With FIFA 09, EA did an amazing job at astounding football gamers worldwide. The arrival of this years edition did make me think maybe "same old same old". If EA change too little, we are back in the old days when everyone hated them because of their addiction to ripping us off, and that happened ALOT didn't it. Or, they could mess and tweak way too much with 09's amazing gameplay, and end up with a game that is only good enough for Sunday league football at best.
So, when the details started to roll in just before this years E3, the biggest update was the inclusion of full 360 degree dribbling. In comparison, football games previously have been stuck to 8 directions of movement, making the kind of free flowing and multi-directional dribbles, witnessed from the likes Lionel Messi almost impossible. But of course we didn't really notice this did we, not until EA put 360 Dribbling in FIFA 10 that is. Trust me, when you play FIFA 10, with it's all new 360 dribbling system, it will take some getting use to. But you will be really amazed how you have managed all these football gaming years without it, its that revolutionary. I'm just surprised how long it has taken EA to come up with this idea.
So now, when running (not sprinting), a simple flick of the left analogue stick, your players now pack incredible freedom. For the first time in football game history, you can now go on mazey tricky runs in the manner you desire, with NO restriction of movement at all. But upon sprinting, things do drift back in to the old directional methods for most players. I say most players, because there are a few in-game that can do quick bursts at 360 dribbling, the likes of Messi and Ronaldo for example, just like the real life counterparts. But, trying to control such fast dribbling on the other hand will take so much practise as in real life.
Another big inclusion is the Virtual Pro. You will remember last years Be A Pro mode, which allowed you to embark on a career as a created footballer. Well, this has been overhauled, and its all good stuff.
First off, you can upload a picture to the EAsports site, of yourself, thus giving your created player your own face. They call this the 'GameFace'. This service has been up and down since release, but I believe all site bugs have now been fixed, so you can create away . I love this option, it saves messing around with your Virtual Pro trying to get him to "kind of" look like you.
Secondly, this player is available in the squad of your favourite team in all options. Which means that simply playing an exhibition match allows you to increase your player's stats and abilities. There's a large number of Trophies to unlock using your Virtual Pro, some of which will take a ridiculously lengthy amount of time to unlock, each of which affecting your players abilities and skills.
Getting 100% of them does seem to be impossible at first glance, particularly as a number are striker/defender centric. But only a number of months with the game will show if this adversely affects this particular option. You can even use your player online, and sign-up to online teams to play as a part of huge leagues and competitions. A real treat, especially as your stats are constantly updated so you can easily see just how impressive you truly are. Also this mean, if you join a team with your mates, and they all have the GameFace on their own player, its like you are playing footy in the park with them, without the dog-shit of course.
Also you can now design your own set pieces in the Arena. You can set-up and test out your own designed free kicks and corner routines, set runs for specific players in order to create holes in the defence, or simply send your big lumbering centre halves to attack the far post for a lofted free kick. It initially feels quite complex, but after a few minutes you realize just how little there is you can play around with, other than simply creating curved runs for your attacking players. So, once you have a setpiece created, if you get a free-kick in that area in-game (both on and offline), the game gives you the option to use your created play. If it works really is hit and miss, I personally think it's work in progress by EA, maybe next years Fifa will have it sorted. But this year it feels more of a gimmick rather than an worthy addition, but still fun none the less. So if it works for you, well done.
Other than those major additions, things aren't that much different to last year. The usual exhibition and tournament modes remain, as do the usual wealth of multiplayer options both on and offline. There does seem to be much more in the way of setting options for online play in order to avoid constant fixtures against gamers obsessed with playing as the top teams, so no more Man Utd V Barca unless you want it.
On the pitch tho, the ball physics have undergone a huge improvement. Cross-field passes now are much harder and have less of a lofted up high feel, like last years interception-waiting-to-happen crosses. Also crosses into the box too are much more curved and look more real, like those whipped in crosses in the real game.
Also, player physics have also been revamped, with much more weight and jostling between players fighting for the ball, giving the game an all-round, bigger, weighty, heavy feel, which IS a good thing as it all feels more real.
So, to sum it all up, FIFA 10 is the best football simulation game ever. This years additions have hugely improved what was already a great game, and the new Virtual Pro options will surely keep many a gamer addicted as they attempt to be the best in the world.
So until the next edition of the game, which will no doubt be the World-Cup 10 edition, and they will make improvements, just like they did from FIFA 08 to the EURO 08 edition, it's now down to see what PES 10 has to offer. Expect that review as soon as I get hold of the game. Until then, if you love Football, you WILL love FIFA 10.
The only thing stopping me giving it 10/10 is the fact this is a yearly released game. So that taken into account....
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