FIFA Soccer 09

Game Info

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: EA Canada

Platform: PS3

Genre(s): Sports, Soccer

Players: 10

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: October 14, 2008

Intro:

Players wanting to get in and play will appreciate that EA kept the intro to this game under two minutes.  In fact, it's just over one minute long.  It's enough to give players a taste of the visuals to come and entice soccer fans to want to play.

Getting Going:

Pick a team and get going, it's that easy.  Players can work toward developing a dream team in the new Ultimate Team mode or get in and play from the very start with Kick-Off mode.  EA Sports is also watching teams and players throughout the 2009 season and updating player animations.  Those updates become available in Adidas Live Season.  Players further have the options for Game Play, Online Game Play and to manage teams.  It is important to cast your team players in the proper roles in Ultimate Team mode to create the best chemistry, improving game play.

Fun:

FIFA Soccer 09 offers plenty of player options for game play.  Those into the sport of Soccer and/or Soccer games will find that FIFA Soccer 09 offers some of the best player animations in a Soccer game as well as a multitude of control options for player movement.

Visuals:

The best thing about this game are the visuals.  The team at EA is updating player animations to match real players throughout the season adding to the authentic feel of this game.  In addition, play animations during play let players see the moves being made.  It is not simply a case of kicking the ball or dribbling.  Instead players can learn and incorporate some of the more innovative moves in the game of soccer.  Along with individual player moves, open teammates point and flag the player, calling for the ball.

Sound: 

FIFA Soccer 09 uses the roar of the crowd and a crisp, informative commentary to keep the player involved in the action and aware of openings and mistakes.  

Intelligence:

As already stated in "Visuals", teammates point and flag the player, calling for the ball.  Mistakes are called in the commentary, and fair moves are praised.  Players on the opposite team vie for the ball and run it in the direction of their goal, playing effectively well against the player.  There is a very real feel of real-time soccer in the gameplay of FIFA Soccer 09.  

Immersion:

For a soccer game, it would be difficult to find a game that makes a player feel more involved in the game, especially when they can flip on the television and see similar movement in the human player that they've recently experienced during gameplay.

Cameras:

You can get a full view of the game on a personal level by varying the camera attributes, height, and position to offer the best view of the action on-field.

Controls:

The controls give the player the ultimate control over the player, granting the ability to perform specialized, complex plays in the game. 

Ideas:

The greatest take-away from this game is the real-time updating.  It's a unique feature I haven't seen offered in any other game and adds a unique added value to the game.

Memory:

It's a sports game.