FIFA Soccer 09 First Look

We had a chance to see FIFA 09 for the first time at EA's Season Opener event a few weeks ago. Although some of the most exciting features are still under wraps until E3, we did have a chance to check out the gameplay improvements made to this year's game.

Many of the gameplay improvements that debuted in UEFA 08, EA's other soccer game (released earlier this year), have found their way into FIFA 09. These changes include the implementation of weather, interactive celebrations, adaptive team AI, and dynamic crowd reactions. Although some of the changes merely add a visual flair to the soccer experience, others such as rain games will have an impact on gameplay and strategy. Long passes will become more difficult to complete because the ball may get muddled in wet patches scattered across the pitch. Player movement will also be affected because ballhandlers will be unable to make quick cuts, and less-agile players may slip in the wet terrain.

However, of all of the changes carried over from UEFA, adaptive team AI may have the greatest impact. Given the great contrast in team skill levels in UEFA, EA implemented an adaptive AI that used realistic team strategies based on the team's opponent. For instance, a team with less talent may choose to play a defensive game against a more-skilled opponent by dropping 9 or 10 defenders back to defend their goal. The end result is that games with uneven opponents will still offer a challenging experience. This feature will undoubtedly impact FIFA 09 as well. Popular club teams such as Barcelona will find it more difficult to score against less-heralded opponents. In addition, it is EA's hope that this will encourage gamers to try out other teams.

Another issue that EA's FIFA development team knew was unhappy with in previous iterations was the herky-jerky transition between dribbling animations, especially when the player made drastic directional changes. The root cause of this was the absence of branching animation mechanics (a feature that is becoming popular in other EA Sports games). Previously, one animation had to play to completion before the next one could start. However, in FIFA 09, directional changes during a dribbling animation will dynamically branch to other variations. This will have implications on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. More responsive controls will give the ballhandler more options. On the other hand, the fluid motion of animations should make it easier for defenders to anticipate ballhandler movement and adapt in kind.

Branching animations are just one aspect of how FIFA 09 has improved on player-to-player interaction. EA developers have overhauled player physics in this year's game to provide more-realistic player motion, especially when colliding with other bodies. We saw this trend first in UEFA 08 with the new free-motion header system, which let players jostle for position while the ball was in the air. This idea has expanded in FIFA 09, factoring in player speed and weight. Larger players will now be able to dominate collisions and use their weight to leverage better position on headers or fights for possession. Although player jostling during a dribble was seen in UEFA, application of weight now adds another element of strategy to the gameplay. For instance, larger defenders need not risk a slide tackle when they would control the jostle.

Speed of the player will now dictate length of slides and collision momentum. This is an important addition because penalties on slides have been toned down from years past (though obviously slide tackles from behind will still elicit a call). Sliding for the ball is now a viable defensive strategy, but the effectiveness of the slide will depend on the defender's speed. To balance this on the offensive end, players will no longer enter into a canned falling animation when taking a slide. Instead, if the leg being swept is not the plant foot, the offensive player will simply stumble momentarily while remaining on his feet.

Another feature seen earlier this year in UEFA is the evolution of FIFA 09's Custom Team Tactics. The feature will let you augment 11 tactical sliders across 140 attacking and 40 defending options. By doing so, you will be able to specify to your CPU teammates exactly what actions to perform in various situations. For instance, on the defensive end, you could direct your teammates as to when and in which positions to bring a help defender to pressure the ball. Custom Team Tactics will probably have the greatest impact online, where potentially each opponent will have teams catered to his or her style of play.

Finally, EA has also ramped up one of the most anticipated features from last year's game: Be a Pro. As in FIFA 08, this feature will let you take control of a single player (in player-lock) and master his positional responsibilities. As a striker, this may involve scoring goals, whereas as a defender it may simply involve winning back possession for your team. FIFA 09 carries this game mode further by letting you play a four-season campaign in your attempt to become a national legend.

FIFA 09's focus on improving gameplay should make an already solid series that much stronger. Realistic player physics and branching animations have received positive responses in other EA games and will now add a new element to FIFA's gameplay. Similarly, initiatives to improve team customization will allow gamers and their CPU-controlled teammates to play with greater synergy, limiting AI handicaps. We will bring you more news on FIFA 09 once we learn more at E3 in a few weeks. For more on FIFA 09, check out our over at SportsGamer.