FIFA 10 Review

Another year, another annual release of one of EA’s cash
cows. FIFA has been around since some beardy bloke decided to build a big boat
because it was getting a bit damp, and as such, each year sees a title released
by EA, safe in the knowledge that millions of people will lap it up,
irrespective of what they actually do. Step forward or step back, it doesn’t
matter. The game will shift.


In truth, since the 360 launched, the FIFA series has gotten
steadily better each year, despite the evil EA money-making antics. Once upon a
time, there was a regular war during the last 3 months of the year as Konami
would release its rival title, Pro Evolution Soccer. And every year, critics
and football purists alike would describe it as the better game. FIFA had the
licences and graphics, Pro Evo had the tactics and the game-play. The past
couple years have seen Konami slip up, and such is FIFA’s dominance that
reviewers the world over have stopped making reference to the war altogether.
For the moment, the battle has been won.


At first glance, there is pretty much no difference between
09 and 10. The opening menus are much the same, there is a little spit n polish
here and there, and your load screen is a practice arena. Even the game-types
are nothing new. It’s not until you delve a little deeper that you can find the
improvements this year.


All over the places there are videos for this, that and the
other. To be honest, Martin Tyler’s voice gets very irritating, and most are
skipped as soon as possible, although the controls one may be worth a view. You
would be surprised how many little things you have missed here and there over
the years.


Once past the incessant videos, you can start to explore.
The obligatory exhibition modes are there, as are the online quick play and
leagues. Everything you would expect as standard basically. But of the modes
that are the real meat, well, there’s plenty to talk about.


Manager mode has been well and truly beefed up. Your season
runs a lot more believably now. Gone are the mad transfers made by other clubs
and the easy signings made by you. Upon starting as lowly Notts County, I had a
torrid time trying to sign players. Annoying? You betcha, but realistic? Most
defiantly. It still isn’t perfect. All signings made this summer can be bought
if enough cash is stumped up, for example. I’m also not a fan of negotiations,
namely because there aren’t any. I gave up counting how many times I tried to
sign a better player for my squad, only to have him reject me on the grounds
that he didn’t think he would command a starting place in the team. One simple
option to allow renegotiations, and more clarity on their proposed role in the
team would have been a godsend. A great deal of this is down to the fact that
you have an option for “negotiations” that can be increased on the same screen
that you would find the shooting, midfield and goalkeeping coaching levels, as
we have seen in previous years. This is unrealistic, and down-right irritating.
I want to negotiate, not have the AI do it for me. Aside from this, the mode
does everything you would want it to, and offers a wealth of options to tinker
with.


Be A Pro mode is much the same as last year, with one
massive difference; now it is called Virtual Pro, and instead of just creating,
well, yourself, you can, via the EA Football World website, scan your face in and
download it into the game. Whilst it is a nice feature, and makes things a lot
more personal, the end results are never perfect. Still, that is what practice
makes, and I would rather the feature be there than not. And your virtual self
doesn’t just reside there. In fact, he can be used across all offline game
modes, earning “accomplishments” along the way.


The biggest overhaul of a game-type this year is the Live
Season mode. Last year, if you recall, you got to play each week as your own
team, online, against someone playing as their team. So, if you team was
Liverpool, and on one particular week they were playing Everton, for the week
of that match you would play the fixture against opponents, and the results
would all be stored somewhere to have something done to them. I’m still not
quite sure what, if you couldn’t tell.


This year, things are much more straightforward. The same
basic concept applies, but this time you play against the computer. Whereas
last time round, you could play the fixture multiple times against multiple
opponents, this time you get one shot at it. Sure, you can have practice
matches all you want, tinkering with tactics and line-ups, but when it comes
down to the one that counts, just one attempt is all you get to alter (or sustain)
history. The mode is great, and certainly a lot clearer than last years’ effort
with regards to what it sets out to achieve. The biggest downfall is that for
each league you want to participate in, you have to pay for it. I cannot
explain how much I am appalled by this. As if forty quid isn’t enough. I
daren’t tell a friend of mine about this. I know I will get a half hour tirade
about EA being “robbing bastards”. Unfortunately, I can’t really disagree with
him.


But you all want to know how it plays. What is it like when
you finally get onto the green stuff? I’m very happy to report that the little
blurb on the back of the box that brags about the realism isn’t lying. EA have
done a stirling job of throwing in about as much extra ‘oomph’ as possible in
every aspect. The most noteworthy is a sense of weight and strength. Unlike
before, players now feel like they have a physical mass. Have Michael Owen run
head-long at Sol Campbell, and you will see a little fella get dumped straight
on his ass. This leads to some epic struggles as your wingers streak down the
pitch trying to get past the backs, or as your striker tries to hold up a
lofted ball before turning and slotting in the bottom corner. This sense of
physicality is much needed, and, along with the expert physics engine, and the
beautifully realised animations – of which there are more – the game literally ‘feels’
more than it ever has.


AI has been ramped up too. No longer can you find the same
sweet spot to slot the ball in the net. Neither can you easily slither through
balls past the defence. This time both the opposition and your team mates know
what they are doing. They will identify spaces that have opened up and plug
them. Similarly, they will also work to try and create space. There are thought
processes at play here, and it is good to see.


There also seems to be some element of ‘human error’ thrown
in, and I don’t mean by me. At times I have witnessed players attempt to curve
balls into the box, only to see it whistle behind the goal, and attempt to pass
a ball to the wing, cocking up the attempt, and watch as the ball trickles into
touch. Sure, we’re are not talking Ferdinand-gifting-the-ball-to-Bellamy levels
here, but it’s nice to know there is an element of unpredictablility from the
AI.


I could rabbit on about this game for another thousand words
quite easily and still leave something out. So far, I haven’t even mention
about online clubs, the free kick editor, or the finally obtained Dutch
national team licence. However, I have to call it a day somewhere before I
reach my word limit. EA. have really hit their stride now, and whilst this is a
bad thing in some ways – we may never see a major overhaul of the series until
next gen consoles are released – it says a great deal about just what amazing
work they have done over the years to get to this point. EA have always had the
bells and whistles nailed, from presentation to sound to licences. The last
couple of years have seen them steadily improve the most important thing of
all, namely the matches themselves, and this year is no exception. Whilst not a
light year improvement, it is an improvement nonetheless, with the much
publicised 360 degrees of control being the main reason for this. It is hard to
believe just what a difference it makes to proceedings. Konami better start re-thinking
things if they want to keep up because at this rate, EA are winning the
Champions League regularly whilst Konami are struggling to stay in the second
division.


9/10