One step
closer.
For years,
the Winning Eleven franchise has held the crown when it came to actualizing
soccer in video-game formats. FIFA has been gaining ground, most noticeably
within the last few iterations. The ball physics have gotten much better and the
animations are wonderfully done, and adherence to the rules and strategies of
the game has gotten closer.
With the
release of FIFA 07 on the 360, EA Sports has created a game that is closer yet
to scoring the golden goal in the head on matching with the WE franchise. But
some of the FIFA franchise’s biggest steps forward on the next-gen platform have
also been some of it downfalls. In previous iterations, there was a marked lack of a
consistent collision path. The ball would, on occasion, sail through players en
route to its intended target (mostly the goal mouth). FIFA 07 has corrected that
with collision paths that, when coupled with the improved ball and player
physics, create game that comes close to the real deal, but can also – if the
play is sloppy enough – starts to resemble bumper pool.
Is this a
failing on EA’s development team? Absolutely not. It is a failing of the years
of conditioning that previous releases have fostered, creating a mindset where
strategy was important, but you could always take that free kick and place the
ball through the wall of defenders. Not anymore. FIFA 07 is still reflexive, but
it is also a game in which players will be required to engage the brain and see
the field, thinking about strategies on the fly.
EA has taken
the old FIFA model and revamped it from the ground up. The AI is smarter, and
not above bumping the player-controlled character off the ball. Attacks must be
built, working the ball against the defense to create overlaps and gaps in
coverage – gaps that can be exploited.
The game
itself sports clubs in the top divisions in six nations, plus 37 national teams
and 22 licensed stadiums. Player skill levels are obviously in place and EA has
even gone so far as to allow players to take cheap shots at opposing players.
Team momentum also plays a big role, as does endurance. Keep the sprint button
pressed too long and players will lose stamina and your team game will suffer.
Ok, FIFA 07
does not have the team depth of current-gen platforms, but the game is far more
intelligent and the vast array of players is easily overlooked when you take
into consideration the gigantic leap forward this game has made. There are an
array of game modes and the multiplayer is strong, with Live support and
same-machine game play.
As a soccer
freak (not only from the player perspective but also coaching), the hallmark of
a good game is when players are skilled but the game revolves around thinking
about how you can best defend or attack. That is what EA Sports has brought to
the fore with this title. One player will not run the field. The AI won’t let
that happen. Nor will another player. Get online in a league play and no lead is
safe if you start being the kind of player that rushes thoughtlessly into the
attack.
Graphically
the game scores. The physics and animations are truly wonderful. The sound
sports musical tracks from a host of bands from throughout the world, many which
you probably have not heard of before (like Fertig, los! from Germany, or
Suferosa from Norway). The game truly has an international flavor to the sound.
The game’s
controls are more in-depth than in previous releases. The controller’s buttons
can often be used in concert to create different results – such as using the B
button (for shooting) with the right shoulder button for a finesse shot, or the
left or right triggers for a chip or driven shot. Be prepared for a learning
curve if you want to master the control scheme.
Much like
its releases on other platforms, FIFA 07 for the 360 is a solid and entertaining
game that brings the franchise into the next generation of console gaming. Is it
mind-blowing? No. But it is a next-gen game that creates the foundations for
where the series will, hopefully, be going. This should be a solid purchase for soccer
fans that happen to own a 360. Look for the game to release to retail at the end
of the month.
