FIFA 09

It’s that time of the year again when football fans need to decide on the definitive soccer game they’ll be playing the next season. The past few years have seen both FIFA (from EA) and Pro Evolution Soccer PES (from Konami) go neck to neck vying for football supremacy.

Though both games have their pros and cons, it would be only fair to say that Konami’s PES has always had an edge. EA has always taken flak for applying “upgrades” to previous FIFA iterations and passing them off as new products. This year, however, things are about to change. With FIFA 09 they’ve introduced a couple of revolutionary features, apart from the hundreds of little touches that make it a must-have for any self-respecting football fan.

Any true soccer buff would have already heard of EA’s claims of implementing nearly 250 improvements to last year’s game engine for FIFA 09. Now I don’t know if that number is correct, but from what I saw, the people working on this game deserve a truckload of credit for the way it looks and plays. Visuals have always been a strong point of FIFA games and this is no exception. The player models, the stadiums, the kits, the shoes, the ball and even the grass on the pitch are all rendered in full glory at a constant framerate that rarely skips a beat. Oddly, I felt I’ve seen better player faces in previous versions.

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The sound with club-specific chants, boos from the opposition, cheers from the home crowd, and of course commentary from Andy Gray and Martin Tyler, work well for the most part, adding a great deal of immersion to the proceedings. I, being a Manchester United fan was pleasantly surprised to hear “Glory, Glory, Man United” echoing across the terraces of Old Trafford. It really gives you that extra boost when you are down by a goal… which brings us to the real hero of this game, the gameplay.

It feels just right! From the responsiveness of player movement, which has been increased significantly to the collision detection between players that now takes into account parameters like height and weight of the colliding players, their momentum as well as their defensive skill. Ball physics see a lot of improvement with shots, passes and “off the posts” feeling more like the real thing. New mechanics are in place when jostling for the ball as well has heading, and in both instances the physical attributes of the players come into play with the taller and more heavily built player mostly dominating. Trick moves are a dime a dozen and easy to perform but difficult to time, which makes for a very satisfying moment when you actually pull one off!

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All this added realism may not appeal to everyone. If you like your football games arcade-style with one or two button presses, this game might take a bit of getting used to. It does provide settings to alter the game speed and turning on computer assistance for passes and crosses to ease you into it. The games are paced brilliantly and award patience; your best bet to score is with a measured build-up play and the correct use of space with players running into it to collect that perfectly weighted through-pass.

I mustn’t forget to mention the top-notch motion capture that works flawlessly in the player animations. Never did I see any abrupt stops or jerks with the player animations; they transitioned neatly from walking to pulling off special moves to sprinting etc. The added animations from players calling for the ball when making runs into space, defenders indicating a possible offside to the linesmen, to a downed player showing his disgust at being fouled, all go a long way in making the game feel real.

This year’s iteration has definitely taken a turn towards simulation as compared to the more pick-up and play mechanic of the PES games. Goals are hard to come by but when they do it’s very satisfying – and it also means the end result is very realistic. If realism is your thing, FIFA is your game.

FIFA games have always come loaded with content and the presentation this year is better than ever. Adidas Live Season, which is a paid service with one league free with the game, is a rather simple but nifty addition this year. It allows you to download updates for your favorite league and see your players perform true to their current form in the real world.

Be-A-Pro, EA’s third-person take on soccer, has been polished and makes a appearance in the game with Be A Pro: Seasons, where you create your character using a rather robust character creation interface, pick your favorite team, and get four campaigns to try and rise through the reserves and first team to become captain of your country, as the game rates you for moving into the right positions, completing passes and tackles, scoring goals, and contributing to positive results. You can also take Be-A-Pro online with 10-vs-10 online play, which is insanely addictive and works like a charm. This mode is truly a revolution… why no one ever thought of it before is a shocker!

With FIFA09, EA has not only managed to catch up with PES but surpass it as well. They have finally delivered on all the false promises of the years gone by and put out a soccer game that’s truly immersive, in-depth and provides hours and hours of satisfying football action. It is easily the best soccer game we’ve played till date. If you love playing football on your console, FIFA09 is a must-buy!