FIFA Soccer 09
Score: 97% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Canada Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 4 (Co-Op 2 - 4; Online Multiplayer 2 - 20; Online Co-Op 2 - 4) Genre: Sports (Soccer)/ Simulation/ Arcade
Graphics & Sound: Graphically, EA's FIFA titles have always been on the upper end of innovation, but never on top of the world. This year's FIFA Soccer 09 is no different, because while the player models look great, they aren't exactly photo-real either. The stadiums look equally good, and it's a nice touch to have the referees on the playing field at the same time as the players as it helps bring more realism and can sometimes add to the confusion of having that added obstacle in your way. The player animations also come through in great fashion with their smooth animations. Unfortunately, EA still hasn't figured out that not all gamers have next-gen TVs yet. Once again, it is extremely difficult to read the Menus' tiny text on non-HD televisions, and the fact that this has been going on for a number of years drives me crazy. Somebody please hear me out! Please. Off of my soapbox, let's talk about audio. FIFA 09's got some outstanding color (or should I say colour?) commentary. This play-by-play is spot-on and needs no help by any means. I'm sure that a soccer game's action isn't as jerky as some other sports titles, and this does help in smoothing out these voiceovers, but this game really does sound great. The crowd cheers and on the field action is equally pleasing to the ears. The Menu music is decent too, and there are a ton of tracks to choose from and/or toggle on and off. Unfortunately, the ability of allowing the user to turn down the music's volume was suspiciously missing and is an extreme annoyance, being that the level feels a bit too loud.
Gameplay: I am a long-time reviewer of futbol games for many different consoles, and I have to say that I have always stunk up the joint. I'm also not afraid to admit it. With FIFA 09, however, I feel like I have a fighting chance. Not only does this game play very well, but there is a great feature that I have yet to see in a soccer title. Under your player's feet, you will see this great little gizmo called the Position Indicator that shows you where you need to go to get into the best location on the field and how far away from that optimal spot you currently are. This position updates in real-time as your opponents and teammate move. For players like me, this is almost a lifesaver. In fact, this is also a great learning tool to understand the idiosyncrasies of soccer a bit better instead of always chasing the ball from one corner of the field to the other. Add to this feature the new Be A Pro gameplay mode, and you've got one super title. The Be A Pro feature, which has been fairly consistent throughout all of the EA Sports titles this year, offers gamers a chance to fill the shoes of their favorite professional player throughout the entire game. By default, you will continue to control one player throughout his career, attempting to reach all of the goals set before you for individual games or even full seasons. As this lone player, you actually feel the repercussions of your actions as well. In fact, I learned very quickly that getting a red card (in my first game, mind you) means that you will not only lose out on experience points and have to simulate the rest of the game because you got kicked out, but you will also have to sit for the next match as well. This method of controlling a single player is executed perfectly in FIFA 09, but you do have the option to unlock your player and control others instead, which offers up the best of both worlds, I suppose. FIFA 09 also includes other modes of play, including Tournaments, Manager Mode, and the Lounge Mode. While the first two play just as they sound, the last in the list, Lounge Mode, allows for some multiplayer mini-games, if you will. You can set up different challenges and keep track of who's who in the world of FIFA for true bragging rights. Taking FIFA 09 online through Xbox Live is a super experience that I have yet to see matched by any other sports game, including Madden, NBA Live, or other top EA titles. The main reason is for this is that I never noticed any lag whatsoever. I should mention that FIFA is prone to lockups/freezing, and that others are reporting similar problems on the 360, but the online features more than make up for this small annoyance. You see, while other games have let you bring more than two players into a single game, most (if not all) require that you first be friends with others that join. This is not the case with FIFA 09. Here you can enter a Quick Match and play games with up to 10-on-10 players, making for a very interesting experience. This mode is extremely fun, especially if you get onto a team that enjoys passing and plays their positions without constantly chasing the ball. Great teamwork is hard to find, but when you do, domination can ensue. When you do find that excellent group of players, you can also form Clubs and take on others in the same situation. You can also play in Online Leagues with up to 32 teams, or participate in Interactive Leagues that have you and everyone around the world combining your stats per team, allowing you to help move your favorite team up in the online rankings. FIFA 09 also includes a new feature (the Adidas Live Season) that will update player information with that of the real players once per week. Something similar was done in NBA Live 09, but instead on a daily basis. However, it should be mentioned that these weekly updates in FIFA 09 will last only throughout this season, and you only get free stats for one league of choice. If you choose to update others, you will have to pay for them. This seems like a cheap ploy for EA to get more money through micro-transactions in a game that shouldn't require it, in my opinion.
Difficulty: There are actually three different difficulty settings to choose from in FIFA 09. My stock choice is usually a middle ground when I play, and that seems to be a great balance for players who may enjoy the game, yet haven't mastered all there is to know about soccer. The lowest setting is definitely geared toward Noobs, and the hardest difficulty setting is reserved for seasoned veterans. I found that this 2009 edition of FIFA was a breath of fresh air and didn't seem overly complicated for controlling the ball. Equally, playing defense has gotten better with the inclusion of player-switching using the Right Analog Stick instead of some of the crazy auto-switching of the past. It's not to say that this automatic switching doesn't happen, just that it is better. My favorite modes to play are those where I do control a single player, however, because it not only gives you a truer experience, but it also simplifies the controls a bit. One great feature when you take your game online in the Team Matches is that you can either directly choose your position (on a first-come, first-served basis), or you can choose to play "Any" postion, which will allow you to switch players on the fly throughout the game. I did find that when playing Team games, it was usually best to restrict the players to a particular position to prevent jumbled-up messes of players, but it was equally good to have one player free-roaming in order to have a bit more control over the field as a team.
Game Mechanics: FIFA Soccer 09's controls feel perfect in nearly all manners. For starters, the moment you create your first profile, you are prompted with a controller configuration screen so you can choose the method that is right for you, or you have the option to even customize your own. The game doesn't require that you learn a lot of complicated controlling schemes by any means, as you can pick up and play this title with a relatively low learning curve. These profiles are also great in that you can choose from a HUGE list of names (mostly surnames) that will actually be called out by the commentators. I got lucky. While they didn't have my screen name directly, I was able to choose a shortened version, "Wood." On the field, the inclusion of the player Indicators is outstanding for rookies and veterans alike. The Position Indicator shows you the direction and relative distance away from the ideal spot that your player should be, and there is also an Offside Indicator for those moments when you may get overly aggressive and try to beat the deep defender to the goal. On defense, there is also a Threat Indicator that shows up under opponents that need to be a bit more closely defended. In addition, a meter is also displayed that lets you know when you make a good or poor pass, tackle, or a number of other stats, again helping players learn the do's and don'ts of playing a soccer game. FIFA 09 is the best soccer title to come along in quite some time. Anyone who has been a fan of the series will likely fall in love upon first contact, and anyone looking for a new sports experience may want to try this one out, even if you don't have the first clue about the rules and gameplay of real soccer. There are very few drawbacks to this title, and hopefully EA and/or Microsoft will get the kinks worked out of the freezing (this happens on multiple game titles this year). Packing all of the positives together with a lot of cool new features makes FIFA 09 one of the best fútbol games of all-time.
-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele
Exodus from the Earth All Star Cheer Squad