FIFA 08 Demo Impressions

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:14 am

I searched and could not find an open thread on it. I'm in the process on downloading it now.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:26 am

That's because people don't usually open an impressions thread unless they have some.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:30 am

Well I downloaded it and played a match. I don't know what to think so far as some things looked improved and others need work.

The demo is 4 mins long. You have a choic of camera angles, TELE is in this year and appears to provide the best view of the field. The demo is set to semi-pro. Also for this years demo you can choose from several teams including the Red Bulls.

Pros:
The ball appears more lively this year. Defenders seem to give you more space in the midfield and close down in their end. The are really good at stopping attacks. The CPU also has a tendency of playing more ball control.

Cons
Did not see mid range passing from the CPU. Still see a ping-pong effect when they bunch up in your zone.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:30 am

dbdynsty25 wrote:That's because people don't usually open an impressions thread unless they have some.

Like now.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:31 am

Yup, like now.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:47 am

07 had major AI flaws in an otherwise much improved gameplay from EA. Forwards would not collaborate with you in attack and the CPU would be all over you. Ball physics has improved then, look forward to the demo.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:57 am

I've played a couple more matches. I still have not seen the CPU attempt a mid range pass unless they are close to your goal. The only mid range pass I saw was a winger outside of the box pass it into the box for a missed header.

I tried the Be A Pro camera angle and i'm sort of neutral right now on it. One thing I see is a slight stutter when using that camera angle.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:05 am

I played a CPU vs CPU game BAR v ManU. I can honestly say i'm not a football aficionado as some of you on DSP. The only time I saw a mid range pass attempt was when they had an attacker close to the goal. For the most part the CPU has relied on short passes 99% of the time.

The crowd souunds amazing. The graphics look like last years game not PC quality but not bad.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:11 pm

PS3 is supposed to get the Fifa demo today as well. Wonder if there will be much of a difference. Maybe 10fps even though it's reported at 60fps

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:20 pm

I just played a few games of the demo. I'm not that familiar with recent FIFAs, but here are some thoughts.

-Defensive positioning AI is excellent. So far they're always where they should be.

-Player control is much more sluggish than WE. Will take some getting used to.

-I tried switching off auto player switch on defense, but it led to a bunch of plays where my defenders didn't react at all (defenders not even challenging crosses), so I had to turn auto-switch back on.

-Through balls seem to be pretty weak. Maybe I need to hold down the button to charge up the passes? Might switch to manual mode for that rather than the default 'assisted'.

-I can't hold the ball in tight space or shield for my life. That's probably more to do with my lack of familiarity with the game (I hope).

-Zeppo needs to get on this demo because Red Bull is one of the demo teams.

-Rodster is right--CPU offense is purely a short-passing ground game. Never does anything through the air until they send in a cross.

Overall seems promising, but I'm not on bandwagon yet.

seanmac31 · Post by **seanmac31** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:47 pm

Got in a couple of games and am very happy with the demo, although I'm still adjusting to the new control scheme (and by that I mean the new WE-style control, where the skill moves require holding down the LT and using the right thumbstick). The ball physics are excellent. The ball really seems to travel at the correct speed along the ground, and it takes some very interesting bounces. I've seen some medium passes from the CPU, so no problems there.

It's a lot closer to the NHL demo than the Live demo. FIFA looks really good.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:55 pm

seanmac31 wrote:(and by that I mean the new WE-style control, where the skill moves require holding down the LT and using the right thumbstick)

How is that WE-style? Holding the LT and using the right thumbstick? Wha. . . ?

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:19 pm

If you want FIFA to play like real football then this demo is pretty bad.

- No aerial game to speak of. That ruins the game for me. The CPU will cross but the game turns into ping-pong to get the ball to the goal.

- Positioning is pretty bad. Say the goalkeeper just kicked a long ball, my player will not go for the 50/50, I have to select it, press the button in order to have the player get into position.

- There's some sluggishness to the controls.

- Conveniently missing sitters is back too.

Overall its not football, its EA's idea of what football should be. I'm passing. I'm done with FIFA.

Blublub · Post by **Blublub** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:19 pm

In a word: pathetic.

Looks like gameplay might actually have taken a step back from last year.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:19 pm

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:20 pm

It's been a day of taking things off my Gamefly queue. Thanks for the impressions.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:33 pm

JRod wrote:If you want FIFA to play like real football then this demo is pretty bad.

- No aerial game to speak of. That ruins the game for me. The CPU will cross but the game turns into ping-pong to get the ball to the goal.

- Positioning is pretty bad. Say the goalkeeper just kicked a long ball, my player will not go for the 50/50, I have to select it, press the button in order to have the player get into position.

- There's some sluggishness to the controls.

- Conveniently missing sitters is back too.

Overall its not football, its EA's idea of what football should be. I'm passing. I'm done with FIFA.

I agree with what you said and the more I played the demo I was seeing the same thing. Although i'm not giving up on the series just yet. But FIFA 08 on the 360 or PS3 is not in my plans for this year. I'd rather play the PC version and install the user mods which fixes a lot of what's wrong with the 360 version.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:46 pm

Nothing wrong with the Fifa demo...i'll be picking this up on release day.

Tim

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:51 pm

tjung0831 wrote:Nothing wrong with the Fifa demo...i'll be picking this up on release day.

Tim

Tjung you play online? If so I may get it. Throw me a friends request.

XBL=Rodster360

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:12 pm

Finally, they've got around to adding this to the UK Marketplace, so I'm about 10% of the way through downloading it. Sterling work from all involved on that one...

Different strokes for different folks, I know, but while in this thread I've seen a 'pathetic' and an 'If you want FIFA to play like real football then this demo is pretty bad', there's a fella on the Eurogamer forums describing it as the best videogame representation of football he's ever played. I'm quite looking forward to seeing exactly how it's managing to polarise opinion like that.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:26 pm

GB_Simo wrote:Finally, they've got around to adding this to the UK Marketplace, so I'm about 10% of the way through downloading it. Sterling work from all involved on that one...

Different strokes for different folks, I know, but while in this thread I've seen a 'pathetic' and an 'If you want FIFA to play like real football then this demo is pretty bad', there's a fella on the Eurogamer forums describing it as the best videogame representation of football he's ever played. I'm quite looking forward to seeing exactly how it's managing to polarise opinion like that.

Let us know what you think.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:40 pm

I've tried it a couple of times. Needless to say, I find it greatly lacking in many areas compared to WE, which I love even with all its flaws. It's lacking particularly in terms of player control, where I agree with Naples the game feels very sluggish. In fact, I agree with Naples pretty much in every area, except I never felt the need or inclination to disable the auto switch. I am not used to using the R-stick to do basic dribble moves, so I think I could get more out of my ability to hold the ball or create space if I were to get more accustomed to the R-stick philosophy. Shooting doesn't feel too bad, but again for me it's greatly lacking when compared to WE. A big part of that may well be that I am well versed in WE's shooting mechanics.

Also, i only used the Red Bulls (got to use Jozy as often as possible!) against Man U. I don't know what skill level it was on (semi-pro, I think, whatever that means), but even though i failed to score any goals, so did Man U. Their players' ratings were far higher than my own (only JP Angel was an 80, everyone on Man U was above 80 with several way above that) and I guess they seemed a little more skilled, but it felt more like they were better able to use the controls to find space than anything else. I did not see any lofted passes or switching balls from the other team at any time.

If this game has online 'team play' like NHL08, it certainly seems functional enough for me to enjoy it a lot in a 2 on 2 or more online session. However, as far as I can tell from this demo, while FIFA is getting closer to WE, for me there is so much less that I feel like I can do, and the basic player control seems so sluggish and remote, there's no way in hell this game will replace WE for me in its current, or even a highly improved from this demo, form.

Two on two online, though, and I am there.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:01 pm

Zeppo wrote:In fact, I agree with Naples pretty much in every area, except I never felt the need or inclination to disable the auto switch.

No auto-switch isn't so much a need or a response to something I saw in FIFA, I just prefer not to use it and turn it off in WE.

Post by **Jared** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:14 pm

Some impressions from an hour or so with the demo:

The audio is great. I liked the German stadium announcer in the Allianz Arena.

On my first cross into the box, I had a player unmarked who (even though I was pressing the shoot button) decided to chest it in the air to the GK. I've seen a lot of this in the demo (and in 07)...where players decide to try and trap the ball in a crowded box instead of shooting.

Player control does seem a little sluggish. It seems difficult to beat someone off the dribble, even with a Ronaldinho or out on the wing.

I can't stand through balls in this game. If a winger has a lot of space, the through ball won't be pushed deep into that space...and sometimes it'll end up short enough that it's intercepted (even if there's lots of room on the wing).

Defensive positioning is pretty good. Though in general, player movement doesn't seem very dynamic...outside backs will make runs, but seem to stop at odd moments. AI movement is still MUCH more fluid in Winning Eleven.

My first goal was a FIFA classic...a cross into a semi-unmarked Rooney in the box. He starts on a volley animation where the ball is sure to fly back to the corner flag if he hits it with his instep. Instead, the ball impossibly, powerfully goes off his cleats and goes in inside of the near post. Eek.

So far, it's not that enjoyable.

Post by **Jared** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:39 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG

Umm...he is right you know.