LIVE play is present, offering up to 8 players online in one game. The host decides on the game type and teams with all the options from single player appearing to be present. Unfortunately, the first online game I played was plagued with lag. Thinking it was just the bad connection, I found another match after that one had finished. Every single game I’ve played over LIVE so far has been spoilt by lag. People I’ve played against have also noticed that most games they have played have had a certain amount of problems. It’s a shame because the online play and options seem to be pretty complete with ranked matches at your disposal. I’m going to give it the benefit of the doubt for the moment being that Xbox Live has been encountering problems as of late but it wouldn’t surprise me that the fault lies with EA cutting corners again to be honest.
This game may not appeal to a big percentage of soccer fans. Nevertheless, it does provide a few good laughs albeit short-lived. It’s not a game I can see myself playing consistently. There just isn’t enough content to keep an avid fan of the genre hooked. Coupled with the dodgy AI, basic and at times frustrating gameplay, the game is only really worth a few days rental. Even then you may find yourself taking it back to the rental store to grab something else instead.
