FIFA impressions

jimd · Post by **jimd** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 9:46 pm

I have had the game for three days now, and have played several exhibition games with some of the European powers, and started a career mode with Bari in the Series B (Italian-second divsion.)
 
 I have the xbox version and am playing on professional level with no real adjustments (there aren´t many options anyway).
 
 GAMEPLAY--Definitely improved over previous years, but still nowhere near WE series. There are some aspects that actually remind me of WE, but in the end there is still something missing.
 
 The pace is very slow at times, almost too slow, which is weird for an EA footie game. That being said, passing can sometimes be like pinball and all shots are like rockets, no matter who is shooting.
 
 The goals are pretty random, nothing like last year. With around dozen games under my belt, I have no money play which I know will work most of the time. You definitely have to build up the attack, and this can be accomplished a variety of ways.
 
 The "off the ball" control is a total gimmick. Not only is it very difficult to navigate, there not much accomplished when you do it successfully, and it is not very satisfying. IMO it is used to make up for the lack of computer AI, because computer controlled players seem clueless at times--very frustrating (especially on defense).
 
 Set-pieces and corners are different than last year, but not much better. Feels totally scripted and you do not have much control over what happens. Free-kicks are pretty much the same, and still are pretty easy to score on, from 25 yards and in.
 
 There are a lot more player attributes this year, but it doesn´t seem to make much difference, i.e., playing with Zidane doesn´t feel much different than playing with the center half from a second division team. Very disapointing.
 
 GRAPHICS/ATMOSPHERE, ETC.-IMO EA took a step back in this department. Xbox version doesn´t look as sharp as last year´s. Players seem less detailed, and even a little jagged. Pitches and stadiums--same thing. It looks very poor for an EA xbox game...maybe it was rushed?
 
 The team specific chants and singing are great and the commentary is decent. The crowd doesn´t seem as loud when you score, I really enjoyed how they captured that in last year´s version.
 
 Default camera is much better this year. However, players seem too squaty and the pitch seems too big in porportion to the players.
 
 CAREER MODE--Not very deep. You can set up practices and training to increase attributes, but it doesn´t seem to do much. They have added more tactical options, but no where near what they are in WE.
 
 Career mode is only up to five years--seems way too short. Not much time if you want to try to get an English 3rd division (which is inluded) team into the Premiere League.
 
 What I find extremley disapointing is that, as far as I can tell, Cup games, Champions League games (EA´s version) do not seem to be integrated into the schedule. I don´t know why they would do that--last year these games were included in your season schedule. Maybe I´m missing something, but as far as I can tell these cups/tournaments are only available separately from the career/season mode.
 
 Buying/selling players is in the game, but so far I haven´t done much in that department.
 
 That´s about it for now. The game is improved in some areas, but has declined in others. Bottom line for me is that it just isn´t that fun. Maybe even less fun than last year.
 
 Obviously, no where near WE, not even comparable. I´ll be counting the days until February...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 11:03 pm

Jim:
 
 Thanks. Looks like you saved me about 49 bones -- the difference between a purchase and a rental.
 
 Take care,
 PK

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Nov 08, 2003 6:07 am

Okay if you guys know me you know I´m a WE fan . FIFA 2004, was one of those purchases were I didn´t think it would be any good and I thought a rental was all it´s worth. My first day I was thinking man, I could have spent $50 in a lot of better ways.
 
 FIFA 2004 is not FIFA 2003 with slight improvements. It´s a new game. For the better I might add.
 
 Having played the WE for the past couple of years, the first thing I did was play FIFA as if it was a WE/PES title. That means you sprint to the defender and shoulder tackle. On offense you pass to any player because most of the time short passes can get away with a lot. On world class, I had over 30 more tackles, 20% more possesion but the scoreline read a lose. So I changed my tactics.
 
 FIFA is must more a positiona; game. You can´t get away with bad position here like you can WE. The love to find that open spot.
 
 I just wanted to comment on some other statements.
 
 -Rocket shots The shots are faster than WE and maybe a bit too fast but turn down the power up slider and that solves the ease in which you can score long shots. It is too fast with the best players.
 
 -Pinball passing. I have to completely disagree with you there. It´s not pinball passing. They might get it out quickly but it´s actually slower and the CPU takes some time to make the pass. They look to dribble as well then just passing it. I have to say that WE6:I has more of pinball effect than FIFA.
 
 -Off the ball control, good in theory but hard to pull off. You don´t need to use it but it does help. Unfortunately the camera angles don´t let you use this feature to the fullest.
 
 - This coincides with the OTB feature and fifa in general. A lot of players think that the quick marking of WE is football. It´s not and take a look at some real games you don´t see them pressing every player all the time. FIFA you have to watch your space and make sure the opposition doesn´t get behind you. If fact it gives you the time to set-up your offense and even intercept the pass on defense. I think people have just accepted WE because it was the best thing we have but WE doesn´t get this part right at all.
 
 -WE has a system where the players play to an ability, were as FIFA is much more team oriented. You can tell Beckham from Ronaldo in his abilities. It´s not as pronounced as WE however. The players might get a little lost but you can tell if you are Man U and you are playing Nottingham. So player abilities are less than WE but team abilites is captured a little better.
 
 It´s late and I´ll add more tomorrow. If EA Sports patches some stuff like lack of long range shots (something a tune file might be able to do) and no subs for the PC version. I´ll think about getting it that way.
 
 Overall I think this is a good game. It´s not WE but then again it´s not horrible FIFA dog poo like we had last year. A rental atleast.

mobiggins · Post by **mobiggins** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 12:18 am

"Rocket shots The shots are faster than WE and maybe a bit too fast but turn down the power up slider and that solves the ease in which you can score long shots. It is too fast with the best players."
 
 Does the X box version have sliders? I´m not aware of any power-up slider.
 
 "-WE has a system where the players play to an ability, were as FIFA is much more team oriented. You can tell Beckham from Ronaldo in his abilities. It´s not as pronounced as WE however. The players might get a little lost but you can tell if you are Man U and you are playing Nottingham. So player abilities are less than WE but team abilites is captured a little better."
 
 Hmm...yeah, that´s why there´s no difference between Yeovil and Real Madrid. Gimme a break. I played them with Real on pro for the first time, and won 3-2. They were passing like a top-flight premiership team. I think you´re giving EA way too much credit on this one. No, they didn´t get the individual play right, and neither did they get the team play right.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 6:08 am

Well I need to be more clear. It´s not as pronounced as I first thought. However I can tell when Beckham and Real is playing Stoke. It just feels different. There´s a lot less pressure with the bad teams. Anyway it´s not what I first though so Mo don´t get all out of wack.
 
 I went back to WE6FE (ya it´s not the lastest but it´s all I have right now) and there´s still light year´s ahead of FIFA. I suspect that FIFA spent the whole year working on the new graphics engine. It´s a good engine and the fluidity on teh xbox is pretty good. But the game is still fifa. The CPU play a completly different game from the user. You play a long range shooting fest while the CPU always passes to it´s forwards while you Champions league centre back gets burned.
 
 Game still needs work. No amount of patching can fix this.

pacuca · Post by **pacuca** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 6:12 am

Can online play with another human save this title? I hope so.
 
 pacuca

jimd · Post by **jimd** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:53 pm

Well, I gave this game almost a full week and I just can´t take it anymore. I tried to keep in mind some of the things JRod pointed out when playing, but still find it an extremely unenjoyable experience. It actually gives me a headache when I play.
 
 Yesterday, I put it away for good and immediately started playing WE6I again. Now I haven´t played it in a couple months because of the glut of football, hockey, and b-ball titles. I didn´t jump right back into the ML (I was in the middle of my 6th season on Extreme), I just played a series of great exhibitions, (ManU v. Liverpool, Roma v. Lazio, and Milan v Inter).
 
 What a blast, this game never gets old for me. I think I especially appreciated it after playing FIFA for the past week. It just reminded me how bad EA´s attempt at footie really is. I will admit that FIFA does some things right, but there are way more things it does wrong.
 
 I will not add to my list from above, but if anyone wants some in-depth impressions, check out the thread at SR. Not only is it informative, it´s pretty amusing as well. (It is also one of the few live threads left over there.)
 
 Can´t wait for WE7 in February.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:59 pm

Jimd
 
 Without wishing to push my own work, have a look at my review of PES 3 (which is basically WE7 in a PAL version) !
 
 As for FIFA 04, one look at the demo told me it´d be shite. I never figured out why they go to the bother of rating all the players, when you can beat the best with the worst. Try doing that with your opening roster in the Master League !

Post by **Jared** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:33 pm

Got it today. I´m working on the review, though I might do a piece tonight on passing controls in FIFA (basically, the AI people/programmers/designers/whoever really dropped the ball on passing intelligence...and it´s REALLY EASY to figure out the problem. Will probably post it on the main page tonight.)
 
 In the meantime, here are the random notes I´ve been taking on the game as I´ve been playing. These are completely random, so sorry about the lack of organization and grammaticality:
 
 ---------------------------------------------------------
 
 First goal, Arsenal v. Le Havre, semipro
 
 Cross from wing, right to Bergkampf, volleys home, pretty cool.
 
 Look at replay, Bergkamp takes the cross on his left foot and it is deadened so well that in mid-air directly after that he then uses his right foot to smash it home...all without hitting the ground. Hmmmmm....
 
 Players will stab tackle the ball, and if they don´t directly have possession after the tackle but it´s nearby and no one else does, they´ll just jog to the ball....which is fine, unless the ball is going out for touch. Then you lose possession.
 
 Tackle button (circle) is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too powerful. It seems like the only reasonable way to get the ball. If you´re completely on a player but NOT hitting the stab tackle, the opponent magically keeps the ball. But if you stab tackle anywhere within the vicinity of the player (if you´re not behind him) you win the ball. NOT realistic.
 
 Finding out player fatigue in order to make a sub should NOT involve having to scroll all the way over to the end of the statistics screen (going through 15 other stats). Should be easy to see.
 
 When you pass the ball to a player, coming to the ball really isn´t an option. He sort of can, but is terrrrrrribly slow at it. Turtle slow. A slow walk would be the best way to describe it. Then once he gets to the ball, it´s back to running as normal. Weird.
 
 Soccer can´t be modeled using Madden as an example. (See corner kicks)
 
 At team select screen right before game starts, can´t put reserves on bench or in st. lineup. Odd.
 
 Argggggggghhhhhhhh. Right outside of the 18, ready to take the shot, have two steps of animation in which I can take the shot (seen via replay), don´t take shot and ball gets stolen.
 
 If your team is in the lead in the 2nd half, and you´re playing on pro, then it is very very likly that your squad will suddenly lose the lead. This is usually due to terrible marking within the box. Players will win headers that they never won before. Defenders will forget to mark and give that player just enough space to get off a shot from inside the box (which is deadly in FIFA...no one misses the frame inside of the box....)
 
 Big problem with FIFA: AI defender teammates don´t adjust their positioning based on where you are. This is terribly evident if you´re a defender. If no one is marking an attacker (say the OMF), and you step up to get him (leaving one of the CFs), the NO ONE slides over to take the man you just met. The computer almost always sees this and hits the open man. (The solution is just to stay back on the man you´re marking...but since shots outside the 18 are so deadly, you really don´t want to just give the player an open shot).
 
 Another problem: Passing. Through balls are great. You have completely control over speed and direction, and I kind of like that (although it would be good to have a button/button combo that passes a ball in front of the player to general space...then you don´t have to worry about judging the weight of the pass exactly to make the right play). But normal passes are a pain. Nearly ALL of them are directly to feet. Which is OK...but not every pass you make goes directly to feet. This is especially true when say, you have a defender in front and you want the player to come to the ball. Players NEVER come to the ball. Also, it´s common sense that if you´re making a pass and there´s some space to take it, you lead the runner a bit. Also, if someone is marking you tight, you send it a little short and let the player come to. This is something that can be implemented in passing logic, but EA doesn´t seem to think that´s necessary, and it makes important passes a CHORE.
 
 (Although interestingly, the pass to the forward up top is often a bad through ball, and this is even if you use the normal pass button (x)).
 
 Shooting: ROCKET TIME.
 
 Online play: When someone challenges you, it doesn´t show their connection/ping times. Kind of a pain...
 
 Another pain is that when someone challenges you, they just don´t show up on your EA Messenger service. You pull up messenger, then R1 over to the challenger screen, then go. Not a big deal, but sort of a pain.
 
 The MLS is a one table league? Umm...as much as I´d think that´s a great thing, it´s not true. No Eastern and Western divisons in the MLS in FIFA 2004. If it´s in the game, it´s....umm....it´s somewhere I guess.
 
 I tend to get disconnected from the server a lot, and I don´t know why. This never happens with Madden/NCAA.
 
 -------------------------------------------------------
 
 Still haven´t been able to get a match online. Hopefully, that will save it. Though I´m not too sure of that.

jimd · Post by **jimd** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 3:42 pm

Dave,
 
 I have read your review, sounds like a great game just keeps becoming better and better. I can hardly wait to play this. I´ll probably wait for the console version in February. Just never been much of a computer gamer.
 
 Jim

Bill_Abner · Post by **Bill_Abner** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:06 pm

FIFA 2004 is the most predictable sports game I have played this century. Blech.