Another year, Another Fifa. But whats it like? I explore in depth the gameplay, graphics and online features.
This is on Fifa football 2006 game for Ps2
I will split my review into a number of parts these are:
GamePlay
Graphics
Online
Multiplayer
Learning Curve
Longevity
Masterabiltity
and Extras
Introduction:
On first entrance into game you are presented with arguably the best FIFA video yet. It is of what football is, and gets you really hyped for the games ahead. As usual you pick your supported team (out of the 20 odd leagues).
Then you choose your control setting. This is a well wanted change, as it effectively gives you the choice of FIFA or PES controls, and whether you want to use Analog or D pad. You then presented with the chance to play the 'Classic XI' which is a team made up of the best ever footballers, including Pele and Hagi. You play them with the team you earlier selected.
This is a daunting task, as you have never played the game before.
GAMEPLAY:
The gamplay in 06 has been evolved, and polished to a incredible level creating a fantastic simulation of football.
There are a number of main new things, and i will go into each of those in depth later. But first i will briefly go over some things that have changed slightly. These are.... well actually everything, its all been polished, or totally changed. The goalkeepers, shooting, tackling dribbling skill moves tactics have all been slightly polished, and i'd say all for the better.
Off the ball Control has gone for those who did not know this allowed you to control 2 players at once, the problem was that you could execute pinpoint lobbed balls far too easily. The corners have changed to a much more simple aim, charge up, head, OR there is now a chance for short corners. Thank ******* god. And they seem to be fairly well done. The freekicks have changed to a totally different style, now allowing you to control in a much more vague fasion, the power, height, direction, curve. And no longer is there a target. It is fairly like Pro Evos but more complicated, and better managed. Even the good old Penalties have had a revamping, allowing drives, controlled shots, and chips aswell as the ability to make your keeper move without diving. Now for the new things.
OTFT: OTFT you say? what the hell is that you say? OTFT stands for On The Fly Tactics. It is not exactly a new idea, but it has been advanced hugely.
You can now choose between 3 mentalities by just cycling the Select button, and 8 different types of move - Counter Attack, Wing Play, Box Overload, Third Man Release, Pressing, Flat Back, Zone Defence, Offside trap.These each have obvious effect, and are a large part of the strategy of the seasoned gamer. Unlike with the previous equivalent you can use these without having to think about it, and without ruining your chances of ball control.
PACE CONTROL: Pace control is a small but very useful addin, it allows you to instead of sprint, to slow down, and drag the ball around, allowing for almost your own skill moves, it has the advantage of allowing you to take the man on as the attacker, and face the defender while going backwards left and right, looking to edge on the pass.
DUMMY: Yeh, this sounds very new, NOT! But it is, this is another small but useful addin, that allows you to instead of picking up the ball, let it past to another player, or to run onto allowing just that split second, that lets you blast the goal past the goalkeeper.
1-2: The one-two has always been possible, but not easily, nor realisticly, now though, it is. By using L1 just before you pass, and i mean just before, the player who passed will make a run into a position for the player he passed it to, this is great for tricking defenders and when entwined with the dummy, can throw people into serious problems.
Shielding: You can now shield the ball with much more control, allowing you to turn the defence on its self.
Shoulder Barging: This fantastic new feature allows you to have real fights to get to the freeball, allowing the stronger players to have an advantage, if they can keep up. This along with the shielding makes stronger players, such as viera much more useful, and no longer just a passing man.
There are endless new things, animations, etc. But i believe they are the most useful.
GRAPHICS:
The graphics in this game are just what you would have expected, great new faces, great lighting, and just generally polished and sharper kits.
ONLINE PLAY:
Probably the most important part of my review as this is info that is hard to get anywhere else. Please note this is for the PS2 version. Although i doubted that the online would have changed much, i was wrong. A new interface, much smoother, and incredibly Much Much less lag. A new statistics display, aswell as the ability to find how far up you are in your country. Which is a great new feature. I have played almost 200 games online, and have had 1 that was really laggy. and about 2 that were pretty bad. Otherwise it was great.
MULTIPLAYER:
The Multiplayer has changed little from the last version. Except for one small difference
The FIFA lounge.
This is for a group of mates, who can have a quick and easy and fun tournament with 2 controllers, and no hassle.
LEARNING CURVE:
If you are a FIFA veteran it won't take you long to get into this game.
If you are new to it, it still won't take you long, the game is fairly intuitive, the controls fantastic, and the easy to read manual, in game tutorials etc help along massively.
MASTERABILITY:
What the hell is masterability? Is masterability a word? I dont actually know, what i mean by it is, is it a game where you will find people who can crush you, or is there little differentiation.
This game, is truly masterable, the online shows that already 15,000 people have played online, and the difference is ENOURMOUS.
LONGEVITY:
A much more realistic manager mode ( as deep as some proper management games. Tons of challenges and unlockables, if your a football fan, you will be playing for solid days.
EXTRAS: By crums, lots and lots of these, for one, FIFA 94 is in it, the full game, truly sensationally CRAP and is wonderful to see how its progressed. There is also a memorable moments video - Ten sensational goals. An interview with Eto'o. Highlights from last year. Extra Kits, An extra difficulty level, more stadiums, more music, more, everything. There is one hell of a lot to mess around with, including the Situation mode which allows you to start a game from a certain situation such as England 1 - 0 France and see if you can lose 2 goals in about 10 minutes.
Lol
and more.
This game is the one to watch out for, don't dismiss it rent/buy it