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EA Sports’ latest soccer game brings the goods.
FIFA Soccer 09 is an excellent combination of great soccer gameplay, a robust feature set, and a fantastic presentation.
The main singleplayer mode in FIFA Soccer 09 is the new Be A Pro mode where you create a character and take him through his career. Here you can take your created player from the bottom of the ranks and watch his career progress through the year. The general career mode works well although the gameplay may get a bit stale since you’re only controlling one character in a team of ten.
The actual gameplay in the game has been refined from last year’s version and is a blast to play since the game is more realistic. The AI has been greatly revised and now plays a lot like you would expect an actual player to do so. You’ll see them calling for a through and positioning themselves strategically to get the goal. The new focus on physics that can be found in all EA Sports releases is also found here. Bigger guys have more weight making it easier for them to jostle with smaller players. It will also be harder for them to make a quick turn since the game appropriately tracks their weight.
The online game has also seen improvements in the off-season. You can join others in a team and form a FIFA Club to compete against other teams all trying to become the best. The multiplayer mode has also been expanded to include 10-on-10 gameplay with up to 20 human players, each controlling someone on the field. The other big online addition is Live Season, which is similar to NBA Live’s Dynamic DNA system. Like Dynamic DNA, you’ll be able to download player tendencies and their season performance online – though you’ll have to pay for it in FIFA 09 after the trial expires. Nonetheless it could be a worthwhile purchase for diehard soccer fans.
Visually, FIFA Soccer 09 is definitely an all-star. The player models are very detailed and look great on the field, especially when you see a close-up. This is partly due to the excellent animations and physics system which lets the game feel more like an actual soccer match. The arenas, fans, grass, etc all look great, too.
The audio work in the game is great, too. The sound effects, especially hearing the crowd roaring, are all terrific. The soundtrack is the typical, eclectic EA Sports soundtrack but there should be something for everyone to enjoy here. The commentary is provided by Martin Tyler and Andy Gray who do a good job of providing insightful comments.
FIFA Soccer 09 is an extremely polished soccer title with great gameplay and presentation. The gameplay is a lot tighter than it was in previous years thanks to the new physics system and animation while still remaining fun to play. Definitely recommended for soccer enthusiasts and sports fans in general. -- Jose Liz, PGNx Media
---- Oct 31, 2008
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