List Price: $24.99
Sale Price: $19.99
Today's Bonus: 20% Off
I consider myself a pretty decent FIFA 09 player and immediately bought FIFA 10 when it came out, hoping that improvements made to a top-notch game would make the new game flat out amazing. After playing a few games against my real life friends and online strangers, I am not sure if I like "10" or "9" better. My biggest disappointment in the new game is that IMO, the graphics did not improve at all or maybe even gotten worse. Maybe I am imagining it but the width of the goal looks smaller. Of course, this shouldn't affect gameplay at all but it just feels like I am looking at a smaller target. The improvements in the gameplay is subtle but nevertheless clearly different with defenders having a chance against the supermen (eg. Ronaldo) of the game, making the game more defense-oriented and somewhat harder to score. Some of the differences I noticed so far:
1. Throughball doesn't work automatically unless there is a developing play where a throughball is the best play. In `09', you could just randomly throughball and somehow the offensive player would end up with the ball with a near breakaway too often.
2. Defenders are positioned much better so defense is easier to play. Also, because stars like Ronaldo can't just run away from the pack when they have the ball, defenders will have a better chance as long as they are in a good position. But the improvement in defensive positioning also resulted in heavy traffic near the goal where the play seemed a little bit clustered. At times, the phrase pinball action came to mind when it became clustered like that.
3. The view when the GK has a goal kick or instances where you have a corner, the view has changed to a more zoomed view and less overhead perspective. I personally didn't like this change due to the change in depth perception, making it harder for me to judge the players' positioning.
4. The collision physics is much more realistic and players actually bounce off each other in more realistic fashion.
5. It is much easier to bend the ball, maybe too much. On several corner kicks, I had kicks bend too much that the ball was no where near the goal almost half way between the penalty box and the half line.
6. Overall, the offensive player is forced to put together a well constructed attack and rely on crisp passing and play development more than relying on the speed and power of players like Ronaldos and the Etos.
7. The online play is smoother and when playing ranked games, the skill points is calculated after each game and displayed for you to see,showing you how the points were calculate. This was a very nice feature for someone who plays online as much as I do.
One thing that didn't change:
My number one pet peeve for '09: The number of shots hitting the goal post per game is way too much. I was hoping that this would change, but so far, the occurrence of shots hitting the goal post is still way too frequent and unrealistic.
Overall, I would say '10 is more realistic but not necessarily more fun to this veteran of '09. I definitely think '10 is a great game but I will not be getting rid of my `09' right away because they play different enough for me to consider it two different games
UPDATE: 11/5/09
So after playing for a few more weeks, I will say that I am appreciating the subtle differences between '09 and '10. I really like the new collision mechanism. It is realistic enough so that I often thwarted the other players attack by just getting in the way of the opposing team's players who don't have the ball to deny their space when there is a pass directed toward them. I have also experienced the advantage of 360 degree control as I manuever my player with the ball. Definitely a solid improvement over '09.
UPDATE: 11/23/09
A huge negative has popped up for with this game. Goalie AI. Maybe it's not even AI. Glitch is more like it. The goalie in '10 is worse than in '09. I suppose goalies making errors should be expected since a real life goalie would make can make mistakes too. But goalies have a much harder time handling shots that are directed right at them if it's low. Goalies are allowing shots that are literally next to their legs. (The animation in replay suggests that the goalie, instead of stopping the shot by moving a little to the left or the right, instead tries to squat down and tries a mini dive save on a shot. That allows the shots to go under them.
What is infuriating is that given the number of great opportunities that end in a shot off the goal post if you try to aim for one of the corners of the goal, the way the goalie allows this cheap score, it's a huge imbalance. Goalies that leap like panthers to save shots 10 feet away or sure goals that somehow the computer directs right at the goal post yet the goalie can't save balls hit next to them. What's up with that?
UPDATE: 11/30/09
I don't know what I was thinking by not mentioning this. In FIFA '09, (and I call this just plain stupid on EA's part),they didn't include a practice mode. Sure, you could pratice your skill moves 1on1 with the goalie, but that too was not that helpful because no one would play an actual match in that perspective, thus making you learn the skill moves one way but then have to make adjustments to the stick work. In FIFA '10, there actuall is a practice mode and a pretty darned good one at that. You can set the practice match to have as many offensive and defensive players as you want. You want to practice breakaways? 1 offensive player vs. goalie only. 5 vs. 4, 5 vs. 3. Any combination you want to hone your offensive skills. Also,you can actually practice set-pieces (FK and corners) the way it would be in the game with real defenders. By practice in this mode, I can score on about a 1/3 of my FKs inside 30 yards because I know what kick with how much power to execute. (The other 2/3 of my FKs bounce off the goal post, LOL.) If you are serious about being a good FIFA player, this practice mode will let you maximize your chances.
Click Here to Read More Reviews >>
This review is mostly aimed towards the PES crowd, because I myself was a PES fanboy. The Winning Eleven/Pro Evo series is probably my most played series of video games ever. When I was little, me and my friends were all huge fans of the Pro Evo series. I was a hardcore follower of the series and I always regard it as the most realistic soccer game series ever made. The FIFA series, on the other hand, was completely out of the radar. I did play some of the older FIFA games and it just reminds myself how great the PES series are. It is just beyond my imagination that any other soccer game would surpass the magnificent PES series as an overall package.After being disappointed by the franchise's recent offerings, I decided to give FIFA 10 a shot. It was a desperate move that I had been considering for some time. I was just looking for something to recover from the terrible disaster that is PES 2008. Thanks to PSN, I was able to get an impression of the game before I dig into my pockets. I jumped into the demo with little expectations and played an exhibition match. The first word that came to mind was 'brilliant'. I didn't think twice and purchased the game soon after. I was amazed by how much the series has evolved. The fluidity of movements and animations were very pleasing to the eyes. The controls were rather confusing at first, but I guess it's just something that I'm not used to. The jump from PES was rather difficult because the gameplay in FIFA is more complex. If you play like PES and expect a star player to dribble your way to goal, you'll lose the ball quickly. You are expected to pass a lot and play like a team. Scoring a goal in FIFA gives me a greater feeling of satisfaction. If you're willing to dedicate time to learn FIFA, it would be a rewarding experience.
Now that I played FIFA, I really can't look at the PES series the same way again. I downloaded the demo of PES 10 a couple of days ago and I'm really sad to admit that PES is definitely inferior in terms of realism. Although it is a major over PES'08, it's still the same game with better graphics. I'd still consider buying it because the majority of my friends still play it. I couldn't really say that I'm a FIFA/PES fanboy. I'm sure that competition is good and I look forward to the next installment of FIFA/PES. Moral of the story is, don't be a fanboy.I'm the guy that watched a few World Cup games, got the bug for some soccer and picked up FIFA 10. I'm about 30 games in and find the game to be brilliant and an excellent change of pace from the usual sports games.
Coming into the game I literally knew nothing about "real football". So some homework was in order. Online guides and several Wiki searches on the leagues, the players and how everything works were in order. From transfers to salaries to tactics to the actual on the field rules, I started from scratch. After that, you have to learn the controls of the actual game, which are like most EA sports games in that you can increase or decrease the level of control & difficulty to your liking. The controls CAN BE very complex, but the default controls and use of the practice modes make the game pretty quick to learn. The controls are also spot on, so you always feel like you're in control (unlike playing as a lineman in Madden). It also has awesome collision detection. You can run into a player and the AI reactions are amazing. Once you actually learn the nuiances of the passing and shooting game (which I'm admittedly not close to) FIFA 10 plays like a dream.
Overall, I've found the game to be much easier than Madden or MLB:The Show. Once I got a grip on how the attacking formations worked and switching strategies on the fly, it was pretty simple. You are only allowed 3 subs per game (versus 22 on a football field that come and go or pitching rotations and line up switches), so the game as a whole is much easier to manage. It also requires a lot more patience than a Madden or NBA Live. You have to let the action unfold, make smart passes and really set up your goal chances to have success. When playing with a powerhouse, like Manchester United, goals can come easy, but playing as the MLS' Houston Dynamo is an entirely different story.
I have very few complaints. The graphics animate well, but the players look like plastic a common complaint of EA games. The menus react slow and the load times are long. There is also very little in the way of explanations for transfers and the managing system just seems a little sloppy. If there are "money" plays or exploits in the game itself, I'm not aware of them, but that has more to do with my general lack of knowledge in the sport. I do think that the controls on the cross passes are little crazy and often find myself controlling the wrong player in scrums around the goalie box.
Being that the season is over and FIFA 11 is not too far off, you may want to wait to pick it up. I didn't pay full retail for the copy I got but honestly, the global rosters being updated means very little to me. I got it for the game itself and have to say I am really pleased. FIFA 10 is wonderful and I find myself becoming a genuine "footie" fan.
Read Best Reviews of FIFA Soccer 10 Here
I didn't know what to expect at first as far as improvements but the control upgrades have changed the game. We still sneak a few games of '09 at work in when we have a break and you can really feel how clunky the controls were and how dynamic they are now.I love it
Only warning is be prepared to practice. This isn't a simple sprint and breakaway game. Learning the new moves is what makes the experienceThis is the best soccer game I've ever played. It is very realistic and offers a lot of possibilities. The previous soccer game I played was Fifa 09 in the Wii, then switched to Fifa 10 in ps3. I must say it was a gigantic change, but it was for good in the end. When I started playing it I felt like I was trapped and was never going to master the game, it was just too hard for me. But if you really try and take time to master the game you will feel how it's just awesome in almost every aspect. It offers hours and hours of fun, even more when playing with friends. I've passed a lot of time playing it and hasn't gotten old.
Graphically it is very well polished. I must say that it can look better when you have a closer look of the players, ball, field, etc, than when you have a wide view. Some things might be too colorful in my opinion, but they still look good.
I think the best thing the game has is the playability. Being able to make tricks, various shots & passes gives the game a lot of depth. Something I like is that there is nothing scripted, like certain movement you do will always work. You can always be stopped or miss, it's not like the old soccer games where you could have certain formulas for scoring or getting the ball.
The things I don't like is that sometimes the responsiveness when making a second player run is not too fast. Also the 1 on 1 online multiplayer is very difficult to connect with other player, even when trying to play with friends. That's not the case of the team multiplayer though, that is very easy to access. Also sometimes the passes don't go where you want 'em, but you get the aim of it with practice, though it still happens even when you have experience but not very often.
Overall an excellent game. So if you want a realistic soccer game this must be it.
0 comments:
Post a Comment