More time with the game brings me to another frustration that I am having a hard time looking past. The CPU controlled players on offense are worthless. When I fire a shot at the goalie, and it is deflected, I do not want everyone to sit around and watch the CPU defenders eventually clear the ball. No, I want my guys to run like bastards towards the ball in hopes of getting a rebound, second look, cheap shot, etc. Maybe there is a setting that I am missing?
Same thing goes for my CPU defenders when the CPU is attacking in my box. They should do everything is their power to get to the ball to desperately clear. Instead, there is no appearance of urgency, no desperation; just lollygagging.
The game is not a total disaster; far from it. The new first touch system is pretty cool. It allows you to flick the right stick in the direction you want your player (about to receive the ball) to redirect the ball. This is important because it helps clear space while keeping a run going. I have discussed before my lack of dexterity when it come to gaming, so I still need lots of work with this feature, but the potential is evident.
I have yet to score with the new “chip the ball shot over the goalie” feature, but I am getting a lot of use out of the new “chip through-ball” feature. It gets pretty crazy when you do a chip through-ball, followed by a first touch, and then fire in a shot.
The sucky manual is really bothering me. I have no idea how some things work, or should work. The manual says that I can use the L1 shoulder button to call in defensive help to cut off a player, but damn if this does not seem hit or miss. I hope someone gets a PS2 specific FAQ posted sooner rather than later. Is it too much to ask for a decent manual? I am not asking for color or anything, just something that describes the game’s controls, features, strategy, and so on. Winning Eleven does this right, so shame on EA for such a lackluster effort.
I will post more later. The verdict is still out on how good or how bad FIFA 2005 is compared to WE7. Right now I think that WE7 easily has the better playing game, but it too has plenty of issues. We could pick apart games all day long, but at the end of the day fun factor wins out. So far, so good, but FIFA 2005’s lack of any semblance of computer controlled AI players is starting to grate very, very quickly.
FYI… Should be "FIFA 2005" impressions…
Kevin
My problem with FIFA on this generation of consoles has always been that it seems more like Foosball than Football. That is, no matter what is happening with the ball or the player with the ball, all the players remain locked in their little slots. If you turn on the radar, you can see this very clearly. It’s a lot like I imagine hockey was like in the ’30s.
Now, to a degree WE has this problem as well, but it’s not even in the same league of lameness as FIFA in this regard. I imagine I am most sensitive to it since a lot of the soccer I am exposed to is from sitting in ‘my perch’ in the mezanine at Giants Stadium watching the Metros and their MLS opponents. Certainly watching footie on TV does NOT give one a good sense of ‘shape.’ Rarely on TV can you see more than 6 or so players on screen at once, unless you are lucky enough to watch the MLS on HDNet. If you happen to catch a pro, or even college, game live and in person (should I say "up close and personal?"), note especially the distribution of players on a Goal kick or other restarts from the keeper. They do not spread themselves evenly across the pitch the way you see in a video game; rather they tend to knot up around where they expect the ball to be played.
What makes WE so good is that when the ball is in play, the players tend to flow around in apparent reaction to what is happening with the ball. Players will make runs that make it seem as if they are aware of the space on the field, where the ball is, where the defenders are. FIFA for me has always had a very rigid feel. I just can’t make a better analogy than to say it is like Foosball with the players able to move vertically as well as horizontally, but still they seem to keep ranks as rigidly as a Spartan Phalanx.
Now, if every game of FIFA I played was a game of 2 on 2, I could probably live with it. But those days are long over (aah, the flea-ridden off-campus house we used to call "Ho’s Happy Home" . . . . I wonder if it’s been condemned yet?). I would think in the 10 years since my living space had evolved, EA’s attempt at soccer simulation would have too. But everything I see and read about FIFA year in and year out indicates to me that attention is payed to 2, and only 2 elements: one on one moves (I would include in here the need to ‘call for’ a supporting run), and the fashion show that is FIFA kits/licensing.
I might give this one a rent tonight, but I am not confident my feelings will change. I may have fun with it online against DSPers and other cool, cheese-free gamers, but I can’t see my frustrations being greatly stiffled.
To my mind, the differences between FIFA and the Konami games, dating all the way back to PSX’s Goal Storm and then ISS64, are still so great in my mind, it will take a lot more than a tacked-on ‘first touch’ extra-button feature for me to consider FIFA anywhere close to the same league.
"FYI… Should be "FIFA 2005" impressions…"
LOL – thanks Kevin. You see what time I am posting these? Too funny.
BTW JC, keep ’em coming. I love to pop in here once in a while!
Zeppo – thanks for the comments, and I am glad you show up to "share" every now and again.
The luster is really coming off FIFA 2005 for me. It is really pretty simple. For casual fans, FIFA is *great*. For *serious* simulation fans, the game’s flaws are worse than the flaws in WE7.
My problem with FIFA (series in general) is that other games often get a free pass, while FIFA gets completely buttfu#$@. I am not going to go into all that here – I have written enough about my opinions of FIFA’s unfair treatment in the past.
The newest version of FIFA is a major improvement over past versions, but if you (general term) did not like FIFA in the past, I am not really saying much by saying the game is improved. With that said, some of the issues I have pointed out are bugging the heck out of me.
I will have to write more later, but you thought this year’s MVP was bad because of the lefty HR thing, you will not like FIFA. If you think the low AI passing completion percent is an issue in this year’s NCAA football, then you will not like FIFA. If you think that past fatigue issues in NBA Live was enough to return the game, then you will not like FIFA.
If you could get past a lot of the above issues, then you will enjoy FIFA.
One thing I hate is how the defenders play just outside of the 18 most of the time (when the ball is on the other end). Why don’t they come forward? Why such a gap in the back third of the pitch? This leads to some "100" balls instead of "50/50" balls on long clearances, as well. Again, I’m no soccer genious, but even those things stand out to me.
That said, I’m still having fun with it. It’s certainly not as "serious" as WE, but I do love the licenses! (Doh, I’m such a whore!)
Kevin
BTW Kevin, congrats on your Crew’s awesome season. In the young and adolescent MLS, that stretch is really one for the ages. Now here’s hoping either you lose to the Metros in the semis, or win the whole thing!
One thing that always bugged me about FIFA was that it was impossible to make a back-pass to the back 4. It seemed every time I tried, it would be easily intercepted by the opposing forwards. I always thought it had a lot to do with positioning. In WE, I find it pretty easy to use the back line as a safety valve when trying to maintain posession, and although not perfect, it feels a lot like the real deal.
Is this still a problem in this FIFA? The rental store near me doesn’t even carry the game right now, go figure, in NYC of all places. It’s a Hollywood Video, so it’s not like the local management is making the decisions, but it floors me nonetheless.
Kevin – you are correct, the defenders hang back way too far, and do not move up to support your attack, which is not realistic. Maybe there is an adjustment/setting somewhere, but I have yet to find it.
Zeppo – you can back-pass to your defenders (back 4 or whatever), but it is not very useful. They play so far back as Kevin talked about above that it is just not going to do you much in the way of helping you out. After I regain possession in my end, I can move the ball around without too much fear, but just passing back to re-setup/support your offense is not much of an option in FIFA 2005 unless (as I said in answer to Kevin) I have missed an option or setting.
Here is the way I see it right now. Casual soccer fans that want to play as their teams (real licenses) are going to eat this up. Sports simulation fans may enjoy the game as long as they realize that the game has some issues. Hard core soccer fans that want their video game simulations as realistic as possible are not going to enjoy FIFA 2005.