Fifa on the PSP

[dbdynsty25]

Gamespot review is up for anyone that cares.

http://www.gamespot.com/psp/sports/fifa ... eview.html

Very good Brent...right in the corresponding thread. Nicely done...can we be DSPals again?

[dbdynsty25]

BTW...why does the reviewer make it a point to say that the framerate only drops when you're playing multiplayer, rather than in the single player game? I thought it was dropping in all circumstances.??

[Leebo33]

BTW...why does the reviewer make it a point to say that the framerate only drops when you're playing multiplayer, rather than in the single player game? I thought it was dropping in all circumstances.??

I think the framerate is pretty consistent except for particular times (especially when the ball is heading out of play) when the game will actually pause for a second or two. It usually doesn't matter as far as gameplay is concerned. For instance, on an offline shot on goal sometimes the whole game will pause for a second when the ball gets near the goal and then resume after a second or two and show the rest of the play. All the action in the middle of the field and most of the rest of the action is at a consistent frame rate.

[bdoughty]

Gamespot review is up for anyone that cares.

http://www.gamespot.com/psp/sports/fifa ... eview.html

Very good Brent...right in the corresponding thread. Nicely done...can we be DSPals again?

Absolutely, I can't stay mad at you DB.

[Spooky]

BTW...why does the reviewer make it a point to say that the framerate only drops when you're playing multiplayer, rather than in the single player game? I thought it was dropping in all circumstances.??

Framerate absolutely drops in single player every once in a while.

[Leebo33]

I played some great games last night. I'm pretty impressed by the CPU attack for a FIFA game. The CPU AI seems smart but not cheap. *My* CPU teammate AI could use some work, but I have no regrets about the purchase so far.

[ruiz00tx]

Any other opinions from people who have been able to play the game over that past few days?

[Leebo33]

Any other opinions from people who have been able to play the game over that past few days?

Yeah, I would be interested in what others have to think. I'm enjoying it quite a bit and it will hold me over nicely until WE is (hopefully) released on PSP.

[F308GTB]

I just played WE8 for the first time yesterday on the xbox. I hadn't played a soccer game for years prior and I was so impressed. That game is special. Has anyone heard anything about WE possibly making an appearance on the PSP?

It sounds like FIFA is just getting so-so reviews. Nothing special so far. I hope MVP doesn't suffer the same fate with slow downs etc...

Fingers crossed...

If it's Sony hardware, you can bet WE will be on it. There is a Konami soccer game in the works on the PSP.

[Blublub]

Yeah, from what I gather the WE series was announced as coming to PSP. There actually was a fair deal of controversy about this in a thread over at EvoWeb, including some supposed screenshots that may be real or may be some guy with Photoshop.

My guess is that WE9 will show up on PSP in Japan first, which is just fine and dandy since the thing is not region-encoded, but might be a problem if they don't include English menus with no way to patch.

[ScoopBrady]

Any other opinions from people who have been able to play the game over that past few days?

Yeah, I would be interested in what others have to think. I'm enjoying it quite a bit and it will hold me over nicely until WE is (hopefully) released on PSP.

I totally agree Leebo. This is a fun portable footie title. I think it does enough well to certainly hold me over until WE makes it to the PSP.

[dbdynsty25]

Just got my copy...impressions to follow tomorrow most likely.

[Leebo33]

The more I play, the more I like the game. I am playing 10 min. halves on Professional and I am really enjoying it. It takes 4 or 5 games to get used to the controls. I am finding the D pad useful as well and it's less of a pain than I originally thought. I am especially finding the D pad forward to knock the ball in front of you useful in the open field. I am really impressed with the ball physics and have seen some near-WE type bounces/scrambles around the net. All the goals seem pretty realistic and the CPU really works the entire field and tries many different ways to score. I don't find them predictable at all on Professional.

I thought the Xbox version of FIFA 2005 was vastly improved over previous years (still significantly behind WE8 though) and I like this version even a little better so far. Some reviewers and gamers have complained that it is a bit slower than the console versions, but I think the pace is just about perfect.

My biggest beef right now is the corner system. Maybe it is user error, but I ALWAYS hit the ball and the goalie either catches it (90%) or knocks it ahead with a punch (10%). I don't think I've had a shot on goal in 20 or more corners. Any hints? Is there any way to move the target? Can I curve the ball or change the trajectory?

[ScoopBrady]

Leebo,
You can go into your options and change the 3 default corner types. By default they're Driven, In-swinging Near Post, and In-swinging Far post. You can an Out-swinging corner if you'd like. The secret to the corner is all in the timing. I have yet to score a goal off a corner but I can get a shot off about 40-50% of the time. If you notice in the bottom corner there's a circle that acts as a clock of sorts. It starts full and then loses a quarter until it's all gone. Your kicker will launch the ball when the circle completely disappears. If you time your player getting to the target right you'll get a shot off. If you're nowhere near it the keeper will make a play on it.

[dbdynsty25]

After about three games....I'm liking it quite a bit. We'll see through the weekend if it's worth "keeping" from Gamefly.

[jcalvert]

I will throw out my opinions on the PSP version of FIFA - take my opinions and 50 cents and you can get a Coke.

I posted some opinions to my blog a few nights ago, so I will not go into too much more detail here. First, it is my understanding that the game is a port of the console versions, but the gameplay does seem a little better (i.e. more realistic ball physics, a little more random in nature, and better defense). With that said, it could just be that I solid my PS2 version a long time ago and have been playing WE for my soccer fix.

Second, I cannot get the hang of the d-pad thing. I just cannot switch from the analog mini-stick to the d-pad and come close to controller the ball. I guess I am just too damn old and slow. The key is that you have to queue up your moves; when I do that, I do well, but for the most part I just do not touch the d-pad unless I am in open space and want to experiment.

Third, the CPU seems to cheat more than its fair share - most people will say same old FIFA. It just seems to me that the CPU plays faster and can pull off moves that I cannot when I adjust the difficulty level higher. I am sure some of this is me sucking with the controls, but I hate winning the ball, and then watching the CPU's player magically speed up and pull off a move that I cannot in order to get the ball back.

Fourth, it does not bother me that the game action stops before the ball goes out of bounds. Just shows that EA rushed the game, but does not really hurt the gameplay. There is some slow down, but I have not seen enough to damage my ability to play; the bigger issue is the unresponsive controls.

Fifth, I like the menu setup, but it take forever and a day to do anything. Just plain slow to move from screen to screen. Once again, EA should have done better.

Sixth, I have scored a lot of different ways, and the ball physics around the box seem to be much better than I remember in the console version.

With all that said, FIFA seems to be a decent game for $19.99, but I do not think it is worth $50 (what I paid). If I could get a better handle on the controls maybe my opinion will change, but right now I expect to get the game for a few months before throwing it up for sale on eBay. I am keeping FIFA for now, not because it is a great game, but rather because I do not have any sports games for my PSP and because I like soccer.

My guess is that by next fall (when a new FIFA is released) this version will look rather average to slightly below average. Typical stuff we should expect for a 1st gen title.

[jcalvert]

My biggest beef right now is the corner system. Maybe it is user error, but I ALWAYS hit the ball and the goalie either catches it (90%) or knocks it ahead with a punch (10%). I don't think I've had a shot on goal in 20 or more corners. Any hints? Is there any way to move the target? Can I curve the ball or change the trajectory?

No hints, but I have seen corners a little different than you: 80% goalie catches ball, 10% goalie clears with a punch. The other 10% have resulted in goals or scrambles in the box for the ball. I have managed to head a few balls into the net, but I am not sure what I am doing ... which is a little frustrating. If anyone else has it figured out, please post some tips.

[Leebo33]

I'm getting a few shots on net now on corners with Scoop's hint. I hate this corner system. It is really stupid. EA usually does a good job of making the user feel in control (ie, freestyle, throw meters, Tiger Woods golf swing, etc.), but this system is horrible. Why not let me kick it?

I haven't noticed the computer cheat much on offense. I do feel a bit cheated at times when the CPU on professional seems to know where I am going to pass and makes a slide tackle to intercept. Either that or I make a great play and my pass is inexplicably poor and intercepted when I get close.

It's hard for me to judge the value of a PSP game. While I don't feel like FIFA is worth $50 compared to other games, I will probably end up playing enough to get my money's worth. It's hard to put a value on being able to play in an airport, plane, or hotel room.

edit: I just had an incredible 2-2 tie as Liverpool vs. ManU as I watched the first quarter of the Sixers' game. All four goals were scored in different ways. There were some incredible moments that I've never really experienced before in a FIFA title.

[10spro]

I will throw out my opinions on the PSP version of FIFA - take my opinions and 50 cents and you can get a Coke.

I posted some opinions to my blog a few nights ago, so I will not go into too much more detail here. First, it is my understanding that the game is a port of the console versions, but the gameplay does seem a little better (i.e. more realistic ball physics, a little more random in nature, and better defense). With that said, it could just be that I solid my PS2 version a long time ago and have been playing WE for my soccer fix.

Second, I cannot get the hang of the d-pad thing. I just cannot switch from the analog mini-stick to the d-pad and come close to controller the ball. I guess I am just too damn old and slow. The key is that you have to queue up your moves; when I do that, I do well, but for the most part I just do not touch the d-pad unless I am in open space and want to experiment.

Third, the CPU seems to cheat more than its fair share - most people will say same old FIFA. It just seems to me that the CPU plays faster and can pull off moves that I cannot when I adjust the difficulty level higher. I am sure some of this is me sucking with the controls, but I hate winning the ball, and then watching the CPU's player magically speed up and pull off a move that I cannot in order to get the ball back.

Fourth, it does not bother me that the game action stops before the ball goes out of bounds. Just shows that EA rushed the game, but does not really hurt the gameplay. There is some slow down, but I have not seen enough to damage my ability to play; the bigger issue is the unresponsive controls.

Fifth, I like the menu setup, but it take forever and a day to do anything. Just plain slow to move from screen to screen. Once again, EA should have done better.

Sixth, I have scored a lot of different ways, and the ball physics around the box seem to be much better than I remember in the console version.

With all that said, FIFA seems to be a decent game for $19.99, but I do not think it is worth $50 (what I paid). If I could get a better handle on the controls maybe my opinion will change, but right now I expect to get the game for a few months before throwing it up for sale on eBay. I am keeping FIFA for now, not because it is a great game, but rather because I do not have any sports games for my PSP and because I like soccer.

My guess is that by next fall (when a new FIFA is released) this version will look rather average to slightly below average. Typical stuff we should expect for a 1st gen title.

It's a crying shame that EA charges $10 more than they other developers. I don't mind it if it a game like WE8 but we all must get signatures together or something to stop those guys from gouging the public for a rushed job game albeit good soccer game. Don't even want to think how much they'll charge for Madden now that they got the only NFL license....

[DivotMaker]

It's a crying shame that EA charges $10 more than they other developers.

The market will tell them if they are over-priced.

I don't mind it if it a game like WE8 but we all must get signatures together or something to stop those guys from gouging the public for a rushed job game albeit good soccer game.

Signatures? Gouging the public? If people stop and read about the games before they buy and still buy the game, then they deserve what they get. Every new hardware release has rushed titles and it is not just EA that puts them out too early. I am pretty confident that SONY had some part in the titles coming too early.

Don't even want to think how much they'll charge for Madden now that they got the only NFL license....

Who says they will charge any more for Madden? They have had exclusive licenses for other titles and never charged extra for them because of that....

[10spro]

Who says they will charge any more for Madden? They have had exclusive licenses for other titles and never charged extra for them because of that....[/quote]

Hey buddy you work for EA or something? Maybe they will charge more for Madden , maybe not, my point is that besides reading proper reviews & comments, both Sony's soccer game & Fifa got equally good reviews in the gameplay department. Both have its strong & weak areas, so what justifies EA to charge $10-15 more? But like you said, the consumer has the ultimate answer....

[dbdynsty25]

Both have its strong & weak areas, so what justifies EA to charge $10-15 more? But like you said, the consumer has the ultimate answer....

So you're telling me that if you had a product that was "perceived" to be the best on the market, you wouldn't charge a premium for it? Fifa, for years, has been an inferior product to the WE series...but it outsells the sh*t out of it. Regardless of the pluses and minuses in a particular game, Fifa will sell because of the name, and the price tag doesn't make a damn bit of difference.

Care to wager who will sell more copies? My bet is that EA, even with the month head start they gave World Tour, will still outsell them by the end of May. Seems to me that is a pretty damn good business model.

[DivotMaker]

Hey buddy you work for EA or something?

No, but I have been intimately involved in the Tiger Woods series since it's inception as well as beta tested every PC Golf game they have published since PGA TOUR Gold in 1997. I have also done some work on the Tiger Woods series for EA as an independent contractor (photographed and filmed 6 of the recent Tiger courses and various other things such as gameplay tutorials and contributions to game manuals, etc...)

Both have its strong & weak areas, so what justifies EA to charge $10-15 more?

They set a price they feel their product is worth. If it does not sell, then their product is likely not worth what they are asking for it. If so, they usually lower the price when the units do not move as their entire PC lineup for 2005 (minus MVP) is now $19.99.

But like you said, the consumer has the ultimate answer....

Exactly.

[10spro]

So you're telling me that if you had a product that was "perceived" to be the best on the market, you wouldn't charge a premium for it? Fifa, for years, has been an inferior product to the WE series...but it outsells the sh*t out of it. Regardless of the pluses and minuses in a particular game, Fifa will sell because of the name,



Hmm, I wouldn't bet your house buddy. I travel a lot abroad and with the exception of NA, WE outsells Fifa in Europe & Asia by miles. So it depends who says who outsells who. We all know that WE outplays Fifa, but they got the marketing, the licences & mediocre gameplays. All for a $10-15 xtra charge. Is it worth it, consumers?

[dbdynsty25]

Hmm, I wouldn't bet your house buddy. I travel a lot abroad and with the exception of NA, WE outsells Fifa in Europe & Asia by miles.

If I lived in one of those countries...I'd give a sh*t about your lame assessment, but I live in the US, so I care about domestic sales. And if we're talking domestic sales...Fifa outsells WE probably 10 to 1.