FIFA Soccer

30 Jul 2008 at 01:06:20 by Jim Diaz
Systems used to review this title: (PSP)

It made sense that Sony got the first jump on soccer (or football to the rest of the world) for the PSP with its World Tour Soccer game but it didn’t take long for the sports powerhouse, EA Sports to get its popular FIFA game released for the graphically impressive PSP.  You could say that I was more than a bit eager to put this game through its paces since the graphics of the console versions have improved dramatically over the last few years and I was expecting a similar level of quality with the PSP version.  But as we all know, graphics only go so far especially in a sports game, where control mechanics and realism always get scrutinized by the discerning sports gamer. 

So I expected FIFA to look good on the PSP since FIFA 2005 and my favorite EA soccer game, UEFA Euro 2004 look fantastic on my Xbox.  The transition to the smaller screen is a smooth one as the game maintains the same level of graphical excellence as its console counterparts.  The stadiums and the pitch look absolutely fantastic to the point of making FIFA a bragging title, when it comes time to showing how really impressive the PSP is.  The sharpness of the grass cut patterns and stadium shadows on the pitch are prime examples of how much effort went into transferring as much of the console game into the PSP.  The realism of the rain comes up short but this is only a minor item as the graphics horsepower of the PSP can only go so far but the attempt should be commended.  The other blemish is the players’ faces, which look a bit too bland and sometimes outright scary (Euro helmet hair, anyone?).  Players within each ethnic group look are modeled the same so individuality is lost anytime there are facial close-ups.  The game is also missing referees from the field, which is not a big deal since most players will be playing the game at a higher zoom so you won’t have the problem of mistaking a ref for a player.      

With all of this graphical goodness, you would expect a framerate hit but fortunately the game runs like a charm.  The one thing I don’t like is the slowdown that occurs when the ball goes out of bounds.  It’s not so bad with sideline outs but tends to be distracting with missed shots on goal (either high or wide).  It’s similar to a slow-motion effect, which disrupts the flow of the action.  I would rather see the shot continue at normal speed and then slow it down after it is fully out of bounds.  It’s not a huge issue but I must admit that I really never got used to it especially when you consider that successful shots on goal are always at normal speed.     

Once you do get onto the pitch, the gameplay is a nice balance of arcade and simulation with the overall experience leaning more towards the sim level.  This is a nice surprise since FIFA games are notorious for being more arcade-like, which typically results in unrealistically high scoring games.  This is definitely not the case with the PSP version, especially if you play the game at the professional level or higher.  The goalkeepers on both sides are extremely adept at blocking shots so it is very rare to see one team score more than 3 or 4 goals in a game.  The gameplay reminds me a lot of EA Sports’ UEFA Euro 2004 so if you’re a soccer purist who tends to favor the strategies of a Winning Eleven type of game then you should be in good company here.  I do have to mention that the games tend to start a bit more arcade-like since the players are moving around at top speed but once they start to tire, the game drops into a more realistic tempo.  The fatigue meters gauge short-term stamina so there’s really no way of monitoring your players’ overall condition, which is a downer since substitutions are important.  You will notice that some players will move slower and lose the ball more easily as they get tired in the latter stages of a match.

Like real soccer, the gameplay is all about ball control and this is where FIFA really shines since it rewards players who control and pass the ball with pinpoint accuracy.  The passing itself is easy enough but the real challenge lies in moving the ball and finding the open man before the defenders clamp down on you.  The tenacious defense forces you to be smart with your ball movement as well as being able to control the ball.    This is the one area that takes some time to get used to due to the limitations of the PSP controls.  The analog stick/nub controls your player’s directional movement while the D-pad gives you the ability to make freestyle moves.  The big problem is that you have to move your left thumb off of the nub in order to make a freestyle move so you end up stopping your directional movement when trying to deke an opponent.  A freestyle move is not that easy to pull off in the first place so to force you to move your thumb off the directional stick, go to the D-pad and then back again is a real stretch.  This is a perfect example of why the PSP needs a second analog stick/nub on the right.  The other alternative would have been to tie the freestyle move to both triggers so you wouldn’t have to move your thumb off of the analog stick/nub.  This would have be a lot more intuitive and not all that difficult to implement.

There is a decent variety of play modes that include quick match, mid-season, full season, custom season (selectable teams) and tournament.  There is no franchise mode, which FIFA regulars will definitely miss.  What FIFA veterans will be happy about is the deep selection of available teams to pick from.  The cool thing is that the gameplay is definitely reflective of the real life teams.  So if you pick a**nal, you can expect to dominate lowly teams.  The other game types fall under the Challenge category, which include Comeback, Rout, and Custom (you create the challenge).  Comebacks and Routs are based on actual games and can only be unlocked in a sequentially manner so if you can’t complete one, you’re hosed since you will not be able to access the balance.  Now where are those d** cheats!  This wouldn’t be a problem if the challenges weren’t so d** tough, especially at the higher difficulty levels.  Coming from behind to score 3 goals in one half to win is definitely no walk in the park.  How the hell did this happen in a real game?  Too bad the CPU doesn’t collapse as easily as an exhausted soccer crew.  The bottom line is that you’ll end up restarting a lot of games, which can be frustrating at times.   

all;The game has a My FIFA Soccer Store, where earned points can be used to open alternate uniforms, game balls, stadiums, and a small number of tunes.  You can also create a player if you’re willing to spend a lot of time going through the extensive level of characterization items, which include 7 facial/head categories, 23 different skills, and 5 different uniform accessories.  The depth of this feature is pretty amazing.

The audio is good with the announcing team of John Motson and Ally McCois providing a natural flow with their commentary.  Some of their comments tend to pop in late, which is the only negative thing that I could find in what is otherwise an excellent announcing performance.  The in-game sound effects are also very good, especially the sound of kicks and balls hitting the netting of the goal.  The crowd noise is also on par with the overall excellence of the game’s audio.            

The multiplayer mode is Ad Hoc only so you’re going to need a nearby buddy to play against otherwise it’s just you against the CPU.  The other feature that’s missing is a training mode.  The game is easy enough to pick up and play but it would be nice to hone your skills, specifically ball handling and long kicks (free kicks and corner kicks).  Let’s hope next year’s game includes a practice mode as well as a franchise mode and Infrastructure (Internet) multiplayer.

EA Sports’ FIFA Soccer is a great start for soccer on the PSP.  The graphics are excellent and the gameplay is challenging enough to make it feel more like a sim than arcade game.  This should satisfy anyone who is looking for a quality soccer experience on their PSP.

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