FIFA 10 (Xbox 360) Preview
Posted by Sean Garmer on 09.21.2009
We are about a month away from some soccer action.
Peter Moore reiterated at E3 that he wanted FIFA to finally reach the 90 metacritic score. He does have a right to have high expectations since it got close last year. With FIFA 09, EA finally made a statement that they are the soccer simulation game to have. Their big introductions last year included Online Be-A-Pro and the Addidas Live Season. This year the folks at EA Canada are looking to continue their improvements in this installment of the game too.
The demo came out for the game on Thursday, so I decided to check it out and see how the improvements were coming along. After allowing the player to choose their difficulty and favorite team, you can go play a quick five minutes a half exhibition match. You have six choices for teams, 2008-2009 UEFA Champions League Winners Barcelona, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Marselle, Chicago Fire, and Juventus. After choosing your team and shirt, the game takes you to the team management screen. This screen hasn't changed and has all the same options as last year including the custom tactics. There are some new custom tactics added though. As you now have the ability to create your own set pieces in practice mode and save them. The game allows for a total of 32 total set pieces per profile. With four individual set pieces for the eight different positions on the field. You can also play scrimmages with your entire starting 11 in practice mode as well.
Once you get to the on-the-field game there are a few features of note. First of all, the game is as fluid as its ever been. There is no longer any sort of lag to the decisions you make with the controller. You call for a pass and it happens, you no longer have to wait until the players finish the running animation for it to pass the ball. One of the things EA has touted this year is "360 dribbling" giving players full freedom of motion. Not only in moving players around but also in the various dribbles in the game. So now players can use the dribbles to put the defenders off balance and run by them. Before the players could only move in eight set directions, but now they can do anything and move anywhere. It adds a nice dynamic to the game as the controlled player can move anywhere and does it quickly. The game itself also moves at a bit faster pace, especially if played on the hardest difficulty available. The defense hardly gives you any time to breathe and takes the ball away pretty well, not to mention running momentum seems to play a bigger role in controlling take aways too.
The rest of the on-the-field action is similar to last year, but that's ok because the gameplay last year was very good. The other change is the much improved goalkeeper A.I. I played four different games and the goalkeeper made some incredible saves that would have been goals last year. Not to say that means you don't score goals, its just you are going to have to really play well in the build-up to catch the keeper off guard. And that's how you are supposed to play soccer anyway, it's not about just hoofing it up field and just shooting at will.
Here are the rest of the major new additions:
- My Live Season
You can now play manager mode with the real life schedule. Then you can compare your results with those that happen during the actual season.
-Virtual Pro
Probably one of the most innovative things put into a sports game. Go to easportsfootballworld.com and upload a photo of yourself or someone else. This creates your game face and that game face can be applied to any created player. So you can finally have a created player look exactly like you. You can play with this character in all the modes off-line, or take him online and compete in over 200 different accomplishments, you unlock new traits and celebrations by completing these. You can also use the character in the Pro Club mode too.
-Manager Mode
Has been improved with better simulation based on tactics used, player and team skill too. Player growth is now based on age, potential, and actual skill, so that's more realistic. Transfers have also been improved, to give folks more options to get players to join the team. The CPU is also smarter during transfer season.
Well, that's about it for FIFA 10 as far the new stuff goes. Hope everyone is ready for another edition of FIFA because the game is pretty close to coming out in Europe and comes out in the USA on October 20th.
