FIFA 09 (Xbox 360) (Video Game)

Needs improvement I'm reviewing this from a multiplayer gameplay perspective which is my main experience of the game. I've had it 6 weeks and have been playing it regularly, saying something about my enjoyment. Whilst the game is fun it has major shortcomings and is far from the most enjoyable football game I've played. I feel the game falls down in many small individual gameplay areas: - It is very difficult to beat defenders with changes of direction or clever running - instead one must master button combination skills which I think have been a constant unecessary feature of the EA series. - The standing takling area of a stationary defender is astonishing. An attacker cannot come within a metre of a defender without being soundly dispossesed by a tap of a button. - The shooting engine is very good and can provide some excellent goals. However, one on one, it is difficult to manouvre a shooting angle as it takes the player about 10 seconds to turn 22.5 degrees. - The default wide cross is sent so far back, sometimes out of the area to one of your midfield players. - The AI movement of your team-mates is disappointing. Once you have posession, a team-mate will begin to support but either check his run or just fade behind the defender. Whilst a few of these can be bettered by a lot of practice, I think they all detract from the enjoyment of the game. Are these features manifest of what EA dub a 'more organic football experience'? I don't really care - if I want an organic football experience I can watch it on TV.

Just as bad as PES I'm sorry this is once again a slug fest of a game. All the same goals, ridiculous AI with teams on the higher levels having very little differentation. Celebration mode is stupid,floaty ball physics, no weather in manager mode and the list goes on. Online is ok and very smooth but the game lacks any sort of emotional connection, the typr that PES had in the old days. problem is the footy games on next gen are just bad and with around only 3 years left on this generation, I cannot see us having a great footy experience. If a video game can frustrate you then leave this well alone.

Much Better Than PES 09 I actually bought this game just so i could try it out until PES 09 came out, fully intent on returning it because I was sure it would be inferior. How wrong was I. This game is miles ahead of PES 09. You have the same top menu that comes with all EA 09 sports series which is clear, easy to navigate and looks the part. There is also a bunch of little extras that improve the overall game. you can customise songs that are played in the top menu, there is a an arena mode which gives you a chance to practice one on one with a keeper.The omline section just connects you straight up rather and ask a list of questions and options that i couldnt care less about...All this is nothing compared to the difference in game-play. FIFA is smooth and CPU responce intuative. Player movements in PES are soooo rigid and having an organised defence is a nightmare. PES players just seem to stop running (or responding to commands) at the worst moments. FIFA offers more tactical options and the menu layout is functional.. I could go on but theres no point. If you want the best football game out there it has to be FIFA09.

The truth about FIFA I have been alternating between PES and Fifa since PES was ISS back in the late 90's. There has been a lot of difference and similarities in these games over the years, that many have produced a schematic view that PES was better gameplay and FIFA had the nice graphics and official statistics. To be honest the last few years have seen quite the turnaround. Since I obtained a 360 I was RIDICULOUSLY addicted to Pro 6 in which the online experience and gameplay were complimented by nice graphics and only flaws were idiotic reviewers saying that "Martin Tyler said the goal went in 3 seconds after it went in instead of 1.7 seconds." So as you can see I was rather skeptical when my brother brought home FIFA 08, let alone when I bought FIFA 09. The gameplay was a bit of a nuisance to start and didnt have that solidness that PES offered, but with Pro 08 having such terrible online play, FIFA grew on me and thats why I bought FIFA 09. The game itself is fantastic, some people say there is methods to scoring on BAP within the actual game mode, the way to counter this...GO ONLINE! It is WAY more fun and hilarious when central defenders cant mark you as they dont play football physically and not knowing how great positioning works. Even better if you are in a team and you play against team mates, prove you are the best positioned strikers. haha The online mode also facilitates guest mode too, which incorporates the idea of a friend sitting in your front room with you being able to help you in your online games. The gameplay is rather good, the only draw is that sometimes say when you are going in for a tackle that if you obtain the ball rather quickly after the registered button may cause the player to lob the ball. Apart from that it is quite fantastic. Real clubs, real kits, real everything also with the champions of gaming tournaments, 10 v 10 and BAP not consorting to PES measurements of 100s of colourful points getting in the way by moving all around the screen when you do something. Option menus look very nice, a nice presentation all around with loads of different things to do. Soundtrack is awesome having some future classics, a nice 'arena' feature being able to practice those all important free kicks with Stevie G as you are about to hammer the Manc's again (Or vice versa all you United fans! haha) I like to turn all the assists off for a real footy experience, so that if you play a ball, you have to be accurate. I am very happy but very sad, I am a PES fan at heart, after playing Pro 09, I can't believe that I'm returning to my FIFA 98 days of absolutely being a near fan boy about FIFA. Forgive me Konami, but I have sinned!

ROONEY IS GOD! FIFA 09, this is slightly better than all the ones previous, how many have there been now? I remember the first one, FIFA '66 when the ball 'did' cross the line, and it WAS all over, and remember; the computer is always right! there was a pic of George Best in a Sombrero on the box art if I recall, or was that FIFA '68?. Well, this delivers as per usual, but lacks some of the realism I expect from my Premiership football, why are there no Footballers swearing at linesmen? and no lifting off shirt celebrations to show inane messages written on T-shirts with crayon? It would also be nice if instead of unlocking achievements you unlocked Porsche's and Ferrari's for your players, ah well, maybe in next years FIFA.