FIFA 10 Review

4.5 POOR

Think what a game developer can make with 4 programmers in one weekend. This Is FIFA 10 on the PC.

Think what a game developer can make with 4 programmers in one weekend. Now think that they'll have the audacity of sell this production at a full price. Then think that this game is a new version from a well known series that has been awarded by all the critics on the consoles. This Is FIFA 10 on the PC.

This game has almost no improvements from the last year evolution that really convinced this gamer that the next year the game should got the advantages of being a 'next-gen' game. But, no! EA sports that now only have FIFA available for PC decides that they would get a weekend (some in august) and making some new features that are buggy, or broken. The only new feature that really works is the Team ****, even through not at all. They added the practice arena to main menu. This is funny, very funny: its only the very old and limited practice mode. The Be a Pro now adds the nations teams, although is funny to see that you are called for the five stars Italy even through the other options are largely better. I would really like to be praising this new improvements, but I cant because all this things doesnt work.

And is no surprise that there are so many bugs in this game. That is what happens when you use same engine for eight years. I remember how FIFA 03, FIFA 04 or FIFA 05 played, and especially the last one were a pretty good game, even through it was not better than the same year PES. But when you start to put in a game dozens of features, that have bugs, then you dont retouch them next year, in few years you'll got a buggy ridden game. Playing the game, youll see the same open defence problem you saw in FIFA 2005.

The graphics are generally good, not a next-gen like visuals, but still good. The models are specially well made, although some of the famous players have dated visuals, like the Lionel Messi with that big hair. And, one more flaw are the unknowns that really look like that 4 million years old monkey. Even more, the crowd and the other secondary things are rubbish like a Playstation one game.

One good new is that the menus are pretty well made. And the soundtrack are the same from the 'next-gen' versions. Even though the commentators are not the same, they do a pretty good work. And the other sound effects aren't anything special. For our good Russians friends, this game is offering for the first time the licence from the Russian League (that I personally liked much).

The 360 degree controls are, lets say, the best of EA jokes in this game. It will only work with the mouse movement control or with a analog joystick (no surprises!). But for a more keen eye (I'm have myopia, and also noted this), its possible to see that this new scheme isn't really 360 º. Its more like a 16 or 32 directions control (I bet 16). And worst, it dont work when in the first touch of the ball, it will only direct the ball in eight directions. Combine this with the AI that dont use this new system and will make a zigzag - or the stairs like moving, around the pitch, and you'll see that this isn't really works. And worst, some moves were further deteriorated.

The other gameplay elements are generally the same last year game. You got the same bugs, the same playing Stiles, the same errors from passing detection system (that thing that makes you make too many wrong passes during the game) and the same shot system that will grant you a full list of low shooting options and almost no high shooting (which in real life football, are the most used type of shoot, as is easier to use them than the low ones). The goalkeepers are at the same time unspectacular and totally stupid ( I'm still remember that goal in which my goalkeeper rushed the attacker and then simply gave him the way to the goal), as well as your defenders (even if you team have Chiellini and Cannavaro in your back).

The AI is funny also. Fully functional - not bug free, when you running, they become stupid when you stopped, or when you in Be a Pro Mode. Sometimes you may think that is better to leave the AI alone while defending than rushing the attackers, except when they are near the box. Some other aspects are the perfect kick tackers - not Xavi or Del Piero, and unknown from the 4th English division, and against Peter Cech, the timid players ( that one who stay with his back facing the ball), and the dumb goalkeepers that aways give space for the forwards shot in the most unbelivable places.

Ok, they made some effort in improving the cut scenes, but they are the same as the last few games. And finally the referee and the assistants have they very own brand new animations. Cool.
Cooler is the fact that they have better animations than the players. The players animations, especially the running animation are the same from the other games using this Engine. Combining poor animation with unresponsive controls will give you a big headache.

LAST COMMENTS

Eight years passed, and almost nothing changed in this game. This dont justify a full game price. They could make this as an expansion, like the other EA The Sims developer made all this years. Sell at a lower price and call it FIFA 2005: FIFA 10. Perhaps someone still have the old FIFA 2005 disk.

This game must receive the accolade as being the worst soccer game ever made by a professional (not too) studio.

THE PROS
- Good soundtrack
-Average sound effects and commentaries
-It's a soccer game

THE CONS
-Don't look like a soccer game
-Buggy, unresponsive controls
-Lacking gameplay
-Same as the last year (a thing that can be applied for the last seven PC FIFA games)
-Robocop like animations
-Poor, unbelivable ball Physics (one little unintentional touch in the ball could send the ball in to Jupiter, while the shooting power are so little that the ball seems float in the air, like in the moon)
- Lacks the physicality of the game
-Formations dont work

Oct 23, 2008 6:01 pm GMT

SCORE: 9,0

Difficulty:
Just Right
Time Spent:
100 or More Hours
The Bottom Line:
"Innovative"

This year we have pleased with several new good games. FIFA 09 arrived as the better soccer game ever, GTA IV is simply fantastic, Turok is an ambitious game, Spore, despite of being technically weak is very fun. And in September, Mount & Blade comes out, and honestly, this game is amazing.

The combat system is really good. This game have much to explore, much to see, and despite having some boring aspects, it's still a very addictive game.

The only thing that really don't help is the graphics. The are as old as 2004/2005, but the visual is not all bad. The characters are well designed, with good shading and reflexes in the helmets, shields, etc. The cities and castles are so recycled that sometimes you think that you are in a city dozen of kilometers far away.

The sound is acceptable, with the sounds of you blade cutting your opponent (not exactly) in two. The songs are very great and adds sense of immersion to the game (in real life there are no music, but imagine a game without a good soundtrack).

The game play is sometimes nice, sometimes weak. The combat system is the best part of the game (even so it's mostly optional, but nobody don't want to lose the wars, at least in the game). But the quests are really bad made, repetitive, and nonsense. They consist almost every time in kill murderers, collect debts, save some girls. Nothing more. The trade is good, but very boring.

If you read the last two paragraphs, you probably will think: Man, this guy doesn't really liked this game. But not. This game is a revolution, because it does not follow the same old ****of make an RPG, always featuring medieval combat (every one without the cavalry!) with monsters, or Chinese culture. Mount & Blade flees from the generic routes of the RPGs, and because of this it's a very great game.

Mount and Blade Warband is coming! Isn't good. Wait for this expansion.

Nothing to say. The sims 3 is just an unfinished UNFUNNY game.

SCORE: 8,0

Difficulty:
Hard
Time Spent:
100 or More Hours
The Bottom Line:
"Solid"

When you start playing this game, soon you think: "Man, why i never seen it before". Yeah, it's very strange that no one imagined a game like this before. It's simply fantastic. A number of missions, each one a game for itself. They are long, hard to beat, and extremely fun to complete, at least if you can keep pace with the mission development. The mistake? While some parts are easy to complete, others will require you to press the quickload button several times. Some parts are nearly impossible to complete. And of course, its not the most funny game of all time, but play its part very well.

In Death to Spies you play as a soviet spy that will do any type of job. From killing high Nazi's officers, to stealing the projects of Manhattan project, you have to make your way with as few killings as could be possible. Never let the enemies know that you are actually a spy. During this process, you will run through every type of scenarios: From jungles to offices, you'll have the unique opportunity to really enter in the atmosphere of Second World War. Every aspect of scenarios is carefully designed to make them fell like war. Darkened streets, with the effects of the battles; Bases with several guards ready to fight; Destroyed tanks and craters formed by the bombs; Interiors full with details. The most notable letdown in visual is exactly the absence of an accurate design of Nazi's emblem, I think, a type of euphemism.

When you arrive that enemie's base, you'll note that the guards are talking and doing things. you can hear them talking, in german. Then you observe their moves and try to catch one while unprepared. Try to not make noise and use a knife of anything that let you wear his clothes. Then some of the guards and officials dont recognize you. But inside the building, someone knows who are you, then you'll need to avoid, o simply kill him. That little text describes some of things you'll need to do. Everything with silence, like a real life spy. And, of sure, whit all the equipment a spy need. And with all the things the game offer to you to do, if it's not easy, at least you'll not become angry with a bad physics and gameplay. Everything was considered to make the game real look like that time.

It's too bad the game can't achieve one objective: make the game really funny. Technically amazing, the game soon will feel repetitive. This looks like a fate of some games: extraordinary in some aspects, but somewhat disappointing in others.

To finish, making a brief description of the aspects of the game:
Visual(9): Everything was designed by the creators to "suck you in" the second world war atmosphere;
Sounds(9): For sure, an expressive part of the game, you'll hear a variety of sounds through your game, from music heard by the enemies, to sounds that come from doors, and from hitting something - or someone.
Gameplay(8): You have a large array of options to do what you want. Also something can be done by different ways. But this is not a game to be played everytime. And everytime remember: making noise all attracting attention from the guards is not a good way to proceed.

The Sims 3 will hit the shelves in first week of June. I'm not personally a fan of the franchise. The Sims, The Sims 2 was weak. But they are really innovating. That's what I'm expecting. Innovation, new things. But I'm see in the transition betwen the 1 and 2 that the two, apart from the well known innovations, still have the same problems of the old game. Like an enourmous quantity of bugs, and the odd pathfinding that prevented you to enjoy the game at all.

The Sims is all about hope and desenchantement. You expect the game for months, and when the date comes, you buy, play for some time and then the game feels somewhatrepetitive. That was the biggest mistake of last games. But is still amazing how this game manages to sell so many copies around the world (I play The Sims, ususally as a casual game).

And you, what you think. The Sims 3 will be the greatest game of the series, or will be a unexpected deception?