FIFA 09 is one of those games that will not disappoint its players in any manner. Be it the avid gamer type who swears by every FIFA title that’s hit the shelves till date, or the casual gamer who is just looking forward to playing a fun game to kill some time. Investing in this gaming title would definitely make sense in all respects. It’s a must buy for all FIFA fans and if you’re not one, just take our word for it and we promise that the next time a new FIFA title is released you’re not going to wait for a review before buying it.
FIFA introduced cutting edge graphics, the heart thumping in-game chants, the menu tracks and the high of scoring a goal from a trademark David Beckham cross to the genre. These features contributed to the phenomenal triumph of the franchise. This year, FIFA 09 in no way falls short of our expectations. David Rutter, the chief producer of FIFA 09 has stated that there are more than 250 improvements in this edition of the game.
The first thing you’ll notice on starting up this game is the new main menu and the extreme profusion of gameplay options to choose from. The abundance of these options tend to confuse the gamer at first, but a widget system makes sure that the game retains the player’s attention. Widgets help the gamer keep track of all the current progress and records set in the game. Apart from the usual gameplay there is also a surprise addition — the ‘be a pro season’ where you can select and control one player through a maximum of 4 seasons. Gamers can choose between existing players or create a new custom player model and jump right into the game. Carry out the given objectives and you’ll earn experience points, which you can spend to improve your player’s attributes. For the first time in the history of the FIFA series, the player stats like height, body mass, and weight have started to matter. This interesting feature has redefined the tackling, jostling and collision system. The player’s physical characteristics are important in deciding the outcome of the match. Another innovative addition to the game is the Adidas Live Season feature that will update the game database for all the player’s statistics based on their respective performances in the real world matches.
Getting down and dirty with the action now — the graphics of FIFA09. This game is equipped with an all-new graphics engine that boasts of ‘life-like’ player models and details. FIFA 09 amps up the envelope of HD gaming with the introduction of dapper features like post processing effects, output video quality enhancement and support for shader model 3.0. There have been specific improvements to player-models wherein each and every international and first division professional league football player has been painstakingly designed by EA to closely resemble their real life counterparts in the game. It is now possible to identify all your favourite footballers on the pitch as it would be on a television screen! It is actually possible to see the sweat on their foreheads, the nerves jutting out of their arms and to make out every expression on their faces — from joy to disappointment. The real treat comes to in watching Rooney celebrate at Old Trafford on scoring a winner; the whole stadium comes alive with fanatical fans and their raging chants. FIFA09 introduces 24 authentic stadiums from around the world including Wembley, Emirates, and the Millennium Stadium just to mention a few amongst others which have been meticulously designed.
As far as the sound goes, the track list brims with adrenaline. Frankly there is nothing special about the on-pitch sound support in FIFA 09, but the commentary is the real treat, which makes you feel as if you were in the company of Ally Mcoist and John Motson. The build-up of a match reminds you of the live coverage on a Saturday by ESPN.
FIFA 09 brings with it a breath of fresh air in the gameplay department. The controls are customizable to fit varied user needs, with both attacking and defensive controls being customisable independently. EA introduces for the first time a mouse and keyboard combo control system, which provides a cool new way to carry out all those hard to perform off the ball tricks. When it comes to gamepad controller support, a major flaw awaits all those with ‘non-branded’ pieces of hardware. 09 provides a very dismal support for controllers other than those manufactured by industry leaders such as Microsoft, Logitech and Saitek.
Fighting back against the ongoing piracy-wars, EA’s FIFA 09 is shipped in with DRM (Digital Rights Management) protection. EA has incorporated an ingenious piece of technology in FIFA 09, which requires you to register the game online at least once before it is fully activated. This means that even though you might download the full version of the game on to your PC, and install a crack, the game will still not give out its full experience.
The multiplayer support in FIFA 09 is like none other and you are going to be spoiled for choice. 09 introduces a 10 on 10 Be a Pro online gaming mode that makes it possible for you to join up with a gang of friends and kick some butt in a team match where each gamer controls an individual player.
FIFA 09 is one of those games that will not disappoint its players in any manner. Be it the avid gamer type who swears by every FIFA title that’s hit the shelves till date, or the casual gamer who is just looking forward to playing a fun game to kill some time. Investing in this gaming title would definitely make sense in all respects. It’s a must buy for all FIFA fans and if you’re not one, just take our word for it and we promise that the next time a new FIFA title is released you’re not going to wait for a review before buying it.
Rating: 8/10
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Web site: www.fifa09.ea.com