Overall: EA Sports continues to experiment with its FIFA football series, creating a more challenging and slower-paced game for the 2008 outing. Last year's FIFA was supposedly built from the ground up for the Xbox 360, though the game still had yet to surp@!%#*! the standards set by the franchise's entries on the previous generation of consoles. For FIFA 08, EA Sports promised to refine last year's effort while delivering a host of new gameplay modes and features. The result is that this year's FIFA plays a substantially different game of football, thanks mostly to an increased difficulty level and a sense of decreased pace. The raft of new skill moves means the game rewards practice and perseverance, but it could be argued that this makes it the least accessible FIFA to date. Thankfully, though, FIFA 08 wraps its new simulation feel in a superbly presented and very well-rounded package. Gameplay: EA Sports has made a lot of claims about FIFA's new game modes and features, and they've been flagged up in the game's menu system so series regulars know where to start. At the top of the list is the new Be-a-Pro mode, which puts you in the studded boots of a single footballer rather than an entire team. The default side-on aerial camera perspective shifts to an over-the-shoulder view, and you're awarded or deducted points based on how well you serve the team. This means keeping the player in position, p@!%#*!ing the ball around, and--depending on your position--making tackles or scoring goals. While controlling one player in a team of 11 might seem strange, it's an interesting, compelling new take on gameplay. Although it's tempting to run up the field and shoot at goal regardless of your position, the only way to succeed in this mode is to play your part in the team. There can be long periods where you see little of the ball, particularly if you're a defender in a good team or an attacker in a poor one, but on the whole it's a successful experiment on the part of EA Sports. The online component of FIFA 08 has been designed to provide football fans with everything they need for an authentic experience. All of your online activity feeds into a central database, which offers more detailed information than the standard Xbox Live achievements system (although that is still present). You can also keep track of your favourite team's real-world activity thanks to the ESPN Soccernet integration, with live updates from the major clubs from around the world along with ticker-tape updates throughout the main menu system itself. We especially liked being able to jump in and see scheduled matches for six of the world's major leagues, as well as the current table standings and top scorers of the day. Having said that, we found big clubs like Manchester United were much better represented than those such as Blackburn, and even then we had difficulty accessing the listed news feeds in full. The online play holds up well from a technical standpoint, with only the odd bit of barely-noticeable lag to speak of. It also has some thoughtful features, such as only letting the player with the ball pause the game, and limiting the frequency and length of time players can spend in the menus. Graphics: Graphically, FIFA 08 is the best-looking football game on the market by a considerable margin. Not only are players immediately recognisable thanks to the way that they move as well as the way they look from afar, but close up they also feature individual facial details, personalised items of kit, and haircuts. The 30 licensed stadiums boast both scale and detail, with video boards up high displaying feeds from the camera cranes that sit above the goals. There are also some really nice smaller touches, such as the shirt deformation technology and dramatic, low-angle camera shots that would be impossible to achieve with even the best hi-def cameras. However, that's not to say there aren't a few graphical problems. While players boast natural appearances and extremely lifelike movement, it's spoiled by a plastic look that makes their expressions appear forced. We're sure that the intention was to make them look like they're sweating, but the reality is that they look like they've been shrink-wrapped. Sound: In addition to the Be-a-Pro mode, FIFA has a variety of other ways to play a game of football. The kick-off mode is the place for a quick practice match with up to three friends gathered round your TV, though there are online equivalents with both ranked and unranked matches. The long-term challenge of FIFA 08 comes from the numerous tournaments that have been packed into the game's offline and online modes. Pretty much every major competition from the major domestic leagues has been included, plus you can create a custom tournament to make things such as continental or world cups that may happen in future. Predictably, EA's seperate World Cup franchise means that this tournament isn't included in the game, but there's nothing stopping you from setting one up yourself. Suggestions: EA Sports has taken substantial risks with this year's FIFA, but the resulting game can certainly be considered a successful experiment. It plays a more difficult and more refined game of football than its predecessors, and while it should be emphasised that the game is perhaps too difficult at times, it will reward players who put in the practice. The sheer number of game modes make FIFA the most complete football game on the market, while the authenticity and quality of presentation continue to enhance the package overall. It may fall just short of greatness, but it's a FIFA that's well worth trying out for anyone who's been avoiding the series.
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