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Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Genre: Sports
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 09 Oct 07
User Rating
10 (1 vote) -
- EA bounces back in a big way, with improved gameplay tweaks, tons of modes and superb online league play.
Overview
In almost each sport there is a video game competition going on vying for the top game in that respective sport. Soccer or football, which ever you prefer is one of those sports that seems to change annually, with the battle waged between Konami's Winning Eleven/Pro Evolution Soccer franchise to EA's FIFA franchise. Both have garnered their own set of fans, and have really impressed over the years. Today we are checking out the latest soccer title from EA in FIFA Soccer 08 for the Xbox 360! Does the game live up to the hype? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
Going into this review you should know that I have played the last ten or so FIFA titles from EA, and all of the US Winning Eleven titles from Konami, so I have a lot of experience with the US version of soccer titles. I have always been a big soccer fan so I always look forward to win the latest releases. This year in FIFA 08 we were told there was going to be a huge overhaul to the grand scheme of things in the game. Not only was the game going to be retooled, but some new modes were to be implemented to take the game to the next level. Does all of this talk make for a great new FIFA outing?
Since FIFA has come over to the next generation of consoles there has been this struggle to take the mechanics of the game to the next level along side it. Each year it has been getting better and the gameplay mechanics continue to get better in this outing. The skill moves that the game has been continuing to improve are much better in this outing. In fact they actually work in comparison to looking cool and not working in previous games. However I still believe from what I have encountered that people still don't feel the urge to use them, as their effectiveness only goes so far.
The biggest new feature of FIFA 08 is the Be A Pro mode, which has you playing only as one player on the team. This has become a popular trend for sports games, trying to give a stronger connection to a player rather than a team. Although this mode isn't in full force out of box at this time (supposedly there will be a patch to take it online) you can still take it offline and practice up. Let's say you take the role of a defensive player, the game will grade you on how well you do your job. This can refer to getting back to your position, stopping the offense, etc. Concede a penalty or let some one get past you and your meter goes down. It is a great concept and one that works fantastic. Outside of a few camera difficulties, the mode is just a great new perspective on the game of soccer.
For those a bit disappointed that taking this mode online isn't available yet, there are probably numerous reasons why, but I would say that I would expect a lot more of this "Be a Pro" implementation in next years game, including a full fledged online game. However being able to jump into the mode right now is still a lot of fun.
There is still a lot of outside modes to kick back and enjoy as well, including the manager mode and plenty of different leagues to jump into. One thing that FIFA 08 is not short on is modes. This goes for online play as well, which plays so much stronger this year with little to no lag and just a much better overall experience. Also included in the Xbox 360 version of the game are leagues, something everyone has been begging for and are now available in FIFA 08 a welcome and strong addition.
The FIFA franchise needed a big update, they needed a strong showing, and that is exactly what they got with this game. It isn't perfect, the skill moves are still not all that useful, the "Be a Pro" mode is not fully functional at the time of this review, and there is still a bit more to be done to get this game back to the top. But with that being said, this is still a fantastic installment of the game and one that makes for some really strong soccer.
Graphics
Visually there isn't a whole lot new in FIFA 08, for the most part FIFA 08 looks a lot like last year's game. One of the only big improvements I could point to would be the character models, which seem to have a bit more detail and quite a bit stronger than in years past. Animations have been improved a bit as well in this years game, there is a little less of the clipping issues that were found in the previous games as well. FIFA 08 is still a great looking game of soccer, but this was definitely an area that didn't get a lot of the attention in this year's game.
Fun Factor
Many including myself have stated that the FIFA franchise really needed a big outing, and this is exactly what FIFA 08 provides. With all of the different modes, different leagues, and online options, there is no doubt that this is a game that will provide a lot of enjoyment up until next year's release. Although we would have liked to have seen full functionality out of the "Be a Pro" mode, it should be a strong addition if EA is to bring out more from this feature in this game or future titles.
Overall
Overall this is the strong outing that the FIFA franchise really needed and it came out in a big way and for lack of better terms, scored. For those FIFA fans who are a bit skeptical about going back into the franchise, I am here to say that FIFA 08 is a game that is not only worth checking out, but if you're a soccer fan you really should pick up this game.
- Gameplay
8.0 - Graphics
8.0 - Fun Factor
8.0 - Overall
8.0
