It is the best in the FIFA Soccer series. FIFA ’06 is simply a great game for soccer fanatics and gamers of all sorts.
FIFA’s core game play elements stay the same as FIFA ‘05’s, but they have added a few new ideas. The biggest change is the new Tactics and Mentality system. This new feature allows you to select both your team’s attacking and defensive styles. Offensive tactics include Counter Attack, Wind Play, Box Overload, and 3rd Man Release. The defensive tactics include Pressing, Offside Trap, Zone Defense, and Flat Back. Using these tactics individually or in combinations can help you obtain additional scoring chances as well as keep the ball away from your goal. While you may be familiar with the tactics described above, the helpful diagrams in FIFA 06 can simplify these strategies. This feature is a good addition that most will enjoy, but some may feel that it is unnecessary and tedious to learn. There is also Pace control and the “Trick Stick” which helps you change directions and avoid defenders. You also can create a “dummy” pass which will fake the defender into going to the wrong attacker.
One game play adjustment seen in FIFA ‘06 is the new free kick system. This year, you are forced to rely on your own devices to aim and apply spin to the ball during free kicks. You must position the camera and the player correctly to achieve the desired effect. This will take some getting used to, and I really wish they had stuck with the old system.
FIFA ’06 also has a revamped AI. The new AI has an improved feel for the game and won’t make stupid mistakes as much. They will pounce on your mistakes and punish you for them. The game has become harder, but it is better and more challenging.
The visuals in FIFA ‘06 aren’t too different from 2005. The player models are superbly done, but the crowd is still two-dimensional. The visuals of FIFA ‘06 shine when in cut-scene mode as well as during some replays. The game applies a dramatic effect by somewhat blurring the background, thus highlighting the players. The animations flowed well for the most part, and this made the dribble-moves fun to watch. There is a bit of slowdown at certain points in the game, but nothing that detracts heavily from game play.
Even though it has a few flaws, FIFA ‘06 is a great pickup for soccer fans. It features a revamped Manager Mode that will provide many hours of fun, and it is the only game to offer the FIFA leagues and teams. If you are a soccer fan, you will at least want to give this one a trial run.