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Developer: EA Sports
Publisher: EA Sports
Genre: Sports
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 24 Apr 06
User Rating
6.5 (2 votes) -
- Thought the French should have won? Get inside the greatest show on earth with this sublime soccer sim, packed with trademark EA finesse and magic.
Overview
Well, the greatest show on earth has just ended, with the Italians emerging victorious against the French. For those not content with watching the magic of the Cup on their television, EA once again let's you into the game with 2006 FIFA World Cup for the Xbox. So the big question is, can EA make good on this year's World Cup? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
So there have already been quite a few soccer games released in the past six months, but there is always room for one more. It was not long ago that we saw the last FIFA title, which was met with pretty high praise. So although there hasn't been much of a gap between releases, there was still some hope that this game 2006 FIFA World Cup would manage to continue forward and create an extremely memorable soccer (or football for the purists) experience.
So let's begin just by talking about the gameplay of this game which is very much a FIFA type experience with some new features. First off, the game has some different refinements when it comes to the gameplay, one focusing heavily on shooting. This new shooting mechanism is really just attempting to bring down the level of scoring in the game, which it does. You got the feeling sometimes in previous FIFA titles that scoring was a bit too easy. Now it seems a lot more realistic, which may scare some people, but for me it was a much needed change to keep the game from seeming too arcade like.
What is neat about 2006 FIFA World Cup is that it really just does a great job of focusing on the monumental event. Since the FIFA World Cup only happens once every four years, you know there is a lot of hype and anticipation surrounding it, and EA does a great job of capturing just that. I have to say that putting all of the teams that went through qualifying into the experience was a great thing and really helped the realistic feel of the game.
The main mode in this game is obviously that of the FIFA World Cup, and I have to say that the game really did just a fantastic job of bringing this mode together. Playing as the US and watching them go through the tournament was just such an exciting experience, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. The mode isn't all that deep and doesn't take an overly long time to get through, but just the atmosphere and the gameplay make the experience all that much more exciting.
2006 FIFA World Cup does have some other game modes, including one that captures some of the best moments of World Cup history, and of course online play. In the end, the developers of 2006 FIFA World Cup did a really good solid job of bringing another enjoyable soccer game to the market with such little time. I have a feeling anyone who has been taken in by this year's World Cup is really going to have a lot of enjoyment out of this game for its smooth gameplay and feature-rich modes.
Graphics
Visually I have to say that 2006 FIFA World Cup is actually a pretty good looking game, although not all that different from what we saw in the last game. The biggest addition that this game has received is the amount of emotion and impact the crowd has on the game. With such great portrayal of World Cup hysteria, you really get the feeling that the members of the crowd are genuinely pulling for your team, rather then just looking forward to the end of the game. The animation also has had some minor improvements to help the experience along as well.
Fun Factor
I know that 2006 has been the most soccer I have ever watched in my life, thanks to the World Cup. Being able to play this game while this historic tournament is going on is a very enjoyable experience, especially when you recognize players from other countries teams that you just watched on TV. 2006 FIFA World Cup has a lot of great modes, and just quite plainly does what FIFA games have been notorious for doing - and that is provide a very fun experience.
Overall
Although 2006 FIFA World Cup is not the most amazing soccer game ever created, it manages to bring in some really great ideas combining it with a great soccer experience. For fans of the sport or those who are just enjoying the games, this is a game that I would highly recommend, because more than anything this game manages to bring a lot of life and personality to the sport.
- Gameplay
8.0 - Graphics
8.0 - Fun Factor
9.0 - Overall
8.0
