FIFA 09

[dazzybee]

Played about 5 matches and it's pretty good; still some dodgy AI though, especially in defense, baffles me how bad it is sometimes. The passing is as dodgy as ever. If you just tap the button its ALWAYS short! Which to me, is just ridiculous!

 

BUT, had some fun, some nice off the ball movement at times, can play some good footy.....but it still isn't pro evo!!

 

Won't be buying; but god damn is the 10 V 10 tempting, great idea

 

The camera mode thing in freeplay is awesome though How do you use this in real games?

[khilafah]

Played about 5 matches and it's pretty good; still some dodgy AI though, especially in defense, baffles me how bad it is sometimes. The passing is as dodgy as ever. If you just tap the button its ALWAYS short! Which to me, is just ridiculous!

 

BUT, had some fun, some nice off the ball movement at times, can play some good footy.....but it still isn't pro evo!!

 

Won't be buying; but god damn is the 10 V 10 tempting, great idea

 

The camera mode thing in freeplay is awesome though How do you use this in real games?

 

you on manual or assisted? Manual passing opens the game right up!

 

Love this video. No more scripted gameplay. Way Nesta goes for the ball when off balance is crazy.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJvjVrChIjE&eurl

[tapedeck]

Yeah, as Khilafah says, the settings make ALL the difference Assisted is great and all for newcomers but after a while semi/manual is just like PES. It's brilliant.

 

I just love the Pro camera too. Wonderful stuff

 

The camera mode thing in freeplay is awesome though How do you use this in real games?

 

The pro mode does this camera when attacking. When your in the be a pro mode it works brilliantly (like last years edition.)

[khilafah]

yeah you should play on semi at least as Manual takes some serious time to master. Tapedeck how do you find the GK's? Most impressions I have read say they are really good this year. Make lot less silly mistakes like they did in FIFA 08.

[tapedeck]

The GK's haven't made any silly errors since I've played - I've played it solid since yesterday and the worst I saw was all from my own doing (like throwing the ball straight to Van Der Vaart at the edge of the box). On the lower settings it is quite easy to score when using the better players (Drogba, Van Nistelrooy etc...) but take off the manual aiming and your looking at something which (so far) has been incredibly realistic. I saw Peter Cech punch a few balls out of the box but even that was understandable with defenders infront of him. No doubt the lower quality keepers will show the differences... FC Toronto's keeper seems a little easier to beat tbh.

 

So far I've had no problems and the more I play it the more I think it's brilliant.

[khilafah]

Heading looks much improved over FIFA 08. The challenges with other players in the air looks so real.. The way you can misjudge headers if you press the button too early for example looks superb!

 

Cant wait to get my hands on this damn game..

[tapedeck]

Heading looks much improved over FIFA 08. The challenges with other players in the air looks so real.. The way you can misjudge headers if you press the button too early for example looks superb!

 

Yeah, if your not in the right position you're buggered when it comes to winning headers. kind of a harsh learning curve but more realism and something a little different from the usual "get your body in the way for a 90% success rate" ethos of other footy games.

[Dyson]

I really enjoyed the demo, and I'm not a sport gamer at all

[Babooo]

Looks like I'll have to change the settings and give the demo another chance!

 

I really wanna like FIFA!

[khilafah]

tricks are mental

 

[flameboy]

I'm just downloading this demo can't wait for it to get done and play it.

[tapedeck]

Some staff member from the evo-web site got to test the final version and apparently this is his meanderings:

 

- Suff's played the final code a few days ago and says that the demo is not as good as the full game. He thinks the demo is an unfair representation, as a lot of the animations have been cut out. It's like they have given you half the animations. With regards to how it plays, it plays how you would expect it to - it gives you a taster. The arena mode is 100% accurate to the real game. He agrees that the 2 minutes a half is just not enough time to get any sort of feeling for the game. Graphically the demo is 'almost' on par, Suff's been focusing on the ps3 version this year as it's easier for him to play. In the final version the graphics are slightly more advanced. He was told by EA that there is 3 weeks of work between the code he played and the gold code.

 

Considering this is one of the best demos I've had the pleasure of playing that's a good thing if true

[flameboy]

How many people are getting this on PS3? Surely we can get enough people together for an online 10 vs 10 and surely a league is a must?!

[Daft]

Okay, I'm downloading the demo now. I really really hope I like it.

 

This isn't one of these demos that plays differently to the full game, is it?

[Dyson]

If enough 360ers get this, I will too. Private LIVE leagues ftw.

[dwarf]

I'm one of the few that didnt like the demo then. I thought the play sort of felt clunky. Maybe I just need to get used to it. For me however there wasn't enough change. People still have poor touches, although i noticed there was less of the crappy re-bound you sometimes get when two or three players meet each other (usually resulting in one on one for the attacker) even though you tackle the person. Anyone else had this.

 

What I thought was pretty cool was this skill shot thing that Malouda did for Chelsea when I scored. I layed it back for him in the area and he kind of flicked it in the net whilst facing the other way for deception. Pretty funny.

I wonder if it's more likely for people to score screamers as well, because the ball floats and slowly rises, whereas in 08 screamers were rare because it can just ping of anywhere.

[Babooo]

If enough 360ers get this, I will too. Private LIVE leagues ftw.

 

That is the sex! Didn't know that was possible....man, being stuck playing PES games on last generation consoles really sucks!

[Dyson]

I actually don't know if that's a confirmed feature - in fact, I don't think it is. I was thinking of NHL 2K7's league system at the time and for some reason thought it was in FIFA 09. Not sure why - sorry!

 

Though some reading up on the subject...aka Wikipedia, brought this up:

FIFA 09 "Clubs"

 

On September 10, EA unveiled the new online game mode for consoles Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, called FIFA 09 "Clubs". Through FIFA 09 Clubs, gamers can form or join clubs and field their strongest team when competing in Be A Pro: 10 v 10 Online Team Play.

 

FIFA 09 Clubs will also determine the best virtual team in the world. Clubs will be ranked and placed in a division. They will be relegated and promoted to different divisions based on their performance during the season. FIFA 09 Clubs will also feature special Club Managers to scout rival players and then recruit them to join their club.

[tapedeck]

Well, having played this extensively for the last 3 days I've made a list of pros and cons - Just so I can decide if it's the best thing since sliced PES...

 

PROS:

 

Massive improvements in the general "feel" of the game. Plays a more patient, build up game (ala 08 but more so through midfield and the final 3rd.)

 

Control options are immense and cater to hardcore and newbies alike. Manual and assist modes really make a huge difference.

 

Real depth to the controls. Use L2 (PS3v.) and you're looking at a whole new avenue of control, both when recieving the ball and being on the ball.

 

AI isn't as heavily scripted as previous. Each game plays differently with many different types of opportunities/goals being fashioned.

 

The response times are nigh on perfect and coupled with the physics, this gives the game a weight previously not felt. This effects on the ball play, off the ball movement/interactions.

 

Goalies are spot on.

 

CONS:

 

Some serious graft has to be put in to reap rewards (look at advanced tricks for proof of complexity the title affords)

 

Some player faces are still generic jobs - possibly indicates lower league players wont be lookalikes.

 

The fast, medium, slow options feel like a cop out (in advanced game settings). Guess it's good to have the option though.

 

Players love to go over the top with diving. (It's like the Didier Drogba show at every opportunity.) - Could be a demo "show" though.

 

The lack of ability to trap every ball instantly,spin on a dime, play the perfect pass everytime and break down defenses in 3 passes or less wont be everyones cup of tea. To do this takes a lot of time.

 

Crossing (alongside the power bar) takes a lot of getting used to.

 

Seems ok...and that's just the demo.

[Charlie]

Just played the demo, first FIFA game I've played since '06 and loved it. Seriously tempted to convert over from PES if the online mode is as bad as it normally is on the new PES. Looking forward to the PES demo so I can decide which to get.

[Babooo]

I gave the demo another go today with my best mate, and I'm starting to like it much more! The tricks are pretty damn hard to pull off but thats what it should be like! The graphics really impress me as do the collision detections. Pretty good stuff. Most likely will be picking this up for the football season.

[khilafah]

got my 360 back today. played FIFA 09 demo and I love this game, feels so much better than fifa 08 and euro 08. The A.I. is much better on this game, shame it only 4min demo as it is over so quick..

[Babooo]

Definite purchase from me!

[tapedeck]

got my 360 back today. played FIFA 09 demo and I love this game, feels so much better than fifa 08 and euro 08. The A.I. is much better on this game, shame it only 4min demo as it is over so quick..

 

Nice one Knew you'd like it!

 

I introduced this to my lifelong best mate today (and we've been playing footy games together since FIFA International) and he instantly "got it" and came away saying how it was the best FIFA game in years. We then played PES and noted how cartoony everything looks in comparison and had to stop picking faults. I thought that would never happen

 

I hope FIFA '09 has the longevity of the PES series. How did '08 on the 360/PS3 hold up in the longterm?

[khilafah]

Nice one Knew you'd like it!

 

I introduced this to my lifelong best mate today (and we've been playing footy games together since FIFA International) and he instantly "got it" and came away saying how it was the best FIFA game in years. We then played PES and noted how cartoony everything looks in comparison and had to stop picking faults. I thought that would never happen

 

I hope FIFA '09 has the longevity of the PES series. How did '08 on the 360/PS3 hold up in the longterm?

 

Problem I found with FIFA 08 was the response times. they were too slow, most CPU teams felt the same and there attacks were too predictable. Seems that EA have improved this for for FIFA 09 though so manager mode should be really good.

 

Online Leagues is the best thing though. honestly once you get into a league it makes the game so much fun.