Graphically, EA's FIFA 08 for the PS2 is styling. While the aging system can't compete with its big brother in the next-gen console wars, it does look beautiful in its own right. Player models have a realism to them (except for their hands on close-ups), and the field offers the perfect blend between performance and beauty. Off the field, however, the Menu system is quite ugly. While it is a bit plain to look at, what I really mean is that its ugliness comes in the form of extremely slow (namely chugging) Menus that spit and sputter as they try to load, which doesn't exactly give a great impression upon loading the disc for the first time.

The background music is the Menu's only saving grace, as it definitely has ear appeal, and is a great break from the usual EA Sports' rap sheet in other titles. The commentators do a pretty good job overall, but missed the ball a few times. The thing about soccer play-by-play is that the action is generally slower-paced and therefore allows the commentary time to finish thoughts without running into the next play.

FIFA 08 has got to be one of the best soccer titles that I've reviewed in a long time. There is something about this title that sets it apart from its predecessors. Could it be the vast array of gameplay modes? Maybe the overall pace or the better ball-handling? I can't quite pinpoint it, but my overall experience as a non-soccer watcher/player has been better this year. I do know that one feature that puts a smile on my face from ear to ear -- one that I've been crying about for years(!) -- is that you can now turn off the ridiculous auto-switching! Thank you, Electronic Arts, for hearing my pleas. While there isn't a direct switch to toggle this annoyance off, turning down the included slider setting essentially does the same thing. Now if the controller button for player-switching were changed, all would be perfect.

In my opinion, largely due to this aforementioned setting, the pace and control are much better on defense. Now, one can choose to either follow the ball-handler, switch to the closest man ([L1] button), or cycle to anyone on the field (Right Analog Stick) in order to get the drop on the approaching opponent. Previous versions of FIFA had me constantly tackling the dribbler instead of playing defense the right way, partly due to my lack of experience, but also out of sheer frustration... something that will no longer occur, thank you very much.

Of course, another frustration does set in for me. The computer seems to "cheat" a lot by keeping the score close. I tend to end up in many 1-1 games that end in a tie during the final minutes when the computer comes from behind and weaves through my defenders like they are statues on the turf. Sure, I am terrible (yes, I'll admit it) at scoring when I do finally get the chance, but my defensive techniques don't change, yet all goes awry when I have the lead.

That aside, FIFA 08 really is a game of champions (at least the tested features are: see below). There is a mode for everybody, including the newest feature, Be A Pro. Here you will be able to take control of a single player on your team, and use that same player throughout each game. While this is a great attempt at innovation, I didn't find it all that entertaining. In fact, I found it more frustrating than fun, because the majority of the time on the pitch was spent trying to catch up to the play, which found me out of position quite often. However, there is a mode called Be A Pro: Co-Op Season, which allows up to 4 players to each take their favorite player on the same squad and play through an entire season in this manner. For those who love multiplayer, this new mode offers some great entertainment, and is much more fun than the single-player version. In the similar Zone Play Mode, you'll also be able to choose from a series of "zones" (or groups of players) that are controllable, giving a bit more entertainment and control throughout the match.

Along with Manager Mode, Challenge Mode, Tournament Mode, and Lounge Mode, you can also take FIFA 08 online... or can you? I haven't been able to play yet. I've either been denied the connection (even though seconds before the DNAS connection was fine!?), or get on and am unable to play in the Interactive Leagues. I'm not sure if this is because EA is not ready for prime time yet, or if they are having constant server problems, or some other excuse. But one look at the Internet Forums shows that I'm not the only one having issues. Because of this, online play has not been tested at the time of this writing... but the Interactive Leagues are very promising in concept, as you (and others) will select and play as a team, going head to head with other rivals within your league, totaling up all team wins and losses from all players, instead of just your own. Here's to hoping that it works as stated soon.

FIFA 08 is like any other sports title on the market, allowing for a variety of difficulty levels, especially while playing multiplayer. In the case of this year's game, Co-Op mixes up the difficulty pool even more, and heavily relies not only on each of you and your friends' individual skill levels, but also, and more importantly, your team skill levels. Ball hogs are not welcome to this mode of play.

In the single player game, selecting a strong team will help greatly too. If you're a seasoned player, you may want to pick up a weak team and try your way to winning the cup. For those of you like me, finding a shoe-in may be the perfect difficulty. I have to say that the games I've played with default settings (other than turning down/off the auto-switching) have always been close. Those same games being "fair" is another story, as the computer seems to always play a game of quick catch-up, which does keep the game fun, but may also increase the frustration level of gamers who can't score on demand.

The basic controls of FIFA 08 are pretty easy to pick up and get the basics, but learning some of the skill moves may take some practice. While there's got to be some sort of trick to performing perfect shots on goal, it still gets past me. I suppose I just have to laugh at myself for that one. The good news is that now one can take chip shots, as well as finesse shots, in addition to the normal shot controls with a quick pull of the (L1) or (L2) buttons while shooting. The new feature of using the Right Analog Stick to cycle defensive players is a definite plus, allowing more control of who you control on a defensive stretch. Quickly tapping the (L1) button on defense allows you to take control of the closest man to the ball, which generally is good enough. Unfortunately, tapping this button doesn't seem as intuitive as switching using a face button, in my opinion.

While the review score doesn't accurately reflect it, when it comes to gameplay and features, FIFA 08 is hands down the best FIFA game that I've played in a long time. But if I can't test all of the features fully, I also can't assume that these are going to be implemented well. If the online play ends up being what it appears to be, you can likely add 10 points to the above score, but if cheaters ruin the experience (as seen on the forums) or the features never get fully implemented, you could easily subtract. Offline, however, FIFA 08 is an excellent title and worthy of your attention.