Fifa 11

[sportdan30]

Will look for that Doug. On default, it definitely plays a little too chaotic for my taste.

[Zeppo]

Rob, maybe they've fixed most of the biggest gripes with the clubs? Mainly the random placement of filler players including the dread 30s in defensive spots? And the additions of friendly options plus the practice mode, should be nice. I wonder if they would allow two anys for club play again . . . . It's nice that they haven't seemed to have added the pay-to-play boost slots they have in the NHL game, although the much greater degree of leveling that is necessary in FIFA perhaps makes it even.

In any case, what you posted makes me more excited for the club than I had been thanks to last year's frustrations. I'm starting to buy into the hype!

[EZSnappin]

I didn't find a speed adjustment on the demo; I also thought it a bit fast. Lots of stuff is locked off so it could be you can't change it.

Two 3-minute halves is too short as well - in 4 tries the best I got was 2 shots on goal (the second was from the corner that resulted from the first). Getting better at penalties though.

Ball seems weightier to mw; I got a decent dip on long shots, and passes needed more oomph. I sprayed some passes into the opposition by trying one touch with the likes of Puyol which is definitely a plus as well.

One negative: in the demo you can still cheese pretty hard with the X button on d to pressure the ball and often win it; I hope the stamina hit that causes in a longer game makes it really detrimental.

[sportdan30]

There is a setting to slow down the speed. It's right before you start the match. If you wait and try and change during the game, it won't give you the option. It still plays a little fast on the slowest setting, but it's much better than normal.

One thing that sticks out to me is the game seems a lot more physical than I can remember. As a result, there are more stoppages from whistles being blown. There really are some pretty sweet looking animations the CPU can do with the ball. Me, I'm just a novice!

[EZSnappin]

Good find on the speed Dan - I must have missed it.

I agree it's more physical, and the variation of contact animations is much greater than last year. I had Dani Alves go down in the first game I played and I thought the little troll was faking, but nope, had to bring on a sub.

[dougb]

There is a setting to slow down the speed. It's right before you start the match. If you wait and try and change during the game, it won't give you the option. It still plays a little fast on the slowest setting, but it's much better than normal.

One thing that sticks out to me is the game seems a lot more physical than I can remember. As a result, there are more stoppages from whistles being blown. There really are some pretty sweet looking animations the CPU can do with the ball. Me, I'm just a novice!

Yes I got absolutely skinned by Pepe coming in from the wing into the box who left a couple of my defenders completely undressed with some beautiful little skill moves.

Best wishes,

Doug

[10spro]

Game starts you on world class as default. Even on slow the game does seem more souped up than last year's version. Players faces are improved and look scary real. Game does seem more physical, there's more jostling for the ball and the CPU seems to be right on top of you as you're receiving the ball, with a second mark-man just a couple of feet as the AI seem more aggressive.

I am still not used to the new PK shooting, as I converted only on 1 shot although the CPU seemed to have the same problem as I, just scoring eventually the winning goal.

[JRod]

I'm really impressed with the demo. So here's my quick run down

+Players are smaller and there seems more space on the field.
+BALL PHYSICS - wow that ball goes everywhere. They really souped up the jubalani but in the practice mode, I hit a ball that was a knuckler and tucked under the ball. I can't imagine the type of goals FIFA 11 will produce.
+More randomness to the play. Last year there were predictable patterns in certain areas, like tall players were always able to head the ball.
+No lob the GK at all. They don't come off their line that in last year games.
+The 360 physics thingie is a nice edition.
+CPU will trick you. I just saw a Juve player 360 me. I tried to shoulder tackled him at full speed and he danced around me.

++ Here's what I love, no more speed-tackles. I'm so used to FIFA 10 that I want to rush all my shoulder tackles. The CPU will dance out of that way. Which puts the user back to closing down space, as it should.

++ Back to the physics, in last year game, it seemed like two outcomes for a tackle. Once you the animations locked on you got the ball or the CPU got the ball. The stikers are still able to shoot with you hounding them. Last year both sides couldn't get out their animations.

I'm really impressed. It actually feels more organic that any FIFA to date.

[Zlax45]

Brief thoughts before I go to bed....FIFA 11's demo is amazing and really is a great upgrade. The next two weeks are going to be LONG!!!

[JRod]

http://www.easportsfootball.co.uk/media ... o/36103531

Hopefully that video shows up. I didn't do anything special with Drogba either, he just did that. 1-on-1's seem so much more easier than last year.

[pk500]

PC demo is supposed to be available today, for the nine people left in the world who play PC sports games.

[MACTEPsporta]

Damn it. Stuck at work all day. Seriously considering breaking into Rob's place during lunch break to try the demo out.

[RobVarak]

If it wasn't a MASH unit over hear with sick kids, I'd have you over.

First impressions are mostly good. The new passing set up is not hype. They've definitely changed it on a fundamental level. It reminds me a bit of what they did in NHL, with the principle difference being that the differences in the two sports generally make a stray pass far less fatal in soccer than in hockey. If you charge up a pass to a nearby teammate, they will definitely have a hard time controlling. This also makes passes back to the keeper and long balls across the field to switch play more of an adventure.

The tackling and jostling for the ball are definitely more dynamic, with more animations and a nice feel to the play. It seems that EA has gone a little further down the road to realism by making slower players a bit slower, although (and this is hard to tell from the demo), I think they still may have a problem with inadequate qualitative differences in highly and lowly ranked teams. Forwards seem to be a bit too good at tackling for my liking, and it is easy for them to dispossess defenders. Too easy.

Goalkeepers seem much less robotic and much easier to beat from inside the box, which I think is good. It feels to me like the design decision was made to make it harder to get the ball into a dangerous spot, but easier to score if you do the work to get it there.

Refs seem good. This is easily the best implementation of advantage play that I've ever seen, and cards are neither too frequent nor too rare.

The CPU seems to miss an inordinate number of penalty kicks, but that's hardly a hanging offense.

I think the game is quick, but game speed is not a problem.

Edit: JRod is definitely right about the CPU dribbling around challenges. Rush out against the wrong guy, and he'll 360 his way around you with no problem. OTOH, I loved the fact that at one point a ballhandler jumped my slide tackle but lost the ball in the process. Last year it was velcroed to them.

[GTHobbes]

Looking forward to giving the demo a go after reading everyone's impressions. It's been a couple of years since I picked up a soccer game (I know even less about soccer than I do the NBA), but it may be time to grab another this year.

[wco81]

So it sounds like they reverted a bit towards FIFA09 when fast forwards could not be run down by any defender.

Well they have to change things up from the previous year to get sales.

But at least they make a far better product than Tiburon.

[MACTEPsporta]

If it wasn't a MASH unit over hear with sick kids, I'd have you over.

I was kidding. You are the only person I know in Naperville with a house, where I can fully expect to find an Xbox and a dowloaded demo on the console once I break in. Everyone else is a lottery.

The CPU seems to miss an inordinate number of penalty kicks, but that's hardly a hanging offense.

Hmmm... I know for a fact you just downloaded the thing. How did you manage to have CPU take so many penalties already? Oh, wait, I forgot who I was talking to.

Excited about the impressions, keep them coming. They ought to last me until tonight, when I can actually play it myself.

How is the physical play? Are the larger players still able to carry the defender on their hip for 30 yards? Does the person running for the header have a better chance at winning than before?

[Zlax45]

If it wasn't a MASH unit over hear with sick kids, I'd have you over.

I was kidding. You are the only person I know in Naperville with a house, where I can fully expect to find an Xbox and a dowloaded demo on the console once I break in. Everyone else is a lottery.

The CPU seems to miss an inordinate number of penalty kicks, but that's hardly a hanging offense.

Hmmm... I know for a fact you just downloaded the thing. How did you manage to have CPU take so many penalties already? Oh, wait, I forgot who I was talking to.

Excited about the impressions, keep them coming. They ought to last me until tonight, when I can actually play it myself.

How is the physical play? Are the larger players still able to carry the defender on their hip for 30 yards? Does the person running for the header have a better chance at winning than before?

The game goes to PK's if tied...They missed a ton on me too

[RobVarak]

How is the physical play? Are the larger players still able to carry the defender on their hip for 30 yards?

Kind of. They can still drag along defenders, but it with the ball "looser" it's more likely that there will be regular jostling that could result in a loss of possession. If that makes any sense.

Does the person running for the header have a better chance at winning than before?

Yes. Aerial play on the whole seems better, as does crossing. You can actually cross the ball from anywhere, rather than having that "dead zone" parallel to the middle of the 18 yard box that 10 did.

[JRod]

Here's how PK's work for those that don't know.

1. The FG meter is first, so you have to select that first.
2. Then power. If you want to stutter step, press the shoot button twice with selected power.
3. Aim

I can't wait for FIFA 11. Hopefully they didn't f something up from the demo to the final game.

[MACTEPsporta]

Speaking of PKs. Did they fix it so that when you play with an indicator rather than a bar you no longer need to take penalties blindfolded? How's shooting? No one's said anything, so I guess it's the same?

[JRod]

I don't know how to edit posts. What I meant by the FG meter, is the stupid color bar. You try to hit the green bar.

Mactep - No visuals for PKs.

As for shooting. It's about the same. The real difference is the ball physics. There's more swerve to the ball on shots and FKs. But I've seen more variety in shots by the CPU than last year. They are still too keen to pass it to the wings instead of taking the shot but they will do it. Possibly GKs are a tad too good, we'll see.

I'm impressed.

[RobVarak]

Speaking of PKs. Did they fix it so that when you play with an indicator rather than a bar you no longer need to take penalties blindfolded? How's shooting? No one's said anything, so I guess it's the same?

Shooting seems easier, but these are all good teams. All of my goals have been of the basic aim-and-shoot variety. Haven't done any LT, double-tapping or trickery.

Haven't had a ton of great FK chances, but it seems substantially unchanged. Same with corners.

[Badger_Fan]

I'm really excited about this one. I have the cash for it in my pocket and have been fighting like hell to resist NHL after reading thoughts about that game on here. I tired of NHL quickly last year and haven't had FIFA in about 3 years, so I'm excited to give this a work-through.

[Rodster]

FIFA demo = brilliant and JRod was right about the ball physics.

Gag what did they do to PK? The CPU missed every kick and I wished all but one.

[Zeppo]

I played a few games starting with the veteran difficulty and then upped it to whatever it tougher. I'm a little concerned about the defending. On the tougher difficulty at least I had many occasions where the bigger player in possession would just ride me while I rubbed up against him for what seemed like miles and miles. It slowed him a bit, but I never felt like I could get to the ball, and I never felt like I could foul him if I wanted to to stop the attack without going to the dangerous slide tackle.

Otherwise the game seems fun as hell. It's definitely crisp. Headers seem to be much more organic and less canned in terms of who can get to the ball, but we will have to see about that. I felt OK about getting past guys one on one, even though I wasn't too good at it. At least I feel like I could do it once I learn a few things.

I tried out the goalie in the arena, and considering there's no info or tutorial (I need to check out the video Rob posted once again), I had a lot of fun trying to stop Kaka from beating me. I was worried after watching that video that it could be a little too much 'hold that button down and let the auto pilot do the work,' but really you do have to do some anticipating and what seems to me to be leaning one way or the other with the R-stick even if you are semi-locked onto the little yellow circle by holding the LB. I wasn't entirely sure how to make saves; sometimes it felt like the R-stick did something, sometimes it felt better just to push nothing. The RB certainly does something, but I'm not sure if it's necessary or really helpful. Let's say that I'm happy there is a practice mode and especially a friendly game option because I could see myself enjoying some keeper from time to time and it would suck be thrown right into league games.

Anyway, I'm now looking forward to this game more than before, so the demo is doing its job.