Having been a long time fan of soccer, I’ve always been infatuated with the idea of the World Cup and how the sport is a global phenomenon. Majority of the nations worldwide celebrate the sport with incredible fashion, so it’s always been a dream of mine to attend a soccer match where die-hard fans show up in waves. While the United States has never given full support to the sport – outside of a few of the women’s national teams – it still has a devout following no matter what the circumstances are. Does FIFA Soccer 09 cater to the select group of soccer fanatics or does it fail to meet expectations?
Honestly, FIFA Soccer 09 is one of the most realistic and engaging soccer titles. The feature that has everyone buzzing is the inclusion of 10 vs. 10 online play. Gamers will assume the role of one of the players on the field and have the ability to competitively play against their friends and family. Not only is the enticing to gamers who like to call themselves the best, it also is an attracting feature to those who want to play casually and mingle online with fans of the sport. Having played many matches without lag, the online play should be a safe haven of joyous soccer entertainment.
From the controls to the gameplay, FIFA Soccer 09 has seen defining improvements that’ll please hardcore fans of the series. To correctly play the game of soccer, you have to make meticulous decisions on your passing and defensive schemes. Sure, at times, you’ll be able to run from one end of the field to the other with one player trying to score, but the odds of you scoring are limited. So it’s best to slow down the pace and use your noggin to figure out the best method of attack on the goal. The only real issue with FIFA Soccer 09 this year is the computer AI – they’re flat out unintelligent. They’ll be making bad passes, errors with goaltending and often kick the ball out of the bounds stalling the time.
Be A Pro mode returns and will stand out as the single-player mode that gets the most attention from gamers. Gamers are allowed to create their own player and select which team they’d like to play for. After selecting the stats and readying up, gamers hit the field and exclusively control their own player in the soccer matches. Attempting to meet specific conditions set before you, the Be A Pro mode offers a lot of replay value for gamers who don’t have Xbox Live or like playing online -- especially if you’re one of those gamers who like building up your avatars to become the best in the game.
Graphically speaking, FIFA Soccer 09 is a great looking game with a few hiccups such as framerate slowdown and camera issues in Be A Pro mode. But if you can overlook those two problems, the animations and character models are delicate looking and provide realism. The same can also be said with the audio of FIFA Soccer 09 – it’s brilliant in some parts (soundtrack) and poor in others (crowd sound effects).
FIFA Soccer 09 is a step in the right direction with online play, but fails to have intelligent computer AI to give you a challenge by your lonesome. The on-field controls have improved though, at times, you won’t notice it since you’ll be exceedingly frustrated by your teammates kicking the ball out-of-bounds. If you’re looking for a soccer title that captures the essence of the sport – slower pace and a focus on passing – FIFA Soccer 09 is an addition worthy of your holiday wishlist.
