Since
the PS2's launch, EA's FIFA franchise has been the dominant soccer game–but
only from a sales standpoint. Gameplay-wise, it's never matched up with
Konami's standout Winning Eleven series. Now, FIFA 07 leaps to next-gen with
sparse features: only six leagues instead of 28, no tournament creation, only
basic online play, and a measly 37 national teams out of a possible 194. But
its focus has, smartly, been shifted to gameplay–and this one's fun to play.
Problem is, the controls aren't as responsive as they need to be, which means
superstar teams like Brazil look as listless near the net as America did in the
most recent World Cup.
Another issue: the game is far too simple
tactically. If you want to register SportsCenter-worthy highlights, fat
chance. In Winning Eleven, slick, creative passes are rewarded with scoring
opportunities; here, they lead to turnovers. And too often, players run from
loose balls in a way that would look like miscommunication if it were real
life. Players seem overly concerned with heading back to play their positions,
regardless of what's happening around them.
Beyond
the game:
FIFA's first next-gen soccer effort, Road To The World Cup, was farcically bad, but
it featured all 32 teams. That makes it more puzzling that there are eight
national teams missing on the 360. It's inexcusable.
Worth
playing for: PS2
and Xbox online play offers a unique experience, letting you pick your favorite
team and play its real-life schedule against fans of your opposing teams. So
good.
Frustration
sets in when:
The "yellow card" button is mislabeled "slide tackle"–the refs are insane. And
scoring is a chore on any level. You'll get chances, but the goalies play out
of their minds.
Final
judgment: FIFA's
alluring prettiness and rebuilt gameplay make this one well worth a
kick-around. But the jury remains out until Winning Eleven hits in January.