Release: Oct 14 2008 (US), Oct 3 2008 (UK)
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Genre: Sports
Funny how things change; the stock markets rise and fall, the Miami Dolphins aren’t half bad this season and the FIFA series has evolved, with this latest edition, into a more accomplished one than it’s Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) rival. In fact, FIFA 09 is the finest soccer game available on this generation of hardware, bar none – that’s something that is safe to take to the bank in these uncertain times.
Patience is a virtue
The FIFA series was once seen as the ‘arcade’ to PES’ ‘simulation’ style, nothing could now be further from the truth. In terms of realism FIFA 09 is miles, thousands of miles in fact, ahead of PES. For a start, and unlike PES 2009, speed is not the most important statistic in ranking how good a player is. It’s still important of course, but only as one element of a complex whole. Equally as important in FIFA 09 is a player’s strength, passing and reactions, especially with midfielders as successful attacks must be patiently built up with solid midfield play; this is in stark contrast in the PES 09 mantra of simply bombing it down the wing and passing it into the centre for a forward to easily tap into the net.
This style of play makes games, between equally matched players, a real back and forth tactical struggle and puts an emphasis on intelligent play and tactical awareness, in terms of both attacking and defending. It’s still possible to storm past 4 or 5 players with Cristiano Ronaldo and calmly slot the ball into the back of the net, but the difference here, compared with PES 2009, is that when you pull off a move like that it feels like a truly special achievement. Apologies for the already numerous comparisons with PES 2009 but chances are most of us will only purchase one of these two titles and, lets face it, there is little other competition worthy of evaluation.
This emphasis on intelligent play is strengthened by the wealth of tactical options available to you in the game’s team management menus. Everything can be altered from the passing style, how rigid you want your team to hold formation, defensive outlooks, which areas of the pitch opponents should be aggressively closed down and the list goes on. You can lose yourself in the nitty-gritty of it all if you don’t already know the sport to a tee, but there are also ‘quick tactics; options for those of us that way inclined.
Wealth of options
As soon as you fire the game up and take the obligatory trip through the menus you’re amazed at the amount of game modes and options that have been packed into this year’s edition. From the standard exhibition and tournament modes, to the seriously expanded Be A Pro, manager and lounge modes, and that’s just the offline. Scroll down to the online options and you’ve got leagues, online 10v10 team play and the ability to pit your wits against the best in FIFA 09 Clubs.
Be A Pro in particular has been significantly built upon from the FIFA 08 version, which only allowed you to play standard exhibition matches. You can now take your chosen player (either built from a scratch or a current pro) and play through four seasons in an attempt to become a legend for your country’s national side. At first you need to plug away in the reserves before being given a shot in the first team, do well there and you’re awarded a place in the national team squad, which you’ll need to make the most of to gain that legendary status.
Thankfully the quality of the A.I., on both sides of the ball, has also given a facelift making matches both enjoyable and realistic; depending on how you play your part. If you decide to constantly call for the ball to be passed to you, when you’re in poor positions, your team will constantly be giving away possession making for a frustrating experience and a rather low player rating for yourself. On the other hand, be patient and play your position as it’s meant to be played and you’re rewarded with high ratings, leading to a better reputation within your club and country.
Don’t worry if you don’t consider yourself an expert on soccer’s positional play because, when you’re not in control of the ball, you’ll be guided into the correct area of the pitch with a set of arrows located at your player’s feet.
The world game
The solo skills you learn offline translate perfectly into the ‘Be A Pro: 10v10 Team Play’ and ‘FIFA 09 Clubs’ online game modes. As the name suggest the 10v10 team play allows you play alongside other human team-mates with a maximum of 10 players on each team. Technically it all works remarkably well, with minimal lag and a smooth matchmaking process, but with so many players involved the enjoyment is dictated by the kind of people you’re playing with. All too often centre backs play as centre forwards, ending up with the inevitable glut of goals scored by the opposition and the predictable backlash of insults aimed at those reasonable.
This is where the FIFA 09 Clubs system comes into its own. Clubs play matches that count towards a league system that ranks your clubs against others around the world. The great thing about the mode is that you only play alongside trusted players that have been designated a place in the club, putting an end to the irritating players out for personal glory you otherwise encounter.
Games can be played with as little as three players per team, and you have the option of either locking yourself as a single for the entire game or being able to switch between players as the ball moves around the pitch. If a team falls below the three players (due to a player leaving or being disconnected) then they will automatically forfeit giving the opposition the win; another reason to make sure you only populate your club with trusted players.
Somewhat frustratingly you cannot bring your offline ‘Be A Pro’ created player to the online arena, you can however change your club’s selected team as often as you like so you needn’t fear becoming bored of playing as a certain team.
Visually the game is beautiful, with sometimes eerily life like player models and equally impressive stadiums. Player animations are superb; we’re still seeing players kicking the ball in new ways after many, many hours spent playing. Unique animations have been applied to certain players; the way Beckham and Ronaldo take free kicks, for example.
No game is perfect however and FIFA 09 is no exception. Commentary, while well recorded and sounding realistic, is overly repetitive and you’ll often hear the same lines multiple times in a single match. The frequency at which fouls are committed but not punished is also somewhat alarming – this isn’t just us being bad sports, there really should be more free kicks awarded. There’s also the issue of the Be A Pro mode camera which, while at first seems like an attractive way of viewing the action, you quickly realise that it’s not the optimal angle for seeing the action and you’re actually missing out on a lot of information, especially in the online game types where player’s positions aren’t as easy to predict.
If you’re looking for a realistic and innovative soccer experience then this game is certainly for you; there is no equal in that respect. On the other hand if you’re more of an all out action, constant attacking kind of soccer game fan then you may want to look elsewhere. In our opinion, when all is said and done FIFA 09 is an essential addition to soccer fans gaming library with plenty to keep you occupied until the end of the season.
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