player will do a slide tackle, and generally if he connects will get yellow or red carded. Not very cool.
That’s not to say that the game isn’t fun. It absolutely succeeds in being quick to pick up and play, and returning veterans won’t have too many problems adjusting their game to the new wii specific controls. Another excellent point is that this is the first Fifa game on a Nintendo console to feature online play. Don’t be fooled by the lack of WiFi Connection logo on the box, this Fifa is indeed online ready. Instead of using Nintendo’s service, Fifa uses EA’s own online setup, which means no friends codes, buddy lists, lobbies and more. Hopefully Nintendo can learn from EA’s good setup how to put together a good online service for future WiFi games. Graphically, Fifa 08 is a welcome improvement from previous Gamecube offerings. Players look more like their real life counterparts, and move and animate with pleasing realism. There are some interesting glitches, such as player shadows completely disappearing when a player moves into a shaded area of the pitch, making the players look completely disconnected from the pitch. Replays use a depth of field blur effect as well, which whilst appearing clever, often focuses on the wrong thing, making the whole replay look like a blurred mess.
Exclusive to the Wii version is a sickeningly cute Footii Party mode, which offers Table Football, Juggling and Boot It minigames. Juggling is a rhythm style game asking players to match on screen cues with button combinations to keep their mii juggling the ball. Boot It has the player doing rapid fire penalties, and Table Football is the classic game we all know and love. Unfortunately this version is hard to love, as one has to move all rows at once instead of individually, and scoring is based more on luck then skill. Whilst a novel distraction for people not interested in the full game, Footii Party needs some serious work to be enjoyable for more then five minutes, and I hope EA don’t develop this mode at the expense of beefing up the main game. One final complaint, which is possibly my biggest problem with Fifa 08, is the amount of modes that have been removed from the game. No longer can you create your own players, or embark on any kind of manager mode. That’s correct, Fifa 08 for Wii has no manager mode what-so-ever. This is a massive detraction for anyone that plays Fifa even semi-seriously, as most of the fun to be had in the game is in steering your club to glory in the league and cup, qualifying for Europe, and engaging in trades to get your team the best it possibly can be. You can still play in single season tournaments, however the lack of a manager mode means you’re definitely left wanting for more. Manager mode omission is completely baffling, as the Wii version of Fifa is taken from the ps2/gamecube/xbox versions of last year which all featured a very robust manager mode.
Overall Fifa is an enjoyable game well worth a look for veterans and new comers alike. Die hard Fifa fans might want to stick to a rental to see how the controls have been implemented, as the depth is sorely lacking with the lack of manager mode. Those that aren’t fussed about completely a 15 year manager career tho should really check out Fifa 08 as its a radically different and enjoyable take on the beautiful game.
The Vooks Verdict
| Graphics | Gameplay | Sound | Value | Tilt |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Overall Score: 6.6 |
||||
FIFA 08 PS2 IGN Review.
October 12, 2007
First things first, soccer is not soccer, it’s football. For the rest of this review every time you see the word football – and this only applies to Americans, the rest of the world will already know what I’m talking about – I’m actually talking about soccer. The last few entries in EA Sports’ FIFA series have been some of the best football that we’ve seen as far as last-gen goes. The gameplay was as sharp as a knife, the graphics were – well, they were PS2 graphics but still held their own. Heck, the games came as close as any EA football effort has to equaling the glory of Winning Eleven 9. Is FIFA 08 the game to bring down Konami’s run of supremacy? Read on to find out.
Unlike the current-gen alternative, FIFA 08 on PS2 does not feel like a slightly undercooked game that could have been great. What gamers will find on their aging Sony platform is a football title that has all of its ducks in a row with features to spare. Remember how current-gen users got a Be a Pro Mode that only allowed you to play in one game with only one human player taking part? Well, on the PS2 you can create your own all-star hopeful with three of your friends and bring them through an entire season, improving your attributes all along the way. You won’t find the same repositioned camera angle and stylish icons that pop up to make the experience a bit more all-encompassing, but it’s still fun nonetheless. Even if you can’t take it online, it’s still nice to be able to play an entire season with your buddies.
There are also a few different types of online leagues that you can join in this year’s game. You and a bunch of your cohorts can pick your squads, then compete against each other in Interactive Leagues where your team’s rank is tracked against other global players, or you can participate in a standard grudge match-style tournament. Either way, the action online with the PS2 played out just as you’d expect with only slight lag depending on the distance between you and your opponent.
The biggest change that EA Sports made to the way you’ll play on the pitch this year has to do with manual controls. They’re not all that dissimilar from what PS3 and Xbox 360 players will see in FIFA 08, but they do provide for a solid level of control. Basically you’ll have the freedom to kick your crosses and through balls as hard as you want and in any direction possible. No more being tethered to an animation or predetermined direction, in this year’s game it all depends on the position of your left analog stick and how long you hold down the respective button. You’ll also have the ability to manually switch between players with a flick of the right analog. Again, nothing earth shattering, but the subtle changes are still appreciated.
Other than that the changes to the gameplay are fairly minimal. The artificial intelligence in FIFA 08 on PS2 isn’t up to the same level as what we’ve seen from the Xbox 360 and PS3 retail builds, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Goals are slightly more plentiful thanks to the fact that the defenders aren’t constantly breathing down your neck when maneuvering on their half of the field. We had a few scores that occurred just because we were able to dribble just outside of the 18-yard line uninhibited and blast a shot. It’s not as though we were punching in six or seven goals per game, but they certainly came more often than they would have on PS3.
There are now custom formations in the game, so you’ll be able to assign your players specific attacking and defensive runs and fiddle with the general formation of your team, just so long as you stay within the confines of the rules. It’s another simple addition, and one that will likely be taken for granted, but the fact it’s in there at all earns the game some extra brownie points.
Aside from the new modes that we’ve already mentioned you’ll also find several old favorites that, while they haven’t changed much, are still fun to toy around with. The meat of the game will still be the Manager Mode for the true soccer diehards, as it gives you total control of the moves of your favorite team. You can now assign preseason friendly matches and there are also a slew of new training options, some of which are unlockable, that will help develop your team’s football prowess.
FIFA 08 also has the classic challenge mode that seems to be finding its way into more and more of the EA Sports lineup. Essentially you select a section of the world, then a league to play in. You’ll then be given a specific set of win conditions, like scoring a certain amount of goals on a given difficulty and the only way you can unlock the next challenge is to beat those win conditions. The mode is simple enough but there are a ton of challenges to work through and should definitely be appreciated by the many diehard fans that are out there.
On top of that there’s a practice mode to hone your skills, a lounge mode, and a tournament mode where you can participate in plenty of licensed tournaments or create your own, depending on what you’re in the mood for.
The overall feeling that players will get from playing FIFA 08 on PS2 is one of control, much more so than what we see on Xbox 360 and PS3. You can adjust to passes a bit better, you can nudge guys off of balls in the air, and you can call defenders to your goalie when he takes a goal kick so you can stop your human opponents from getting a cheap steal and then getting an easy score. You’d be hard pressed to find anything to add to FIFA 08 on last-gen systems at this point, which makes this version feel like a fitting conclusion to an awesome series.
It’s too bad that the presentation values of the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 couldn’t be melded with the awesome gameplay of the PS2. As it stands the visuals on the aging system are definitely starting to show their wrinkles. The blurry player models from last year’s game are back again and everything from the cinematics to the replays just don’t look all that good. Even the pitch looks a bit barren. The animations still performs well, even if they aren’t as detailed as they are on current-gen platforms.
Closing Comments
As the sun sets on the Playstation 2 and its historical run at tackling videogame sales records, the FIFA series has come as close as ever to bringing down the Winning Eleven 9 vale of supremacy. It doesn’t quite bring the same exquisite blend of difficulty, authenticity, and fun, but it’s still a great game that is even slightly improved over ‘07’s stellar offering. Anyone who hasn’t played a FIFA game on the PS2 lately owes it to themselves to check this one out.
IGN Ratings for FIFA Soccer 08 (PS2)
FIFA 08 Gamasutra Review
October 10, 2007
This week’s edition of the regular Critical Reception column examines online reaction to FIFA Soccer 08, the newest entry in EA’s long-running soccer series that critics claim is “a football game that’s going to stick with you all season.”
Soccer sim fans have placed EA’s FIFA series and Konami’s Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer in close proximity in recent years, with each side earning its share of devoted players. Many critics felt that last year’s FIFA Soccer 07 lagged behind its competition, however, earning the title an average review score of 73 out of 100. This year’s offering, FIFA Soccer 08, appears to fare a bit better, boasting a Metacritic-averaged rating of 83 out of 100.
Harry Neary at Boomtown gives FIFA Soccer 08 an overall rating of 9 out of 10. “FIFA 07 and UEFA Champions’ League showed that EA was taking its football franchise very seriously,” he begins. “It’s only until now – nearly two years after the release of Xbox 360 – that we get a full-on complete FIFA package.”
Neary explains: “Finally we get all the teams and features – four divisions of English teams for example and the introduction to next-gen systems of the interactive leagues system that debuted on the older consoles last year.”
Neary is impressed with FIFA 08’s new single-player “Be a Pro” mode, in particular. “Here play switches to a single player rather than a whole team – which offers an experience not a million miles away from Namco’s Libero Grande,” he writes. “Surprisingly it works and works very well indeed.”
The review cites minor concerns regarding lack of polish and an occasionally poor framerate. However: “Such small errors don’t dampen what is otherwise a really wonderful game and, finally for EA, one that that is likely to win over converts from the main rival franchise,” Neary concludes. “Whether you enjoy one of the many solo modes or take on friends with the excellent and – in my experience so far – lag free online multiplayer, you’ve a football game that’s going to stick with you all season.”
Eurogamer’s Martin Korda finds that FIFA 08 is a step forward after last year’s promising FIFA 07. “Having had its nose blooded by the mesmerising Pro Evolution Soccer series, FIFA 07 was an attempt to bite back. But it wasn’t quite enough,” he writes in his 8-out-of-10 review. “Now, FIFA has returned, refocused, leaner, hungrier and eager to retake the crown that PES swiped off its cocky head a few seasons ago.”
“From the first moment you kick off, the sheer amount of love that’s been lavished on FIFA 08 is immediately apparent,” Korda praises. “Charge forward in a cocksure attempt to dribble past the opposition with a journeyman midfielder and you’ll be left more red faced than an exfoliated tomato. As is the case with every part of FIFA 08, you’re going to need to put in some serious practice if you’re going to master its subtleties.”
Korda acknowledges that FIFA 08’s speed takes a hit in comparison to its competition. “FIFA 08’s pace has been toned right down when compared to the likes of PES,” he says. “Not to the treacle-like plodding of UEFA Champions League 06-07, but rather to the tactical, considered, multi-tempo pace you’d associate with real football.“
However, Korda explains that this choice is implemented to the game’s benefit: “FIFA 08 is perhaps the most realistic virtual rendition of football you’ve ever played, one that requires you to think like a real player, to probe and pass and ping the ball around the field rather than charge forward en masse like an invading army.”
In the end, Korda has difficulty in recommending FIFA 08 over Pro Evolution Soccer, or vice-versa. “Perhaps the most pertinent point here is that FIFA 08 now feels more like an alternative to PES rather than a direct rival, due to its slower, more considered and realistic approach,” he reasons. “The two series feel very much like they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum now, with both possessing a host of merits, but ultimately providing two very different experiences.”
Jon Miller at Yahoo! Games expresses disappointment in FIFA 08, scoring it at 3.5 out of 5 stars. “This season we were promised more leagues and teams, new skill moves, a clever Be A Pro mode, and the most satisfying FIFA gameplay to date,” he says. “But, inevitably, FIFA 08 does what its predecessors did before it: excellent graphics, sound and presentation elements capped off with lackluster gameplay.”
“Some may even say that FIFA 08 is a realistic soccer sim in which goals are seldom and the satisfaction is in the offensive build up,” Miller counters. “We, on the other hand, say that players are slow and clunky, and even the best offenses such as Arsenal have trouble scoring against doormats like Derby, no matter the difficult setting.”
Miller explains how this approach works in the context of gameplay. “Players get into open space by accelerating from a slow jog to a jailbreak sprint, which never seems to fail along the wing,” he writes. “But from there, probing the defense and creating offensive chances proves difficult as defenders suddenly become impervious to attack. Yes, goals are that much more rewarding, but they tend to feel as products of dumb luck rather than a monumental offensive triumph.”
“Still,” Miller continues, “FIFA 08 improves in both passing and shooting as you have noticeably more control over the trajectory of long, aerial passes and cracks from the top of the box. The only real hole in the passing game — and it’s a doozy — is the lack of control when waiting to receive a pass. Your player is simply stuck in the mud as a slow roller approaches, and these are too often intercepted.”
“FIFA 08 is a satisfactory update to the franchise, but still has yet to really hit its stride on the next-gen platforms,” Miller notes in conclusion. “It took the FIFA team years to get it right on the PS2. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait quite so long for this FIFA to reach its amazing potential.“
Despite earning a higher aggregate score than its predecessor, reaction to FIFA Soccer 08 is mixed. Most critics acknowledge that the title is a step up from FIFA Soccer 07, but many are hesitant to recommend it over Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer series. If a choice must be made between both franchises, soccer fans may want to wait and see what critics say about the upcoming Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 before making a purchase.
Source:
POSTED: 06.17AM PST, 10/10/07 – Danny Cowan
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=15801
FIFA 08 Pro-G Review (Nintendo DS)
October 9, 2007
The FIFA versus Pro Evo debate is almost as passionate as old football rivalries like Celtic and Rangers or England and Germany, albeit without quite so many shaved-headed hooligans with an overblown interest in smashing heads and shop windows.
On the DS, however, this clash of the titans is rather more clean-cut, as most would agree that FIFA 2007 was some way better than the particularly ordinary Pro Evolution Soccer 6. Free from any other noteworthy football themed competition on Nintendo’s tidy handheld, this has left FIFA in the luxurious position of comfortably leading the genre on the format.
Comfort, unfortunately, can breed complacency, and it is not unheard of for game makers in this situation to be rather lazy with regard to sequels, so you’d have reason to suspect FIFA 08 on the DS is likely to be rather uninspiring. In some ways you would be right, as this is absolutely an evolution of something very familiar. Yet it is also a thoroughly decent football game with far more substance and material than we have come to expect from console games ported to the DS. There are the additional licensed teams, this time numbering an impressive 576 from across the collected leagues, a staggering 15,000 players, and the inevitable update to the stats, which will sadly date as quickly as a shot from Rooney hits the onion bag.
Thankfully though, this time around there is a custom team tool, meaning especially pedantic fans can make sure their team details are as up-to-date as a daily paper, and on the whole there are several improvements that let you tinker with the game to your own choosing. While it is nothing more than a slightly silly novelty, the most hilarious of these is the inclusion of a feature that lets you record your own chant using the DS microphone, with the option to add handclaps and whistles as you please. It is hugely entertaining, and though you will likely quickly fall back on blurting expletives, it makes brilliant use of the system’s unique abilities.
On a more serious note, again at the crux of the game is the management mode, though if you are looking for a statistic-heavy, in-depth simulation with the intricacy of Microsoft Office’s Excel brace yourself for a let down. Just as with last year a slightly misleading title actually masks a fairly enjoyable career game that requires you to take the reigns of a team over a five-year period, meeting certain objectives across each season.
Satisfying various parameters such as ‘do not finish in the bottom of the Coca Cola League one’, or ‘win at least 13 games’ rewards you with points, while failing deducts points. In each season you can evaluate your situation and dabble in the likes of transfers, but the actual managerial control you exert is only over the usual variables in formation and team selection.
Similarly, in one of FIFA 08’s new features, there are scenarios to be played, which are in essence individual parameter lead games. You can create your own, which can be played, or uploaded over Nintendo’s wireless system, where they can be shared with other DS owners who can provide you with alternate scenarios of their own creation.
The fact that the perfectly well realised management and scenario modes feel a little like unnecessary chaff is a testament to the ‘jumpers for goalposts’ mantra of England’s most enthusiastically supported sport. In reality, football’s popularity relies on the fact that you only need the fundamentals, in the form of a ball and a basic goal, to enjoy the game. This core value has made the transition to virtual worlds, in that all you really need for a good football video game is a decent game engine for the moments from kick off to final whistle.
Which is exactly where FIFA 08 on the DS is most capable. Despite all the extras packed onto the tiny cartridge, the only parts you really need are the two halves that make a game, and it is they that will win this great little package the most fans. EA has made the wise decision of resisting the need to throw in too many unnecessary stylus controls, leaving touch screen interaction to four large thumb-friendly icons on the bottom screen that can be used to issue an impressive array of tactical commands to your team, and the surprisingly workable, optional stylus ball control for penalties, free-kicks and defensive walls.
The rest of the controls are delicately squeezed onto the DS’s basic button set with a flair that makes playing a pleasure. The usual selection of passes are accompanied by enough variations such as chipped balls and skill moves to allow for some genuinely skilled play, and the switch over from attacking to defending and back is a wonderfully smooth process thanks to some instinctive design that makes losing a sense of the controls near impossible.
As DS games go the audio is significantly impressive, and the visuals, while dogged by the handheld’s tendency to give 3D graphics a particularly blocky, rough look, are something of an improvement on last year’s. EA has clearly listened to the critiques of the 07 edition as cart-sharing multiplayer returns, bolstered by the addition of a penalty shoot-out option, adding to the brilliant multi-cart single-player that was so popular last year.
If you haven’t already got FIFA 07 for your DS, or you are desperate for a more topical edition, this is near essential for handheld owning football fans. While far from revolutionary it is a solid and balanced football game on a handheld generally lacking in technical muscle and raw power.
Quick Points
- A great football game at its core
- The depth of a console game on a handheld
- The best footy game on the DS
- Largely similar to last year’s version
- Gameplay: 8
- Graphics: 7
- Sound: 8
FIFA 08 BoomTown X360 Review.
October 3, 2007
I’ve been beaten again. I made the choice to take my squad out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate their first win of the season and all of them came down with food poisoning. The effect was to destroy my expensive team’s stamina and left them unable to put up much of a fight against Chelsea.
Getting past a strong defence in FIFA 08 is tough enough at the best of times, even on easier settings, with a team of sick players it’s almost impossible. Their sluggish responses easy to read by the intelligent and tough defensive line that they face.
And so three goals are conceded in quick succession and the league season continues to be a struggle – but I’m having a ball. FIFA 08 is not only the best FIFA game EA Sports has released to date, but it could be the best football game ever released.
Complete?
We’ve had to wait a while though haven’t we? FIFA 07 and UEFA Champions’ League showed that EA was taking its football franchise very seriously, it’s only until now – nearly two years after the release of Xbox 360 – that we get a full-on complete FIFA package.
Finally we get all the teams and features – four divisions of English teams for example and the introduction to next-gen systems of the interactive leagues system that debuted on the older consoles last year.
The tight deadlines of the EA release schedule may have left a few points where polish is lacking – but on the whole this is the FIFA game we’ve been waiting for since Xbox 360 came along.
Management Issues
You’ll find the game’s front end familiar, the arena returns giving you a chance to practice the ball control skills and new tricks added this year. Delve into the menu and you’ll find a wealth of options that is breathtaking.
For me the Manager Mode remains favourite – taking a team all the way through a domestic season of league and cup matches, trying to manage a squad and qualify for – in the case of my first season – European club competition.
From single games to custom tournaments there’s plenty to see and do within the game.
Libero
The new Be a Pro mode is the most dramatic addition. Here play switches to a single player rather than a whole team – which offers an experience not a million miles away from Namco’s Libero Grand.
Surprisingly it works and works very well indeed. The well though out camera is perhaps the biggest contributor to the mode’s success – where a Gears of War style roadie run provides extra excitement when closing down on the goal, yet the view opens up for times when defence is on your mind.
Clearly EA is dipping its toe in the water with Be a Pro, a taster of things to come when the next few games in the series move towards that goal of 11 vs. 11 multiplayer matches. One could argue there’s not enough Be a Pro in FIFA 08 but we’re bound to see options expanded next time around – as an introduction to a new way of playing FIFA it is a success though.
Considered Play
What of the regular gameplay once on the pitch? FIFA 08 may be packed to the gunwales with options and modes but this is the real meat and potatoes. Don’t worry, Joe Booth and his team have really nailed the gameplay this year.
It’s a slower more considered FIFA, a game where sprinting is only going to lead you into trouble. There’s a fine balance between the passing game and those who like to run past the opposition. Defenders are intelligent and tough, but using the left trigger for close control they can be kept at bay – and knocking the ball on using the right stick is another useful trick.
There’s not been a FIFA game that flows as well as this, where the play feels as organic and naturally like football. The pace may be slower but it’s no less exciting for that. The movement of players off the ball, the players jostling for the ball – the numerous control options for assistance on or off – all combine to create something really special.
Slick
FIFA 08 is a very polished game in terms of audio/visual goodies too, with slick smooth gameplay and mostly excellent animation. Replays do show up some of the less than brilliant animation transitions and there’s slowdown in cutscenes – but on the pitch play is smooth and very attractive.
The BBC commentary line-up has finally been ditched for this FIFA, Motty has been put out to pasture along with dull offerings from such orators as Mark Lawrenson. Instead we get the Sky Sports dynamic duo of Martin Tyler and Andy Grey. Their work in FIFA 08 is superb as is the even stronger logic behind the commentary system this year – it’s not infallible, but you’ve never heard such natural commentary in a game.
There is a lack of polish in some areas, you can see where EA’s tight deadlines cause problems. The most obvious one is in the poor frame rate of cutscenes but it can also be seen in some errors. Take the English season’s Community Shield as an example, it should take place at Wembley but you’ll find yourself at the home ground of one of the two teams vying for the season-opening trophy.
Back of the Net
Such small errors don’t dampen what is otherwise a really wonderful game and, finally for EA, one that that is likely to win over converts from the main rival franchise.
Whether you enjoy one of the many solo modes or take on friends with the excellent and – in my experience so far – lag free online multiplayer, you’ve a football game that’s going to stick with you all season.
Most Xbox 360 owners will have been mostly looking forward to the release of Halo 3 last week, for me my sights were firmly set on FIFA 08 and I’m delighted it lives up to the promise.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get back to teaching my six-month old twins how to play the game – they have got to be ready to challenge my best friend’s son in time for the release of FIFA 13.
FIFA 08 ActionTrip X360 Review.
October 3, 2007
In a small village in rural Germany, where the tiny, almost Hobbit-like houses were home to fairly large people content enough to live within their miniscule confines. Amidst the green grass set against the backdrop of huge industrial chimneys. (They’d rise up in the air close to where the hills meet the valley.) Where fast trains would cut through the countryside and people of all nations and colors traversed in search of a better life… as they watched our villagers dwell in their petite settlements.
There, in the country where the East clashed with the West most fiercely, lived two brothers.
FIFA family was a compact one. They lived close to a small river which ran through a beautiful dark green cluster of trees you couldn’t really call a forest. In the morning, a strange mist would rise up from the river. Some folks thought it was pollution from the nearby BMW facilities, but had you lived there in the middle ages (and even before that time), you would have known that the mist, it was the stuff of legends.
As the hard, leather sandals of the Roman legionaries would sink into the soft soil of the marshland close to the river bank, the mist would hide the savage German tribes – the barbarians. And once the mist was lifted, some two hours before the midday sun was at its peak, the barbarians would descend upon the legionnaires with all their savage fury. And the little river would turn red. In it, limbs of fallen men would swirl with the current, as if to remind an odd passerby how frail and brutal life is.
It was in that setting steeped in culture and the bloody tradition of the ancient tribes that the two brothers would go fishing in the early autumn – the most beautiful time of the year when the wind would caress with a soothing briskness of the flat surface of a steel blade; unlike in the winter, when one would feel its sharp end.
Many early autumns had passed and the life in the FIFA family remained much the same. The two brothers, though they grew up to be strong and healthy men, their power had dulled over the years. Like a sword that was so rarely used, they would lose the severity in their edge. They would lose that thin sparkle, that gleam in their eye which every male in the wilderness had. But they were still strong.
One day, the older brother was cutting some trees in the forest, helping the family meet the winter day. Coming back, he was greeted in the tiny living room of their infinitesimal abode (no, really, I’ve seen far more spacious dog houses in my time) by his mother, father, and his younger brother.
“What happens here,” he asked, “are we having a family meeting?” His father looked at him, trying to hide feelings of fear and anxiety behind a stern face. “FIFA, your younger brother FIFA is going away to a big city.”
“How so,” asked the older FIFA.
“I was approached by a man who manages a big team in the big city. They want me to play football for them,” said the younger brother.
A heavy silence fell upon the room. The father could feel it pressing on his skin.
After a few moments that seemed like hours to everyone in the room, the older brother spoke.
“That is good, FIFA, I’m glad,” he said.
The mother and father looked at the older FIFA, shuffling in their creaky wooden seats a bit, with their elbows down on the table next to the bottle of schnapps.
“I love you very much; both of you,” said the mother, and the older FIFA smiled a wan smile.
“Do us proud in the big city,” said the older FIFA to his younger brother, “show them what we’re made of here.”
What was a rolling swell of a single tear filled the bottom of the young brother’s eye. “I will, FIFA. I will.”
As the narrator of this short story, I feel compelled to tell you that the older FIFA was the much stronger, faster and more talented of the two brothers. He also happened to be, well, older. He happened to be born at the wrong time. He also happened to be the one who realized sooner than his younger brother, that if he didn’t sacrifice all his strength to keep the family alive, their small house by the modern railroad track would’ve become but a fleeting reminder of one family’s desperate struggle and ultimate defeat in trying to survive in a stagnant rural environment.
Now, for those of you who’ve never read my FIFA reviews before, know that there is meaning to this tale. One that pertains to the new FIFA games from EA.
As you may have heard, the FIFA series has been split in half. The next-gen version of the game was developed for the PS3 and Xbox 360, whereas the “current-gen” version was relegated to the PC and PS2.
This is profoundly ironic, of course, given how much more powerful a today’s PC can be compared to the “next-gen” consoles. Still, in an attempt to maximize their profit on the platforms that count (in the global scheme of things), EA has pulled a fast one, essentially making the PC version completely redundant. While the current-gen version has access to the “Be A Pro” feature, which is by far the best addition to FIFA games, its control scheme and old-looking gameplay make it inferior to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions (which are identical).
On the other hand, the new tight ball handling control and much more organic physics of the next-gen version, make it a very good game. The aforementioned “Be A Pro” feature adds a whole new dimension to the game. Instead of controlling the entire team, gamers get to pick one or several players which they’ll handle exclusively throughout the match. This fundamentally changes the way that the game is played. It makes the gamers a lot more aware of proper positioning on the pitch, and, just generally, how the game of football is played. Even the offline practice mode is far more entertaining than the classic approach to gameplay (what we’ve seen in FIFA games of the past). The new tight dribbling controls (performed by the press of the left trigger on the 360) truly come to life as you take control of a forward, and as you rush to the goal, the camera focuses on him, seamlessly moving from a panned out tactical view to a zoomed in action view where pulling off the fancy dribbles is an actual possibility.
Bearing in mind the multiplayer applications of this system, fans of FIFA should absolutely go for the next-gen version. It offers plenty of hours of multiplayer and offline fun.
PC owners, on the other hand, should stay away from the current-gen version. It’s an absolute waste of money in many regards. Yes, the functionality for online play is there, but the 360 and PS3 versions are simply the better choice.
Instead of just competing with Pro Evo Soccer outright, the designers were smart enough to reexamine the gameplay from a more fundamental level and “Be A Pro” mode of play achieves this smoothly and effectively. Even the visual icons that allow you to communicate with your teammates are extremely easy to get into – simple and intuitive.
This tale of two brothers ends tragically for the older, more powerful platform. Still, as a consumer, you should ignore the dramatics in this review (or rather not take sides based on it) and definitely go for the 360/PS3 version. That one is worth the cash.
FIFA 08 TVG Review (PS3).
September 30, 2007
The FIFA series has been a busy little bee over the last two or three years. Firstly, the previous generation versions have been morphed into something which actually reflects the sport of football. Additionally, since the introduction of the series to the next-generation in FIFA 2006 (as a Road to World Cup release), the developers have built modes around their all new next-gen engine every year to the point where it now offers the multitude of features that the discerning Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 owner demands.
Firstly – and let’s get this straight right off the bat – FIFA is not Pro Evo. While it’s fair to say that FIFA has moved towards a more organic and realistic football representation over the last few years, it simply doesn’t (and probably never will) present the same gameplay style that Pro Evo does. The manager’s shouts from the dug-out and half-time slices of orange in the locker room realism of Pro Evo, just isn’t FIFA. FIFA is the glitz and glamour of football superstars with their lavish 12 room properties, Hummers in the driveway and page three girls on their arm.
Now that’s said and done, the most touted new feature in FIFA 08 is the ‘Be a Pro’ mode. This might just be the most exciting and original new feature in a footie game since Sensible Soccer introduced aftertouch swerve to the genre. In ‘Be a Pro’, you’re locked to one player for the duration of a game. This means holding your position on the field, calling for passes or long balls and finding space. For this type of gameplay to work, the developers needed to introduce advanced enough AI to ensure that you only get passed to when you’re in a good position, and the EA Canada guys have definitely succeeded in doing this. If you keep calling for a pass when you’re marked then you’ll get nowhere. Another nice touch is the camera, which seamlessly zooms in and out depending on your position and proximity to the ball. Also, when you start sprinting with the ball you get the much loved ‘CNN’ shaky cam effect (a bit like Gears of War when you run for cover).
On the next-gen versions, the only available single player mode for ‘Be a Pro’ is a training game. It allows you to play in an exhibition match as your footballing hero. This would’ve been rather limited if it’s all that was on offer but, thanks to all that is good and true in the world, EA have promised that gamers will be able to go online with up to nine other players (five on each side) and compete in ‘Be a Pro’ online matches. This will apparently be available as a downloadable feature six to eight weeks after release. While we’re a little frustrated that it won’t be a playable online mode out of the box, we’re also licking our lips like a salamander at the prospect because the short training feature truly is a lot of fun.
Speaking of the online features on the next-gen game, EA really have gone all out to please their PSN/Xbox Live gamers, adding the successful ‘Interactive Leagues’ from the previous generation formats to the next-gens for the first time. For those not in the know, ‘Interactive Leagues’ pit players against each other in matches that reflect real life fixtures. The results of the many thousands of online matches are then tallied up to give an overall result that can then be compared to the real life outcome. Both the ‘Be a Pro’ and ‘Interactive Leagues’ new modes for online play add to a host of other features (online leagues, ranked and unranked matches – the online FIFA world truly is your oyster).
But, without good core gameplay none of this really means anything, so ears pricked everyone. The next-gen game has seen considerable improvements since last year. Ball physics can be credited for some of this as the pig’s bladder now swerves, dips and takes flight in more believable ways than we’ve seen previously on the Xbox 360/PS3. Going hand in hand with this are the improved shooting mechanics and animations of players. The direction of your shot varies more realistically depending on what position you find yourself in and the shot you try to pull off. So, if the ball is coming into you awkwardly and you try to pull off a shooting angle that will contort your player’s body in ways that cause herniated discs, the result will be a pretty poor shot. This is also affected by the footie player’s weight distribution when they shoot. In other words, teeing up shots nicely will result in the most effective result.
AI has been knocked up a notch as well (although not with a spice weasel). Goals are harder to come by and breaking down the opposing team’s defense takes careful probing attacks and relies on holding onto possession. We did come across a couple of peculiarities though, such as the AI’s uncanny ability to knock in free kicks at a rate of about one in every three or four good opportunities – clearly this doesn’t reflect the success rates of free kicks in the Premiership and means that set-pieces on the edge of the box really can’t be given away. Speaking of which, we also felt that we were unfairly penalised for a few too many good challenges although, what football fan or player doesn’t think that?
While the AI has seen improvements, attacking play still feels a little bit two dimensional. Creating scoring opportunities still tends to depend far too much on repetitive one-twos and crossing into the box hopefully. Basically, throw it about enough and something’s got to stick. The gamer is rewarded too much for this type of ‘Conference’ play, meaning that subtleties and nuances of the beautiful game (such as lightning counter attacks, deftly weighted passes and pin-point long balls) are less important. This is ironic, given the series’ stress on flashy skills and superstar players which, again ironically, seem to provide more style than substance in-game.
Another area where the title still falls down is its failure to make one player seem different from the next. Other than basic abilities and attributes such as pace, playing with Ronaldhino still feels irritatingly similar to playing with Mark Viduka. This is something that the FIFA series has continuously fallen down on since its very first game in the early to mid nineties. I guess some things will never change.
However, the graphics on the next-gen machines have been given a lot of spit and polish this year. The visuals look more convincing, drawing you into the illusion that you’re actually at a Saturday afternoon game in a stadium of thousands, rather than the slightly ethereal graphics of FIFA 07. Player likenesses of the FIFA all-stars (i.e. Ronaldo, Ronaldhino, Rooney, somebody else beginning with R) are nicely rendered, and the mo-capping has made for some smooth and realistic animations of the player’s in-game.
As for the previous gen version, it refuses to go quietly into the night and is still churning out original features left right and centre. It also brandishes the ‘Be a Pro’ feature but, unlike the next-gen machines, gamers won’t be able to go online with the mode. Instead, PS2 gamers have been treated to the ‘Be a Pro: co-op season’. In short, you choose a player (or create one) and play solely as him in a season of games. Your player then improves depending on whether or not you complete certain individual and team tasks (i.e. complete 10 successful passes). The ‘co-op’ part of the mode allows you to play with three other guys locally (each as one player on the same team). Given that there’s no online play, you would expect this ‘co-op season’ mode for the ‘Be a Pro’ feature, but it’s good fun nonetheless.
The all round play has been nicely spruced up similarly to the improvements on the next-gens. Better AI, more realistic gameplay and better ball physics/player shooting mechanics make for a more engaging FIFA experience. But, the team responsible for the PS2 and PC versions of FIFA 08 at EA Canada has also managed to add in a couple of unique control/gameplay features that aren’t on the next-gens. Manual Crosses and through balls are the standard control setting, forcing you to get used to gameplay that’s quite awkward at first, but very intuitive and rewarding after a few games (N.B. on the next-gens, players can choose to control manual passes by changing the settings, but this just makes passes uncontrollable rather than intuitive).
Another nice touch is the ability to manually control your keeper by clicking the R3 button. He can then be brought out for a user controlled dive or positioned on corners and free kicks. To balance out these new abilities, EA Canada has done something rather special with the freekicks. Let’s say you position yourself for a curler into the top-left corner: the opposing player can then move his goalkeeper over there prior to the kick to stop the shot easily. To counter this, you can move to aim towards the right side of the goal but keep the camera frozen. It’s a nice little touch that really livens up three kicks. There’s also a similar feature for when the ball goes into touch down the sidelines, which finally makes footie game throw-ins fun rather than tedious. We look forward to seeing these clever little PS2 additions winging their way onto the PS3/Xbox 360 titles in the coming years.
In both the next-gen and previous-gen games, depth is added to the single player experience with the stalwart ‘Manager Mode’. Here you’re tasked with various tricky situations such as signing up youngsters, dealing with the press and getting the right sponsorship deal, while all the time retaining the morale and performance of players on your team.
As a final note, the soundtracks on both games are actually quite good. This is particularly the case on the PS2 which has an eclectic mix of world music that I’d like to have on my iPod, let alone a game. Our theory is that this is because FIFA has such an appeal worldwide, there are roughly 120 million PS2 owners and EA has realised they need to please a wide audience. After all, variety is the spice of life.
Sound: 9
Graphics: 8,6
Gameplay: 8,2
Originality: 8,5
Longevity: 7,5
OVERALL: 8/10
FIFA08 Meristation NG Review.
September 28, 2007
Spanish review from Meristation website. They analize the PS3 version of the game. Overall Rating, 8.5.
FIFA 08 Eurogames 360 Review.
September 28, 2007
Let’s rewind twelve months. ‘Watch your back, Konami’ was the ominous warning that rounded off our review of FIFA 07, a statement fuelled by a belief that after years of churning out identikit pap, EA had finally taken the hint that tacking on a novelty feature onto the previous year’s game and slapping it onto the shelves was no longer a recipe for global domination. Having had its nose blooded by the mesmerising Pro Evolution Soccer series, FIFA 07 was an attempt to bite back. But it wasn’t quite enough. Now, FIFA has returned, refocused, leaner, hungrier and eager to retake the crown that PES swiped off its cocky head a few seasons ago.
As has become the norm, every new FIFA game is preceded by bold boasts from EA about why this year’s version will be ‘The One’. It’s a statement that’s usually followed by lists of features and numbers containing countless zeros. Apparently, the revamped game engine now sees players making 1000 decisions every second. They can also strike the ball in an infinite number of ways – a stat that’s numerically impossible to display, as there simply aren’t enough zeros in the universe. EA also claims that defenders are more intelligent than ever (and by that they don’t mean they’ve added home economics to their woodwork GCSEs) and that the ball physics are affected by a multitude of factors, including wind speed, player balance, ball spin and even air pressure. All sounds very impressive, right? But how does it translate on the pitch?
Well, incredibly well actually. From the first moment you kick off, the sheer amount of love that’s been lavished on FIFA 08 is immediately apparent. Charge forward in a cocksure attempt to dribble past the opposition with a journeyman midfielder and you’ll be left more red faced than an exfoliated tomato. As is the case with every part of FIFA 08, you’re going to need to put in some serious practice if you’re going to master its subtleties. Thankfully you can do just that on the training field – which you’re transported to every time the game loads a match – for some one on one practice against a goalkeeper. Which is a nice touch.
What will strike you even more is that FIFA 08’s pace has been toned right down when compared to the likes of PES. Not to the treacle-like plodding of UEFA Champions League 06-07, but rather to the tactical, considered, multi-tempo pace you’d associate with real football. Instead of just charging forward in endless waves of attacks, you’re forced to stop, look around, shield the ball, make space and try to find a team-mate while the opposition incessantly harries you into making a mistake. An excellent fatigue meter ensures that you can’t spend the entire match with your finger jammed on the run button. Instead, you’re forced to sprint in short, sharp, bursts and bamboozle the opposition by suddenly accelerating past them before trying to release a team-mate with a perfectly timed through ball.
However, passing is no longer a case of pointing in the vague direction of another player and hoping for the best. You see, not only do you now control the strength of each pass but its exact direction (particularly challenging if you turn off passing assistance). This makes for some excellent build up play, where players jostle for position and momentarily find space only to be quickly closed down, forcing you to reassess your approach play on a second by second basis as you look for an opening to thread through that killer pass.
It’s right about now that it hits you. FIFA 08 is perhaps the most realistic virtual rendition of football you’ve ever played, one that requires you to think like a real player, to probe and pass and ping the ball around the field rather than charge forward en masse like an invading army. Every bounce and spin affects how the ball leaves a player’s foot when they shoot. Defenders and attackers desperately lunge and poke at the ball when it’s loose in the area rather than having it sucked miraculously onto their toes by an invisible tractor beam. And then there’s the way that you can only ever truly get at the opposition if you put your foot on the ball, graft hard and look for those rare openings that typify a real game of footy.
To emphasise my point, let me take a small detour. After spending a couple of days in an intimate clinch with FIFA 08, I fired up PES6, a game I’ve always considered a slick and fairly realistic rendition of the beautiful game. It was like someone had sped up time. Players buzzed around the ball like flies around a horse’s arse and it wasn’t till an hour later that the joys of PES’s unadulterated end-to-end mayhem came seeping back into my overwhelmed brain.
The distinction between PES6 and FIFA 08 proved so wide, it was almost hard to believe they were the same sport. And herein lies the age-old conundrum. Which is better, the slow, considered simulation or the madness and mayhem of arcade-inspired action? Well, as with all such decisions, it totally depends on what type of experience you’re looking for and how much time you’re willing to invest before you master it.
I’ve heard grumblings from some sections of the press that the game is too frustrating, too hard, that there simply aren’t enough goals. All of which, admittedly, are valid points. But that’s because FIFA attempts to recreate real professional football, which by its very nature is itself frustrating, hard and often fairly frugal with goal counts. FIFA is like watching a ninety-minute match, one packed with jostling and failed attacks punctuated by the occasional moment of magic that makes the whole affair worthwhile. PES is more like watching the highlights: a series of frenetic exchanges where the action never ceases.
Anyway, before we get too bogged down with this, let’s move on to some of FIFA 08’s other new features, starting with the Be A Pro mode, which sees you taking control of one player and mastering his position. This is an inspired inclusion, as it allows you to play anywhere on the pitch other than in goal (shame) and then have your performance rated. Thanks to a superb camera system you always remain on screen, with the camera zooming in on you when the ball is close and pulling out when you’re far from the action.
Play at left back and you’ll have to shuttle up and down the pitch, overlapping the winger and whipping in crosses, then track back to snuff out an opposition foray. Play up front and you’ll be attempting to get behind the other team’s defence. A simple call for the ball button set-up allows you to request a pass, a through ball or shout for defensive backup. However, almost criminally, you can only play one off games in this mode. Why you can’t play an entire career or even just one season in which you build up your player, work with your team and maybe even interact with your fellow squad members is beyond me. Had these features been implemented, FIFA 08 would have been propelled into a league of its own.
So far, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I’ve been pretty glowing about this game. Of course, you’ve probably also had a look at the score. Maybe you’re wondering why it’s only an eight and not a nine. Well, let me just clear that up before we start winding things down.
For starters, the game is too hard on the easier difficulty settings. I’ve no problem with a game being a challenge and requiring you to put in the hours, but when even the beginner settings make it fiendishly hard to find the back of the net, I start to worry. Defenders are impressively efficient, almost too efficient, and you can’t help but wish they’d been toned down ever so slightly to make the game more accessible early on, and it’s more than possible that a fair number of you will be discouraged by this steep early learning curve.
FIFA 08’s front end is also a mess. Clunky menus, unclear save features, fiddly squad editing options and an infuriatingly awkward tournament creation process are just four irks that’ll irritate you before you even step onto the pitch. The whole team chemistry mechanic is also very undeveloped and somewhat confusing, often feeling like a puzzle game where the right players need to be slotted into the correct positions rather than being a powerful formation tool. What’s more, the Manager Mode is pretty under whelming, with transfer negotiations and board interaction the biggest culprits.
So there you have it, FIFA 08 is, on the whole, a triumph. Had the Be A Pro features been more fleshed out and the lower difficulty settings somewhat more forgiving, then it would undoubtedly have scored a 9 rather than an 8. However, thanks to the promise of the former feature, multiplayer games that are little short of superb (due to the lack of AI defenders thwarting your every attack), the usual exhaustive array of official league and cup competitions and some stunning visuals and animations that milk next gen power for all it’s worth, it very much feels that the FIFA franchise is genuinely teetering on the cusp of greatness.
So, to finish off, we come to the inevitable question. PES or FIFA? Well, perhaps the most pertinent point here is that FIFA 08 now feels more like an alternative to PES rather than a direct rival, due to its slower, more considered and realistic approach. The two series feel very much like they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum now, with both possessing a host of merits, but ultimately providing two very different experiences. Maybe it’s time we stopped torturing ourselves about which is better and started thinking about what kind of footy experience we’re looking for, then make our decisions based on that instead. Now there’s a thought…
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=84408&page=1
