It's a great game, but some other improvements would have made this realistic soccer game a little better.
- Great soundtrack
- Lots of players and stadium
- The game looks good
- A lot of things to keep you busy
Negative
- Not a lot has improved
- No Lounge Mode for the PC
- The weak AI softens the difficulties
- Annoying glitches mar some stadiums
EA Sports make some minor improvements over the superb Fifa 06. Don't give me wrong, the game is still great. Fifa 07 looks different than its predecessor but gives it a more life like feel.
Fifa 07 almost plays exactly like Fifa 06, only a little worse since the AI is weak. Especially when it comes to goalkeepers. The AI is so weak than the game will seem easy and the difficulty is really softened. Even World Class. Also the AI is predicable at times. This always happen, the opposing team's defense always clears the ball when around their area, even if there aren't other players around. The GK are slow to jump and sometimes move a little to the side when attempting to steal the ball in a one on one situation.
There are a lot of players and stadium. Some players really look like each other and not in real life, but EA can't do all the players, right? The stadiums basically look the same other than night, day and rainy. Plus, there are some frustrating glitches (didn't anyone have them?) that blocks the view in some stadiums. If I'm not mistaken it is Oval Style. That shouldn't be a problem since you can always choose another stadium but you can't do that in the Manager Mode.
The Manager Mode is as good as it was last year. This time around you can begin with a big team and then if you leave go to a minor. The challenge mode is basically unchanged from Fifa 06, but still packs a lot of time to beat the challenges. And the fan shop is available for those who want the 3rd kit, new balls, and other stuff. Unlike the PS2 version, the PC version is missing the Fifa Lounge Mode.
The graphics can't be said that they are better than those in 06, but they look more real. The soundtrack is great, there are lots. Commentary is average. Most of the time is good, but not always. Occasionally, when going for Cup match, the commenter says that one team is far stronger than the other and most of the time the two team have basically the same skills and stars. This is what Clive says. The part when Andy Gray is mistaken is where you taken a free kick and you barely missed. He would says that it was a wasted opportunity, even though the replay has come and also if Clive says that that was close.
The worst part of the AI is the goalkeeper. On World Class difficulty the opponent goalkeeper makes an unbelievable number of brilliant saves. Plus, the opponent AI scores easily, normally on the first shot even if the angle is impossible. GK are almost AI controlled, unless you press the W button to make them come out, but otherwise they jump, dive etc with aritificial intelligence. Your GK won't sometimes catch the easiest of saves in World Class difficulty, and it is cheap and infurating. The AI is simply awful at times. This works always, even with the best GK.
And listen to this. I was playing the ECC final against Barcelona. When doing a sub I realized that I was hearing people shouting, and the ground was empty. Not a single person, but the noises and sound effect were somehow all there.
Fifa 07 is a worse game than Fifa 06, just the same level. Fifa 07 has removed 2 season highlights leaving only the English league highlights ( of course ) and the german bundesliga. Also some annoying glitches mar what is a great looking game. You should own Fifa 07 is you don't have 06, but Fifa 07 is a rich, full of modes that can keep you busy for a long time, until next year.
Graphics = 8.3
Fifa 07 looks more realistic and the player models are stupendous. The crowd still looks awful. And there are some horrible glitches that really make you exit the match and simulate. That is what I do.
Sound = 8.7
The soundtrack is as good as you can expect from EA Sports. The sound effects are good enough. The commentary is ok most of the time, but it's not flawless.
Gameplay = 8.2
The game is fast-paced and exciting. There are lots of players, team, stadiums, challenges, unlockables etc. Create-a-player options are the same as Fifa 06.Create-a-club is good. AI is a bit weak especially GK and defenders.
Presentation = 7.5
Menus are easy to navigate through and there aren't slowdowns in menus, only sometimes on the pitch. Still can't see the manager when playing the manager mode (when playing a game that is). Production values are a bit weak. Load times are ok.
Camera = 8.1
Lots of camera view + you can buy one, the overhead camera.
Story / Modes = 8.5
There certainly isn't shortage. Though the Lounge Mode is absent. Manager Mode has seen little update, same with challenge mode. But they take a while to complete.
Difficulty = 7.1
4 difficulties + one unlockables if you beat any 2 regions in the challenge mode. IF you're an expert the game will seem very easy, since the AI is a bit too weak. Not even World Class, I won 4-0 away against French team Lens with AS Monaco, World Class in 4 minutes. And I'm not an expert, the game isn't hard.
OVERALL SCORE = 80 / 100