FIFA 09
Review from Samo - Tuesday, 18 November 2008 @ 2:25am
Genre: Sports
Release: 2 October 2008
Developer: EA Canada
Distributor: EA
Samo takes on the latest in the EA FIFA franchise to find out how it shapes up this year.
Here we go again. Another year, another Christmas buying period, another big belch of half-arsed, half-developed, half-photocopied, half-witted games from the Evil, Axis of. ...ahem
Last year I had a big rant about how FIFA 08 was exactly the same as FIFA 07 which was pretty much the same as FIFA 06. So my expectations for FIFA 09 were lukewarm at best and guess what? FIFA 09 would make its daddies proud; it’s a shameless chip off the old block once again.
And I’m spent.
Go Long!
Not quite. There is something about FIFA 09. Something endears it towards me somewhat more than its predecessors.
It’s not the presentation or the menu system. In fact that’s what annoys me the most. It is EXACTLY and I really mean EXACTLY the same as FIFA 08. Maybe there are a couple of very minor layout changes but that’s not a change! That’s an EXCUSE! A poor one at that! Look at it this way, there is a new feature called Adidas Live Season (gratuitous product placement, much?) which supposedly downloads real world form for the players. It’s so insignificant and blends into the old menu system so well EA had to put a big orange ‘NEW!’ tag on it to show you what’s different. They might as well have placed a big sign on it that says “We’ve been too busy spinning around on our office chairs to change the menu system so this is the bit that’s different you blind pillock.”
Wait a second, this isn't soccer! It's Dance Dance Revolution!
It’s definitely NOT EA Trax, which is less annoying than before and is actually starting to add a couple of decent tracks (note correct spelling EA) and the artist list includes bands like The Kooks, The Ting Tings, Kasabian, MGMT, Sam Sparro, The Script and The Fratellis. The rest is the usual padding of the playlist with easy to associate with soccer yet cheap to license Latin music which isn’t too bad; however, serious points are deducted for The Veronicas.
It’s not the commentary, which is supplied once again by series mainstays Martin Tyler and Andy Gray and frankly, it’s excellent. Still, what I said last year about the sameness of it stands this year as well and I’m absolutely certain I heard a few sound bites that I heard a year ago too.
Graphics wise, it’s a touch crisper. Maybe the textures are a fraction higher res and the framerate has been increased a bit. That’d be it though; it’s definitely not a dramatic step forward from its two closest predecessors. Still, there’s no doubting that FIFA 09 is a good looking game but it’s not that either.
I'm sure that if I purse my lips a bit I'll look like more of a douchebag than I already do!
What it is, is feel. The gameplay is much the same as before, but it’s been ever so slightly tweaked. Crosses in the forward area are much, much harder to nail now but keeping possession of the ball is fractionally easier. You’re not dispossessed every time an opposition player sneezes in the near vicinity. As a result the game flows better, there are less controller throwing tanties and there’s so much less frustration. Sure the old problems with clunky player switching and delayed control are still evident but because of this newfound flow, it’s less glaring. It is a nicer game to play than FIFA 08 and FIFA 07, however you have to sit back and think whether such a minor improvement is worth a hundred of your hard earned. In short, the verdict is the same as last year. If you’ve played 07 or 08, the answer is no. If you haven’t, then you’ll be happy with 09.
PROTECT THE BALLS
So this is Christmas buying time. There are plenty of Mums and Dads out there who’ll be looking at FIFA 09 as a nice, G rated safe bet for Christmas tree fodder and as a result it’s going to sell by the truckload while imaginative, innovative and brilliant titles like de Blob sit on the shelves begging. Need I remind you of Psychonauts? It’s a crying shame really because EA still has no motivation to make a truly new football game. They make a fortune off reskinning the old one every year and why spend more money on development than you have to?
Pros
Newfound flow makes FIFA 09 less frustrating and more playable than 08 and 07.
Cons
Still the same thing rehashed without innovation, imagination or shame.
Summary
Low cost game development for the masses. If you’ve played a FIFA in the last 3 years, don’t waste your hard earned.
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The problem with reviewing FIFA or PES is that you really need to know the game intimately. PES vs FIFA always brings out passionate debate from the fans of the franchises and the general conclusion is that FIFA is much prettier and 'works' online whereas PES is all about the gameplay.
I recently converted from FIFA to PES and didn't see the big deal or difference... at first. It took me a LONG time to really understand PES before I was able to recognise the clear differences between the two. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that both FIFA and PES are surprisingly difficult titles to review.
When PES '08 came out, it was met with a positive reaction from the faithful. It wasn't until a few weeks went by that it started to receive some scathing comments. The online play was disastrous and the improved ball control and realism of FIFA started to win some respect from PES fans and helped it step away from the 'arcade' aura.
I'm waiting for PES to come out before I make the decision on which to buy. I'm hearing a lot of positive talk about FIFA this 'round and given the poor form of PES '08 I'm curious to see how the rivalry pans out. Could this be the beginning of the end from Konami's classic?
Whilst the changes to each of these may seem subtle (online play aside), they really do change the dynamics of the game significantly. How responsive is the ball movement? How effective and what is the influence of the team management? What is the likelihood of scoring the 'same goal' several times? How is the GK AI? Is it possible to break out of a trademark EA animation? How are the 'razzle dazzle' moves? Are there many signature moves and what are the controls like? Have they changed spot kicks?
Online play is another key element. Given PES never patched its issues in '08 & FIFA '08 was solid, I heard EA raised the bar by increasing the number of online players, does it work?
It may sound trivial, but FIFA's most recent world cup title challenged gamers with one of the more respectable 360 achievements, have they continued that trend?
In general it's also important to recognise and assess the difference between online play, SP & local MP given individual preferences and different dynamics.
FIFA (and FIFA vs PES) invokes a lot of passion from their respective fans and is one of the huge rivalries when it comes to video game franchises. There's a lot of EA & to a lesser extent, sport-game hate going around that can influence opinions. I see the need for FIFA to launch a new title every year. Outside of the comments I've mentioned, there's a massive fan base that hungers to play as the team they love, with the players they love and are happy to pay for these teams to be current. There's also a battle between PES & FIFA that demands each of their respective developers to consistently release titles in order to sustain, let alone grow, their fan base.
Sammo, I hope you don't take this post in a negative light as I think your review is relevant, accurate and solid to the casual gamer and I enjoy reading your reviews. xxx
Why do they even make any sports games to be honest. They already put these sports on the sms so who needs to see them remade again?
No Samo is right EA need to reinvent the sport of soccer for their game to be worth our monies. Perhaps hoverboards or deathballs should be added. Maybe you controller the game by inserting a wiimote into your anus?
Not sure what game you were playing there. Some people don't like its slower, more realistic pace but this is the first time I've heard the 'rehash' argument being used to mark down FIFA 09. But hey, to each his own 
