FIFAs back baby! (FIFA 08 (PS2))

Member Name: huntski

Product:	FIFA 08 (PS2)
Date:	28/11/08 (58 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Intuitive control and great fun

Disadvantages: The way sometimes players faces are distorted in replays?? (it's all I could find!)

The bright floodlights, the roar of a manic crowd baying for the oppositions blood. Two teams emerge from the tunnel ready to commence in the ultimate sporting battle, basking in the warm glow of adoring stardom. Eying eachother over, calculating thier opponents weaknesses, knowing that in the next ninety minuites they themselves will become either victorious heros or humiliated villains brutally torn apart by the worlds media.
Make or break.

Sound dramatic? Well it should, FIFA is back my pig skin kicking friends! Back in a big way and that's exactly how each game feels, dramatic.
Once again the fully liscenced team listings return, as do the immediatley recognisible music tracks and it makes you feel at home instantly. The ample amount of options and extras availible are solid and do not feel like the hurried add ons designed to bulk out a game as in previous FIFAS.
It seems a good place to start is the excellent create a pro section, as so many games are going with the complete customisation thing these days. With enough adjustibles to keep all budding footballer creating god types happy for hours. Gone is 08's frustrating points for talent system and it's much better off without it, allowing you to insert yourself as a "super player" (and come now, who doesn't!) easily.
This feature works well on the pitch too, and is both better and more intuitive than the PE9 equivalent. (FIFA 1-0 Pro Evo) Passes are regualarly recieved and at last, are accurate. Even the camera angles work well (a real issue in PES). This is a real step forward towards the holy grail of footy sims that is 11 v 11 online and is great news for all who like enjoying thier experiences with other like minded geeks, sorry, gamers!

The main career mode hits the back of the net like a Stevie Gerrard thunderbolt, with the new version getting you more involved than ever. One of my main complaints about earlier FIFAS was that the manager mode felt quite empty and detatched from the action, with the feeling that no matter how much you painstakingly tinkered with your formation or designated player runs it didn't really make any difference on the pitch. Thankfully that's been rectified and merges tactics with action very well, you can almost believe shouting at the on screen atheletes makes a discernible difference!
The player likenesses and animations are as always, magnificent. Even with the PS2s limited graphic capability EA have done a great job indivisualising the real life counterparts.
Game play is just as smooth and the action never bogs down in certain areas of the pitch. You can actually feel the players using thier speed and strength to compete and the game has a very solid and planted feel because of it. (FIFA 2-0 PE9) Shooting is easier now with shots from thirty yards regularly flying past the keeper and even complex volleys (which used to be all but impossible to achieve) are now commonplace. Passing, crossing and tackling is easy with ninety percent of all actions going just the way you intended them. Through balls are more effective than ever before (especially lofted balls) and it feels great using a particularly quick striker to strip the defence and hammer home the winner. The "trick stick" is a joy to use and even my girlfriend's 6 year old son can dance round defenders like Pele! Pro Evos skill controls are very awkward to use in comparrison. (FIFA 3-0 Pro Evo)
Matches are a good mix of steady build ups and frenetic counter attacking, and EA really do leave it up to you how you go about playing it, huzzah!

FIFA had very high standards to maintain this year and have done a sterling job of doing as much. Thier ethos of building on the succsessess of previous games is really paying off this time around, and have produced an extremely enjoyible experience for it all. The gulf between the two heavyweights of footy sims is visibly growing ever more wider and FIFA really does leave Pro Evo chasing the proverbial heels of Christiano Ronaldo hopelessly down the touchline this year.
So, we can put the clash of the year to bed for another season. With FIFA guzzling the champers in the communal baths and PES making all thier squad availible on free transfer! I leave you with the famous words of "that" commentator.
"They think it's all over... it is now!"

Summary: Brilliant all round package