Video Game Thread

[dark]

With FIFA and PES returning to our consoles this season it's inevitable that us that are hooked on Video Games will be playing a few games on one, or maybe both of them. I've always been a fan of the FIFA franchise until I played PES 4, which for me seemed more fun and player-friendly. I never really looked back on my decision until FIFA 08 finally won over PES and took the better game of the season for me. I thought that the FIFA 08's gameplay, graphics and fun was way more than Pro Evoulution's was and had me hooked.

 

I've had a few years with the two games now and wondered which game I should go for next season. Even though Pro Evoulution is a whole lot better than FIFA fun-wise the small demo the developers showed us on the websites show that the new game is similar if not exactly the same to its previous game making me feel that I should go for FIFA.

 

I've also been wanting to ask about a Management game. I've had a little go of Championship Manager and didnt get hooked. I've played a few seasons of FIFA Manager 07 & 08 and think that it's quite good, but I wanted something more. I was thinking more along the lines of playing Football Manager, do any of you play?

 

This is the place to discuss the two games aswell as any management games that you may play, and discuss how your teams are doing within those games. I for one have started a season with Everton on FIFA and am currently into February fifteen points clear of Chelsea at the top of the game with my only defeat to Liverpool and my only draw to Sunderland. I've signed Fabregas for 10 million and also managed to acquire some players from the scouts.

 

So how's your virtual team looking? And are you looking to add the 2009 update's to your collection? Hopefully seeing Saha banging in the goals in his blue no.9 Everton shirt

[Louis]

Pro EVO 2009 have a Champions League license which means all the teams in the Champions League are fully licensed. Sadly, there is no La Liga anymore as FIFA bought rights to it.

 

Also Wembley, Old Trafford and Anfield (spit) have been added to the game.

 

http://uk.games.konami-europe.com/news.do?idNews=354

[dark]

Some more Pro Evo info for you fresh from Gamespot

 

Having been lucky enough to see Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 on the PlayStation 3 ahead of Leipzig, we didn't actually plan on doing a specific Xbox 360 preview today. However, like Boy Scouts we always come prepared, and we headed over to Konami to check it out just in case. It turned out to be a good job that we did, because not only is the Xbox 360 version looking more polished than the PS3 one at this stage, but it even boasts a brand-new Microsoft controller specifically for the game.

 

Of the six PES demo machines at Konami's Leipzig booth, four are Xbox 360s and the other two are PS3s. Poking out of the holes of those four demo units are brand-new, never-before-seen green control pads. "They're brand-new controllers from Microsoft," said our Konami rep. "The D pad now works in 16 directions, rather than just four."

 

Although there's little physically different in the new controllers, the added level of control will definitely suit Pro Evolution Soccer. The previous design has been too bulky and imprecise for football and fighting games, so fans of PES and Street Fighter have reason to rejoice over the redesign. The D pad still protrudes quite a way off of the face of the new controller, but the extra precision will definitely come in handy for Konami's game.

 

The new pad is probably the reason that we enjoyed the Xbox 360 version of PES 2009 a bit more at this stage. The game is apparently 70 percent through development ahead of its October release, and it feels more polished on Microsoft's console. We're sure (or at least we hope) that this will change in the run-up to release, but we definitely felt more control over our players on Microsoft's console. And though there were fewer teams in the 360 demo (only France, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, and Croatia), there were less glitches and visual anomalies, and Ronaldinho looked particularly realistic.

 

If you want to find out more about the features of the new Pro Evolution Soccer, check out our PS3 preview, which runs down all of the modes and gameplay tweaks. We're encouraged to hear that the new Xbox 360 controller will be released alongside PES, although it's slightly disappointing that it will be a limited-edition model. Either way, we hope to bring you more on the game ahead of its release in Europe a couple of months from now

 

 

[dark]

FIFA 09 News for those that play it.

 

We're running up the field, heading into the offensive zone of Chelsea. There's not a defender within 15 yards of us. Ahead, an Arsenal striker is making a deep cut toward the Chelsea goalkeeper and, to his left, renowned striker Emmanuel Adebayor is positioning himself to try to make something happen. Suddenly, our teammate behind us sends the ball our way, which we deftly receive at full gallop. Two Blues defenders are closing in on our striker, but we manage to sneak in a perfectly timed through pass, which he fields, passes to Adebayor, who manages to get the goalkeeper out of position and... GOOOOAL!

 

Now, technically, our crucial through pass doesn't count as an assist on the scorecard, but it surely felt good to us, especially as an introduction to the new 10-versus-10 online play that looks to be one of the brightest features in EA Sports' upcoming FIFA 09. During a recent trip up to EA Canada we got the first look at 10-versus-10 play, playing a match with 19 developers and producers behind FIFA 09, and we can safely report that the new mode puts an entirely new spin on the virtual sport.

 

 

 

 

 

t’s never an easy task to improve upon an already strong series (especially one that is released annually), but FIFA 09 manages to do just that. FIFA 09 features the most realistic player physics to ever grace the series, while the ability to augment your team’s tactics provides greater customization.

 

Player physics are a major focus in this year's game. FIFA 09 will, for the first time in the series, have players jostling for position and headers. During collisions and jostles, each player's size and physical attributes will dictate how the animation plays out. Generally, larger players will be able to hold off smaller defenders, while smaller players will be able to use their speed to avoid contact.

 

The improvement in player physics translates to the goalkeepers as well. Long-standing issues with inaccurate goalkeeper reactions (goalies making incredibly hard stops at times while at other times allowing the easiest of goals) have been addressed in FIFA 09. Goalkeepers seem to have more realistic reaction times, and their animations play out more smoothly.

[Louis]

What I don't like about them is there's not enough teams. There isn't one African club team for example. I also don't understand why Pro Evo won't allow the J-league to be in it despite Konami holding the license.

[dark]

From 21st September 2008 this is now 'Video Game Thread' allowing users to talk about any video game. Ask questions, make comments, show pictures. It's all here in the 'Video Game Thread' (:

 

24/10/08

 

 

 

 

Can't wait for MotoGP 08 - Though we saw the game last week at the 2008 Games Convention in Leipzig, Capcom is still eager to show off more of its latest entry in the MotoGP series, MotoGP 08. Reps from the company came by earlier this week to show off the game and give us a glimpse at the game's Career mode. It won't be winning any awards for innovation, but MotoGP 08's Career mode looks to be another fun way to get into two-wheeled racing in this sim-style game.

 

Career mode joins a number of other modes in MotoGP 08, including Quick Race, Time Trial, Championship (where you play a single season run-through of the MotoGP calendar), Challenges, and online play, which will support up to 12 players. Your MotoGP 08 career will last five years, and during that time, you'll sign with a team, as well as build up your bike's attributes. You'll also do your best to win the championships in the different bike classes in which you'll run (125cc, 250cc, and MotoGP).

 

Scoring points in race events will let you spend points to upgrade your bikes in four different categories: maximum speed, acceleration, braking, and traction. You'll also unlock new teams in your specific class, and you can choose to sign with those new teams. By unlocking teams, you'll eventually be able to work your way up to the pinnacle of the sport--MotoGP class--where you will be racing with the top two-wheel riders in the world.

[Sporting4ever]

 

'Nuff said

[dark]

What's World Of Warcraft about, I've heard of it but never actually played it.

 

'Though massively multiplayer online role-playing games have been around for years, it has taken this long for the genre's breakthrough hit to finally emerge. Here is the online role-playing game you should play, no matter who you are. This is because World of Warcraft brings out all the best aspects of this style of gaming, if not many of the best aspects of gaming in general. It also features many of the specific characteristics that have made Blizzard Entertainment's previous games so entertaining, memorable, long-lasting, and successful. Of course, the company's past track record did not guarantee that World of Warcraft could have turned out this well. Such high quality simply cannot be expected, nor should it be missed.'

 

It's got good reviews, from Gamespot.

Edited September 28, 2008 by dark

[Sporting4ever]

What's World Of Warcraft about, I've heard of it but never actually played it.

 

Well, it's what's called an MMORPG. Stands for Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game.

It's fantasy based, meaning elves, orcs, wizards, etc, and, in the case of WoW, it's trully massive. last count i saw, about 3 months ago, had over 10 million players worldwide.

 

But a word of warning, to those that never came into contact with this type of games, WoW especially. It's HIGHLY adictive. and i do mean highly.

 

There's places and magazines where you can get trial accounts, if you're interested in trying.

 

And oh, it's a subscription based game. meaning you have to pay (10£ for u guys, i think) each month.

 

There's free MMOs, but not really up to the level of those that are payed.

[dark]

But a word of warning, to those that never came into contact with this type of games, WoW especially. It's HIGHLY adictive. and i do mean highly.

 

I can imagine, I'm addicted to Oblivion which I think is the same type of game. How do you actually play multiplayer? Do you all join a team and complete quests? I'm just wondering the basics of playing.

[Sporting4ever]

I can imagine, I'm addicted to Oblivion which I think is the same type of game. How do you actually play multiplayer? Do you all join a team and complete quests? I'm just wondering the basics of playing.

 

 

You play online, and there's tons of servers, and of different types as well. There's the PVP and PVE servers. since there's 2 different playable factions (Aliiance and Horde), that are not on the best terms with each other, this determines how you function in the world. on a PVP server, after you've reached a certain level, all the areas are "contested", meaning you can be attacked by players for the opposite side. On a PVE server, this doesn't happen, unless you go to territories that belong to the other faction (home cities and the like).

 

As for the multiplayer aspect, yes, it's just like that. you can play alone, ofc, but at high level, you will always have some degree of contact, be it running dungeons with a 5 man party, or joining in larger raid groups.

[aaron]

WoW is a game that will actually take over your life. Thats why i have never have and never will play, just in case

[Sporting4ever]

WoW is a game that will actually take over your life. Thats why i have never have and never will play, just in case

 

yeah, it CAN do that, hence my HIGHLY ADICTIVE warning.

 

but you can play it casually. I try to... play more than I should, but nowhere near enough what I could...

[dark]

Remembered some songs that I had totally forgot about, which are still good

 

America – Horse With No Name

Black Sabbath – Paranoid

Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen In Love

Dead Kennedy’s – Holiday In Cambodia

Deep Purple – Demon’s Eye

Dixie Chicks – Not Ready To Make Nice

Dodgy – Staying Out For The Summer

Fleetwood Market – The Chain

Iron Maiden – Phantom Of The Opera

Josh Groban – February Song

[aaron]

wrong thread mate LOL this is the games thread.

[Jesse11]

FIFA 09 is coming out on thursday over here and i can't wait. I always love checking out the new player rankings, rekon ronaldo would have to be 2 points clear of everyone else this year surely

[aaron]

anyone got Star Wars: Force Unleashed?

If so any good?

[dark]

Gamespot Review - I trust Gamespot most times

 

There are a number of thrilling moments lurking in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed--enough of them that you'll likely be disappointed that it drifts so often from the things it excels at. Amazing displays of power and destruction are interspersed with inept, poorly conceived gameplay sequences, making for an inconsistent journey that, fortunately, gets more right than it does wrong. It certainly gives a fantastic first impression, starting with a tutorial level that serves as a great introduction to its complex protagonist. Yet while the initial levels impress, the later ones stumble a bit. Force Unleashed is a very good game that could have been great, had it not taken so many unnecessary detours.

 

A big chord and brass fanfare signal the opening of Force Unleashed--the same intro that sparks excitement in millions of fans the world over every time they hear it. If you're interested in this game because you're looking for familiar science-fiction pageantry and a classic good-versus-evil tale, you'll find it delivers both. In fact, The Force Unleashed represents a real step forward in storytelling for the famed franchise, delivering a story both more intimate and more powerful than the entirety of the second film trilogy. Sure, it offers its share of melodrama, but it's tempered by emotive voice acting and expressive character models, and together they provide the emotional heft long missing from the movies. The drama is further enriched by a vivid art design that breathes life into the franchise's long-sterile visual exterior.

 

Leading the narrative charge is Galen Marek, aka Starkiller, Darth Vader's secret apprentice. The Clone Wars have ended, and Vader orders you to hunt and destroy the last of the remaining Jedi. The story, as brief as it is (the game ends at around the eight-hour mark), contains multiple twists, features some friendly and not-so-friendly faces, and is both explosive and remarkably intimate. You'll interact with Vader, of course, but Starkiller spends most of his time with an android called PROXY and his female pilot, Juno Eclipse. Sharing the details of the trio's adventures would spoil too much, so suffice to say, you'll grow remarkably fond of Starkiller and his companions, and their moral conflicts carry a lot of weight.

 

If you're interested in The Force Unleashed for more than its story, you'll find that it's a mixture of pure fun and pure frustration. The fun wins out, mainly because when it runs on all cylinders, you truly feel like a powerful Dark Jedi, using a variety of force powers and lightsaber slashes to rain death upon rebel and imperial foes alike. You can thank the game's robust physics engine for those thrills. You can grab any number of objects and characters using your force grip power, and when combined with other skills like force lightning and force push, you can fling stormtroopers into Wookiees, crush Felucian tribal leaders under boulders, and smash AT-STs with scattered barrels. In open environments, these mechanics deliver--big time. Grabbing a Rodian from a distance, electrocuting it, and flinging it into a crowd of shock troopers; hearing your lightsaber hum and whir after you whip it toward an innocent Wookiee; or just drop-kicking a whining Jawa: These moments may very well cause you to yell with glee. This is a game that will make you grab your friends to show off your potent skills.

 

Other attempts at variety arrive with mixed results. Boss encounters and battles against larger enemies, such as rancors and AT-STs, initiate God of War-style quick-time events, and while the initial button prompts can sometimes take you by surprise, most of these sequences are larger than life, featuring all of the acrobatics and pain-inducing attacks you'd expect from a Dark Jedi. You'll also find a few light but sensible puzzles that require you to pull platforms upward or bend metal slabs downward. Other sequences are simply terrible. The most egregious of these involves pulling a destroyer from out of the sky while simultaneously taking on a group of TIE fighters firing at you from their fancy figure-eight pattern. This could have been a game-defining set piece, but due to a broken feedback system--which purports to show you how to maneuver the analog sticks but does nothing of the sort--it's reduced to a malodorous misstep best forgotten. In another misbegotten sequence, you must fight the sensitive targeting system to get rotating rings to stay in place, then fight the camera while you ride an elevator and dash across a walkway--while under the pressure of a time limit. And you have to do it twice. That bit, along with another one that requires you to float upward on blue lasers, brings what should have been Force Unleashed's most exhilarating level to a grinding halt, and the gameplay never fully recovers.

 

As you progress from level to level, you earn (and find) upgrade crystals, and in turn you learn new combos and can upgrade your force powers to make them more effective. It's a nice touch, because it gives you the impression that Starkiller indeed grows more powerful as the game hurdles forward. It also provides some light character customization, but there are only three development trees, so by the time you reach Force Unleashed's conclusion, you may very well have maxed out most of your abilities. As your move set deepens, you'll encounter increasingly mighty foes, many of which are immune to one force power or another. This approach is a double-edged sword, requiring you to abandon your favorite combinations in favor of other, potentially less enjoyable moves.

 

Force Unleashed's art direction sparkles and glows, injecting brooding, rich color into every environment--even corridors and control rooms. The junkyards of Raxus Prime are most notable in this regard, but other locales, both familiar and new, are beautifully lit and feature lightly stylized textures and other subtle touches. It's Star Wars, all right, but like the story, the art direction surpasses franchise standards. The graphics engine renders this artistic vision (along with the game's overactive physics) well enough, but it often struggles to keep up. Visual bugs, momentary pauses, and frame rate drops are relatively common, and somewhat more prevalent in the PlayStation 3 version. We encountered instances of blinking textures, incomplete geometry, and on the PS3, multiple occasions when enemy character models would immediately disappear upon defeat. It's certainly beautiful to look at, but throw in weirdly long load times just to pull up menus and jarring cutscene transitions, and you start to see the corners that were cut.

 

If you know your Star Wars, you probably already have an idea of what Force Unleashed sounds like--and you'd be right on the money. The sound design is of generally high quality, filling your speakers with the swooshes of sabers and the strains of John Williams' famous musical score (along with some new and appropriate compositions). So it sounds expectedly great, but like with the visuals, you may come across some bugs. While we played the PS3 version, the voice track would occasionally fade away, making it essentially impossible to hear dialogue over the music. In the Xbox 360 version, the voice track became desynched from character lip movements several times. It's too bad, because the game's audio is almost as well conceived as its art.

 

Once you've completed the game and are the all-powerful Dark Jedi you've always wanted to be, it's remarkably fulfilling to return to Force Unleashed's earlier, better levels to try out the powers and combos you didn't possess on your first play-through of them. Or perhaps you want to experience the second of the game's two endings (a reasonable goal, since one of them is bound to get fans talking) while wearing one of the unlockable costumes. But most players will find that aside from a return to the better areas, once is enough. When the game caters to its strengths, it soars; when it deviates, it flounders. Regardless, it's still a more than worthy entry in a long line of licensed Star Wars games, and a good action game in its own right.

Score 8.5

[aaron]

cheers dark

[jamiemaher85]

I'm looking forward to the New Fifa game. I love there Live League feature, where if a certain player is injured or susspended that week then you can't use them and the players advance as they do in the real life. Sound promising.

[dark]

It has been stated in an interview with David Rutter that there are over 250 improvements on the game.[6]

 

Among the improvements in the new FIFA are improved responsiveness that allows for quicker release of the ball, greater urgency in the off-the-ball running, a new jostle system that takes into account the strength of the players when going shoulder to shoulder and subtle animations that enable players to take first-time shots.

 

Another of the edition's biggest changes is a completely revamped collision system, which calculates speed, weight and power when the players collide, as each player will have their own individual strength and power statistics depending on their body characteristics.

 

New goalkeeper technology has also been added which allows for better positioning, better reactions to saves and faster recovery after a save has been made.

 

An improvement from FIFA 08 is the weather and time. Rain and snow can be switched on and off before games, which affects whether players wear gloves. Games can be played during daytime, night and dusk, however in the latest installment the game eventually turns to night as the second half starts adding to the realistic feel of evening matches.

 

If a player is substituted during half time, the replacement player is seen warming up and running on to the pitch. However if a substitution is made during play, the players are seen approaching each other. The score of the game has an effect on this, if a player has scored then he waves to the fans and claps before being substituted, however some players react badly to being substituted for example, if they are having a good or disappointing game, or if they are a key player in the squad. Captains have more of an effect in the team. Choosing a squad member who has good captain qualities for example from the players stats under leadership will help the balance of the team.

 

FIFA 09 will also include a '10 vs. 10' Be a Pro online game and the offline Be a Pro Mode will last for a maximum of 4 seasons.

 

FIFA 09 will also feature user-controlled player celebrations, like in UEFA Euro 2008, for the first time.

 

Bold =

[dark]

FIFA 09 features new Custom Team Tactics that gives you all the tools to become a first-team coach. For the first time, go inside the game engine to customize the positioning and support play of your teammates and decide exactly how your team will play in any situation. Now you are the player, coach and manager! You have the power to adjust and customize tactical settings so CPU players and your team perform just like the real-world team plays or how you think it should play. Save your tactics and then make strategic decisions to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses, all on-the-fly.

PES fan Mark puts EA’s latest FIFA through its paces...

 

It’s easily one of the questions we get asked the most in emails to the site. FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer; which is better? Well, for many footy nuts its Konami’s game – lacking licenses but oozing realism – that’s held in the highest regard, while arcade-based FIFA has typically been the province of the post-pub casual player In recent years however EA’s fully licensed footy franchise has made great strides, and last year the gap in quality was narrower than ever. With FIFA 09, EA Sports are looking to leapfrog PES – and from our recent hands-on, it might just manage it. EA are keen to stress the number of improvements in FIFA 09 compared to its 08 forebear, and with good reason. There’s 250 of them, with top priority given to player animation, with side-by-side videos of FIFAs 08 and 09 clearly displaying the progress in silky-smooth dribbling, increased momentum and accurate collision detection.

 

But it’s only when you pick up a pad that you begin to appreciate how the technical advancements have helped the gameplay. Players jostle believably, move intelligently, signal for through-balls and fall in different ways depending on their speed at the time of a challenge, and the direction a challenge comes in from; tumbling Drogba-style over head-on slide tackles and sprawling epically when they have their trailing foot taken out at high speed.

Flow

 

In possession of the ball, FIFA 09 simply flows; there’s no better word for it. The ball pings about with a pleasing elasticity in FIFA 09, while thankfully avoiding the ping-pong nature of past generation FIFAs. The result is a fast-paced but smooth, organic-feeling game of football, full of crunching tackles, dynamic interplay and an empowering shot system.

 

In addition to this, FIFA 09 allows budding Benitez’s to come to the fore with Custom Team Tactics. You’ll be able to save these to share online, and importantly, map them to the d-pad to change your approach during a game. You’ll still be able to play with the pre-set tactics, but for serious players Custom options should add an extra layer of depth to FIFA 09.

 

So, FIFA 09 is a football game that offers rewarding buildup play, lifelike player interaction and arguably the best visuals in any sporting videogame to date. But it’s scoring that truly feels satisfying. Where PES 2008 often feels like an exercise in manoeuvring towards the sweet spot, FIFA 09 makes you feel like you can score the kind of goals you would in real life; with animation and A.I. that makes scoring the same goal twice a far trickier prospect. It’s ironic given the respective reputations of the two footballing franchises, but FIFA 09 actually feels more of a sim than PES 08’s more arcade-like offering.

 

It’s a bit unfair to compare FIFA 09 to Pro Evo’s year-old effort, of course – but with Konami not giving hands-on playtests with PES2009 yet, we can’t be sure how the two titles will stack up against each other in October. What IS for sure is that Konami will have to go some to replicate FIFA 09’s planned 10v10 online play, in which every player bar the goalkeepers will be player controlled. It’s an unprecedented and enormous selling point that’s fraught with potential hazards, but if EA nail the net code for launch (something Konami have never quite managed) we could be looking at an era-defining online sports title.

 

Our playtest with FIFA 09 demonstrated huge potential, even if current squads weren’t up to date, with Flamini at Milan, for instance, but new Liverpool star signing Robbie Keane still at Spurs. Like Man United supporters then, Konami and hardcore PES fans should be concerned; this year the competition have made massive improvements, and this season’s big footy grudge match looks far too close to call.

[Jesse11]

Only 12 hours till i go pick fifa up

[dark]

Only 12 hours till i go pick fifa up

 

Comes out 4th October in England. You'll have to write me a review about it before I splash the cash

 

-

 

 

Following on from last month's in-depth previews of the next-gen and Wii versions of FIFA 09, we were recently given hands-on time with the latest next-gen and PC code, the latter of which proved to be the surprise package of the afternoon.

 

As EA has so proudly proclaimed, FIFA 09 is packing 250 new features. Had we brought our abacus, perhaps we could have kept count, but seeing as we didn't, we focused instead on getting a feel for each version and siphoning any extra info we could extract from next-gen FIFA producer David Rutter and FIFA PC associate producer Paul Hossack.

 

So let's kick off with the PS3 and 360 versions, which bar a few cosmetic differences felt pretty much identical. While lacking the same level of innovation as FIFA 08, these next-gen offerings certainly felt like a confident stride forward for the series, displaying enough polish and refinement to potentially push FIFA 09 over that line of excellence that 08 so marginally failed to cross.

 

A tad slower than Euro 2008 and a smidgeon quicker than its predecessor (there's an option to set the speed to match either of these two games if you desire), FIFA 09 retains much of the realism that made its prequel such a triumph. However, while realism has clearly remained high on the agenda, this year's offering feels somewhat more accessible, with a learning curve that's likely to leave you mildly panting rather than rasping like an asthmatic climbing Everest, thanks in no small part to the new responsiveness and physicality systems that make for more free-flowing matches.

 

Unlike last year, we were able to ping passes away instantly after trapping while shielding was a far more robust affair, allowing for increased possession retention and more imaginative build-ups. There was also a greater emphasis on midfield battles, with players lunging into 50/50s and able to pull off full stretch passes and last-ditch tackles more smoothly and effectively than in the more rigid 08.

 

Another tweaked area was dribbling, with players taking fewer touches for added realism and reacting in a far more lifelike manner when tackled, often stumbling and recovering rather than tumbling at the merest contact. Most satisfying of all was how responsive the players felt, especially in and around the penalty area, with strikers far more alert when following in after shots. Keeper AI, however, was still somewhat patchy (apparently this side of the game is still being balanced) and at times produced the type of comical moments usually reserved for You've Been Framed and England internationals.

 

As well as giving our thumbs a thorough workout, we also worked up a cerebral sweat by playing around with the new tactical options. Thankfully, these proved more than just a tacked-on feature and went some way to adding strategic variety. While the collection of tactical slider bars may have been a little more simplistic than we would have liked, the results of our tweaking certainly seemed to pay dividends as we seamlessly switched between custom-made defensive and offensive strategies, with our team responding with satisfying levels of intelligence.

 

Up close, graphical detail wasn't a world away from last year's models, with some players still looking a little odd (especially on the PS3 version), including Dirk Kuyt who looked like the lovechild of Dracula and Cher. On a more positive note, the much-vaunted new physical jostling mechanics proved worthy of its fanfare, adding a real sense of muscularity (or lack of in the case of weedier players), with plenty of bone-splitting shoulder barging that typifies the modern game.

 

Once we'd had our fill of 360 and PS3 goodness, we cornered producer David Rutter to find out more about the game's four season Be a Pro career mode and the highly anticipated 10-versus-10 online multiplayer action.

[Jesse11]

Comes out 4th October in England. You'll have to write me a review about it before I splash the cash

 

Will do. I don't understand why we are getting it earlier but i'm not complaining. Your right up of it just then is gonna keep me awake tonight in anticipation.

[Ant#1]

ive played it i thought it was alright but the graphics arent as good as fifa 98

[dark]

Will do. I don't understand why we are getting it earlier but i'm not complaining. Your right up of it just then is gonna keep me awake tonight in anticipation.

 

I am

 

Yeah its just I dont really want to spend my cash on 09 if I dont see a big improvement from 08. I don't think I will be getting Pro Evoulution this time. It just looks the same as 08, La Liga gone and the only change is that they have the licence for the Champions League. By the year 2012 Pro Evoulution will be gone.

[Jesse11]

ive never seen what is so good about pro evo, always been a fifa man myself. You gotta have the new fifa man can't go on playing 08. I'm not sure if i saw it here or somewhere else but i think i heard you would be able to update all the squads from the 6 big leagues every couple of weeks and the players would have new rankings which took into account how they had been playing in real life.

[dark]

Sounds good. I like the new feature of the weather. In the winter time the first-half will be in warm day-light and then second will slowly fade into darkness and the pitch will turn cold meaning you will have to adapt to it.

 

For me I have always been a Pro Evo man. Up till Pro Evo 6 Fifa didn't keep up IMO, it was more fun to play and most of my mates had it. Fifa 08 was the turning point for me, that was a fantastic game and I thought how PES would keep up. PES 2008 was also good but after the added updates in 09 I serously think that FIFA has won this long battle of the games.

[aaron]

just about to play demo of fifa 09 on eggbox now. tell you all what its like soon...

[dark]

just about to play demo of fifa 09 on eggbox now. tell you all what its like soon...

 

HURRY HURRY HURRY

 

[aaron]

QUALITY!

the first touches have improved alot, the quality of goals is good, ive just scored a outside of the boot one with drogba.

You have to time your headers or you will header backwards

You can press certain buttons after you scored for certain celebrations e.g. the robot.

thats what ive noticed after one game anyway

[dark]

Thanks for that Everton Lad. I knew already that you could do your own celebrations. That was also in the Euro 2008 (which I have played) I didn't know about the first touch though. It seems that the game feels better. I want a game that really challenges me, in terms of the heading you mentioned but I want to be able to score the odd goal from outside the box.

 

Can't wait for Friday. Getting ready to buy now!

 

Out of intrest how did the game go? Score, Teams, Conditions?

[aaron]

it was only a demo, so it was all set, couldnt change much really. Noticed real madrid still had robinho tho.

it was played at wembely and there were no alternatives.

[dark]

it was only a demo, so it was all set, couldnt change much really. Noticed real madrid still had robinho tho.

it was played at wembely and there were no alternatives.

 

On the PC a few years back they had Yakubu when we bought him.

 

Yeah the demo's dont really let you change much. But they give you a good feel for what the game is like. What were the two teams then Chelsea and Real Madrid?

[dark]

“The bottom line is that this is a brilliantly presented, fluidly playable game of football overflowing with new features.”

SCORE: 9/10

 

PlayStation® Official Magazine

UK – October 2008

 

For the record here is the new features that EA are telling us -

 

Polished, refined gameplay - Featuring 250 additions and enhancements to core gameplay, including new animation technology that creates more responsive first-time shooting and passing, faster and more controlled dribbling, and improved trapping, and new player momentum physics that delivers realistic player collisions, authentic jostling for the ball, and more variation in tackling.

 

Adidas Live Season - Dynamic update of player information in-game that mirrors real-life performances. Feel the change in gameplay performance as teams in the real world experience the highs and lows during their campaigns. All the top leagues are included: Barclay’s Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A and Mexican Primera Division.

 

Custom Team Tactics - Become a first-team coach with the power to tune and balance 11 tactical sliders for 140 attacking and 40 defending options (more than 50,000 combinations) so CPU players and your team perform just like the real-world team or how you think the real team should play. Save your tactics to make strategic decisions to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses during the game. Plus, share your strategies with friends online*.

 

Be A Pro: Seasons - Pick or create a professional player and test your ability over a four season campaign. Master a single position and develop your skills - passing, shooting, positioning, marking -to ultimately become a national legend.

 

Be A Pro: 10 vs 10 Online Team Play - Create your own team of up to 10 friends all playing fixed outfield positions to challenge rival teams of up to 10 players. Instead of thinking as an individual player now you have to think and play as a team.

 

FIFA 09 Clubs - Create your own club or simply join an existing club and compete in an organised league when playing 10 v 10 Online Team Play. FIFA 09 Clubs will determine the best virtual team in the world with up-to 50 players able to join a club. Club Managers select the team and can recruit players for their squad. Compete with friends across 15 divisions to be the best club in the world.

 

Improved Goalkeeper Intelligence - Goalkeepers position themselves more intelligently, react to shots more realistically and recover from saves faster.

 

Customised Controllers - Create your own bespoke controller configuration, save it and even take it online effortlessly. Assign actions to the buttons exactly how you like them for complete control.

[Jesse11]

Adidas Live Season - Dynamic update of player information in-game that mirrors real-life performances. Feel the change in gameplay performance as teams in the real world experience the highs and lows during their campaigns. All the top leagues are included: Barclay’s Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A and Mexican Primera Division.

 

Hahaha. Only 2 hours till the bloody shops open now

[J*A*C*K*E*L*Z]

Yes i can not wait IM with aaron the demo is brilliant I just cant wait to see how they rated the everton team haha

 

Such an improvment it may finaly blow pro out of the water

[Jesse11]

I've had it for about 5 hours now. Is totally brilliant. The way the players reacts to each other and the realness of the impacts needs to be seen to be believed. FYI Yakubu is our highest rated player at 84. Our team is 4 and a half stars, man u and chelsea are the only 5 star premier league teams and ronaldo is the highest rated player at 91

[Jesse11]

And by the way, put Fellaini in the middle of the park and he is unstoppable. In contested situations this year the bigger and stronger player wins almost every time. So when their goalkeeper launches his goal kick to the middle of the park all 6 foot 4 of fellaini with his 89 for aggression knocks it back into your attacking area every time.

[dark]

I've had it for about 5 hours now. Is totally brilliant. The way the players reacts to each other and the realness of the impacts needs to be seen to be believed. FYI Yakubu is our highest rated player at 84. Our team is 4 and a half stars, man u and chelsea are the only 5 star premier league teams and ronaldo is the highest rated player at 91

 

What about Phil Neville

 

 

And by the way, put Fellaini in the middle of the park and he is unstoppable. In contested situations this year the bigger and stronger player wins almost every time. So when their goalkeeper launches his goal kick to the middle of the park all 6 foot 4 of fellaini with his 89 for aggression knocks it back into your attacking area every time.

 

Looking foreward to this game now more than ever. I'm going to the shop tomorrow and picking it up. The tall players will really come into the play this season. I like to play the start with Everton until I get bored and I'll try something new. I always end up taking charge of Chelsea and Manchester United just so I can make huge signings. By the sounds of it this addition could put Pro Evoulution to death.

[dark]

The attention to detail throughout never fails to impress, whether it's the score boxes that are tailored for each different league, the excellent commentary track from Sky Sports's Andy Gray and Martin Tyler or the improved player likenesses. Each major team has its fans' chants reproduced -- find yourself in command of Chelsea and you'll hear 'From Stamford Bridge to Wembley', and bring Manchester United out at Old Trafford and you'll hear a chorus of 'Glory, Glory, Man United'.

 

-IGN

 

I've always liked that chant thing and I'm glad that it's returned in 09. I always liked being 3-0 up at Goodison and hearing 'Kopites' and 'If You Know Your History' being sung from the terraces. It was a nice little feature and one which made gameplay more fun. I was just dissapointed that they took out the feature to mock the opposition, where once you had a 3 goal lead you could string together five or six passes and start to hear your fans cheer everytime a pass was completed. I wish they could have brought that back for 09. We'll see tomorrow - I'll write a review after a few games.

[Viennatoffee]

I also bougt my FIFA 09 yesterday and have to tell you it´s absolutely nice and with this new features it´s really playable and much better than PES, but maybe that comes becasue I really hate PES!

 

And it´s true, put Fellaini in the central midfield and nobody will come around, it´s just a very funny game and with this new Online-mode it just makes more fun, it looks like good work of EA for me...

 

Does anybody have it on PC too and can maybe tell me his online name so I can add him and maybe play one game...??

[dark]

Just pre-ordered the game from Argos this morning. Will be in the shop at 9AM onwards. In our town we have a small shop meaning we have to pre-order everything but at least it comes before Newcastle! Can't wait to get my hands on it, it does sound like a load of fun and it should kill PES after Konami's poor efforts this time round.

 

FIFA FTW!

[dark]

Some goals already on YouTube from FIFA 09 - Post any more that you find people

 

Yakubu

 

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=h6_bbqJ-TE4

 

Riera against Everton - I know it's against us and for Liverpool but excellent over-head kick.

 

http://www.easportsworld.com/en_US/video/915091

 

Cahill

 

http://www.easportsworld.com/en_US/video/906272

Edited October 3, 2008 by dark

[Viennatoffee]

Yeah lol, it really make fun...

 

Now I´m on the 3rd place in the ranking of Austria with only Everton playing Onlie after 5 hours gaming today, I really like it you see!^^

Our favourite players are easy to name, Fellaini and Saha I would say, Yakubu is also a good one... and in FIFA our defence look really great, mostly I win 7-1 or 5-2 in this kinds of results...

[dark]

Yeah lol, it really make fun...

 

Now I´m on the 3rd place in the ranking of Austria with only Everton playing Onlie after 5 hours gaming today, I really like it you see!^^

Our favourite players are easy to name, Fellaini and Saha I would say, Yakubu is also a good one... and in FIFA our defence look really great, mostly I win 7-1 or 5-2 in this kinds of results...

 

What difficulty are you playing on and who against? 7-1 tells me Beginner & Amatuer.

[dark]

Q&A Interview with EA's Paul Hossack, From Gamespot

 

 

EA Sports' long-running FIFA series is one of the last bastions for PC sports fans. Although the NHL and Madden series used to be PC stalwarts, they've fallen off the map, and for this season it doesn't look like an NBA Live entry is in the cards for EA Sports. Thankfully, if you're a PC owner with a soccer jones, FIFA 09 is still heading to a computer near you. To find out what's happening with this version of the game, we hit up EA Sports line producer Paul Hossack.

 

GameSpot: Let's start with last year's game. What did you like about FIFA 08 and what needed to be improved?

 

Paul Hossack: Gameplay changes and the introduction of the Be A Pro mode were the two most significant feature additions in FIFA 08. The gameplay changes that really stood out were depth of control and more-intelligent player movement. Be A Pro was a great game mode that let users live the experience of playing as one professional football player, and added a lot of fun social elements through the Co-Op Season tasks and player growth.

 

For FIFA 09, we listened to feedback from FIFA 08 fans and improved the collision system, added better support-run logic from teammates, and better positional AI for the defensive line. The most substantial feedback we got on Be a Pro - Co-Op Season was to extend the mode beyond one season, and to include the third-person Be A Pro camera from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of FIFA 08. For FIFA 09 PC, we are happy to say we made both of those changes.

 

GS: With FIFA 09, you set out to create a soccer game that plays to the strengths of the PC platform. What specifically about the PC platform did you take advantage of in making FIFA 09?

 

EA Sports hasn't completely given up on PC sports gaming: FIFA 09 is on its way.

 

PH: First, the mouse is a very powerful and accurate input device. Mouse-and-keyboard controls are a great combination in FPS and RTS games. It was those games that gave us the inspiration for the great new mouse controls we added to FIFA 09 PC. This is a feature that just made sense on the PC platform. We were even able to add a control that no other control system has on any FIFA game. With the mouse, you can click on an empty spot on the pitch to get one of your teammates to run to that spot when you are attacking. When you combine that with a quick manual pass to that same spot, you can create some amazing passing build-up play.

 

The second PC-specific characteristic we leveraged is the fact that most PCs are online all the time. This let us invest in our online widgets, which show you relevant, real-time info about you, the FIFA community, and real-world football wherever you are in our menu systems, and they update automatically.

 

Finally, as PCs tend to have nice, high-resolution monitors, we put a lot of effort into improving the graphics. The biggest jump is how the players and pitch look. It's a dramatic improvement over FIFA 08. In addition to these obvious improvements, we increased the sharpness and clarity of all our menus too.

 

GS: Give us some insight on how the PC version of FIFA 09 has evolved alongside its console counterpart. What big features will it share with the 360/PS3 version and at what point in the dev cycle do you decide to split off and go your own way with PC-specific features?

 

PH: FIFA 09 PC is a true PC football game, not simply a port of a console game. That said, both FIFA 09 PC and console do share some features and did work on some similar features. On both PC and console, we did a lot of work on the physicality of the game, the responsiveness of the dribble, and adding depth to the gameplay experience. In addition, you will find the new Adidas Live Season premium service available on PC, PS3, and 360. This is an exciting new service that dynamically updates player form from six leagues every single week based on how the players performed in real-world matches. Finally, you'll find very similar versions of the Be a Pro Seasons mode on those three platforms.

 

The new mouse-plus-keyboard control system will give you a different way of controlling the action.

 

GS: This year's game will use a point-and-click control scheme. Tell us about the development of that control system, and what it allows a player to do on the pitch. Also, can you play with a console controller if you like?

 

PH: With "point and click" you are referring to the new mouse plus keyboard control scheme we have in FIFA 09 PC. We developed this idea by looking at other game genres that are successful on the PC. Two of the dominating PC genres are FPS and RTS games, which rely on a combination of the mouse and keyboard to control gameplay. We thought, why not put this into a PC sports game?

 

The user simply moves his player with the keyboard and performs passing and shooting actions with the mouse. Passing and shooting are performed by pointing and clicking with the onscreen mouse pointer. The mouse pointer can be moved very quick and is very precise, therefore the user is able to pass and shoot quickly and precisely. Other advantages of this control scheme are the ability to send players on support runs to specific spots, and to make player switches by simply clicking on specific players.

 

Regarding console controllers, we officially support the Xbox 360 controller and a long list of USB control pads. If I am not trying to master the new mouse-and-keyboard controls I am playing with the good old PS2 controller.

prev next

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GS: Point-and-click seems like a limiting control scheme when it comes to re-creating the insane step-overs of Cristiano Ronaldo. How do you show off the strengths of your star players with such a simple control scheme?

 

PH: The main goal for this control scheme was to make it more intuitive for PC users while not losing any functionality. This control scheme allows players to trigger all actions with a controller, and have additional control resources available in the mouse and keyboard.

 

Regarding skill moves, we developed a way of mimicking foot movements by "drawing" tricks with your mouse pointer. The user can move into trick mode by clicking down the mouse wheel. This triggers a visual indicator that informs the user that the game has switched modes. In this mode, the user can simply move the mouse in the natural direction that a player's foot would move when performing a trick. For example, if you are facing to the left and want to perform a step-over to the right, you go into trick mode and move the mouse in a quarter circle from forward to right.

 

Star players such as Cristiano Ronaldo have player-specific tricks that no other player in the game can perform. In addition, they have player-specific animations, like Cristiano's "Cowboy Stance" while preparing for a free kick, that make them unique.

 

GS: What are widgets and what will they do for the FIFA 09 experience? How many widgets will we be able to choose from?

 

PH: Widgets can be best described as a series of small applets running within the FIFA 09 PC menus that are constantly pulling the latest and most relevant information for the gamer. In FIFA 09 PC, we provide six widgets that the user can choose from (up to five shown at a time). The user can configure the placement by dragging and dropping them. The widgets stay as you transition from screen to screen.

 

The widgets add a great sense of community as soon as you boot up the game. You can see how many gamers are online playing FIFA 09 right now, along with lots of other live stats.

 

Here's a quick description of some of the widgets:

 

- Online Profile: Want easy access to your online stats? Check out the Online Profile widget to view your latest online stats and ranking.

 

- Online Community: Check out how many people are connected or playing online matches with the Online Community widget. You can also compare your online stats to other FIFA 09 PC online gamers.

 

- Favourite Club: The Favourite Club widget will keep you connected to your favourite team while you play FIFA 09. View upcoming match information, results of the last match, and league tables with this widget. You can even read the latest team news right in your FIFA 09.

 

- Adidas Live Season: This widget displays information related to the Adidas Live Season service. You will be notified whenever a new form file is available. Once downloaded, you can dive into the details of what has changed in your game: who are the hottest/coldest players, what teams have been most impacted by positive form changes, and how your favourite club has been impacted (if it's one of the six leagues supported in Live Season).

 

GS: EA Sports used to make lots of PC games but, in recent years, that productivity has dropped off, seemingly due to a lack of interest. Yet FIFA keeps plugging away on the PC. What do you think makes the series attractive to PC-specific gamers?

 

PH: FIFA on the PC is different than other sports games namely because PC gaming is hugely influential to gaming culture outside of North America, where FIFA has a very healthy fan base. The immense popularity of football and FIFA around the world, combined with large numbers of PC gamers outside of North America, makes FIFA a natural choice to continue making specifically for the PC. We focused a lot of attention on improving the PC version of FIFA 09 this year because we wanted to satisfy our large PC fan base with a true PC football game.

 

GS: Traditionally the PC has been the platform of choice for management sims like FIFA Manager. Have you incorporated more simulation features into the manager mode of FIFA 09 on the PC?

 

PH: For FIFA 09 PC, we have refined the friendly-match negotiation process to make it more realistic and informative for the user. We have also addressed several key issues in the Manager Mode to help enhance the user experience while navigating through a very in-depth management-sim experience.

 

GS: What kind of online features will we find in FIFA 09? Will players be able to play 10-vs-10 as in the console games?

 

PH: Online gaming through the EA servers in FIFA 09 PC will be 1 v 1 gaming. Interactive League matches will be available to gamers (now with the Rivals match-up feature that helps you find more opponents), as well as creating online leagues and lobbies. FIFA 09 PC will support the new Adidas Live Season that is described in more detail above.

 

Finally, FIFA 09 PC supports direct IP matches and multiplayer LAN games, which allows up to eight players to LAN.

 

GS: Thanks for your time.

[Jesse11]

Hey dark what platform do you play it on?

[Viennatoffee]

@dark, I´m playing just online mate, I always wanna play against real people and maybe bring Everton a little bit up and win a few games in the interactive leagues in the online mode... You can see the ranking when you want to play onlnie, now 2nd from Austria and 20th of the world!

 

And yes guys, on which platform is everybody playing here???

Edited October 3, 2008 by Viennatoffee

[dark]

Hey dark what platform do you play it on?

 

I'm will be playing on Xbox 360 when I get it tomorrow.

 

@dark, I´m playing just online mate, I always wanna play against real people and maybe bring Everton a little bit up and win a few games in the interactive leagues in the online mode... You can see the ranking when you want to play onlnie, now 2nd from Austria and 20th of the world!

 

And yes guys, on which platform is everybody playing here???

 

Ah, I see. It just seemed that you were on a low level after only just getting the game and scoring 7 goals in a single game. I've just been on PES 2008. IO'm saying one last goodbye to it. After I get 09 I won't play it at all. Just finished a shocker of a season. For five years I have done the treble, this year, nothing. Came 3rd in the league winning no cups at all.

[aaron]

fifa 09 and fifa street 3 all brand new for 97p

[dark]

fifa 09 and fifa street 3 all brand new for 97p

 

I woulden't buy Fifa Steet for 79p.

 

How are you doing in your season Everton Lad? I take it you have the game now, just wanting to know how your doing with your Everton Season. I'm going to post my results when I get it

[aaron]

i got both for just 97p, not each lol.

and i havent started a season yet, call me aaron btw

[jamiemaher85]

i got both for just 97p, not each lol.

and i havent started a season yet, call me aaron btw

how?

[aaron]

traded in 4 games which where bought for me. i didnt pay a thing, dont play on those games haha

nice deal.

[Jesse11]

dark when you get it add me Rhys118 and i will play you

[J*A*C*K*E*L*Z]

They have downgraded everton in the online update

[Josh Berno]

Got it yesterday and its very good the only complaint I have is the passing... IMO its bad if you want to lay off a short pass quickly u can't because when u tap the a button the pass goes at about 5mph But am nit picking tbh its harder than Fifa 08 but its still a good game .

 

If anyone wants me a game just send me an invite or friend request my gamertag is Sauron22 and I will be on Fifa constantly lol

 

Also if its not me on the xbox its me brother who is Jay Bernard am sure he would have you a game on it too .

 

Edit Merged with Video Game Thread

Edited October 4, 2008 by jamiemaher85

[dark]

GRID

 

Codemasters' racing games have been receiving makeovers as of late. The publisher earned its racing pedigree on dirt (with the Colin McRae Rally series) and on the asphalt (with numerous games, including most recently the TOCA Race Driver series). The company went on to redefine its reputation as a racing-game leader with last year's Dirt, which brought cutting-edge presentation to a wide variety of off-road racing styles: everything from traditional rally to dune-buggy racing. That same multidisciplined approach will also be a hallmark of Codies' updated asphalt race, Grid. We saw the game a few months back and have now finally had a chance to get our hands around the virtual wheel to see what Grid will have to offer.

 

Unfortunately, the preview code that we tried featured only a portion of what will be available in the final build of the game. Career mode was not available to us, but the build did have a brief video that introduced how the mode will work. It seems very similar to the Dirt format: You enter events, earn points for your performance, and open up new events as you go. In Grid, you earn reputation points to unlock new events, and those rep points are spread across three different geographical locales: Europe, Asia, and North America. How many reputation points you earn depends on the type of event, as well as what kind of assists you use when tackling the events, including driver assists such as traction control, stability management, and braking help.

 

Another crucial prerace adjustment will be the difficulty of your AI opponents, a group of computer-controlled drivers who are prone to brilliance as well as mistakes on the track, sort of like a real human driver. The game starts out on three-star-level difficulty, which is a pretty comfortable level of challenge for a veteran driver. However, if you bump it up just one degree, the cars become much more aggressive on the track, bumping you if you're too slow through a corner, and wiping out badly when they misjudge a turn. They're also canny overtakers; it isn't unusual for you to be zipping along, only to find an opponent's car ducking underneath you if you take a turn too wide. As a result, you find yourself not just looking to run clean laps but, at the higher difficultly levels, you're also constantly looking to close the door on your foes, keeping as close to the apex as possible.

 

The preview build of Grid on hand featured a number of different events across all three locales: a saloon car race at Jarama circuit in Spain, a street race in Tokyo, muscle-car battles in Washington D.C. and San Francisco, and so on. There was even one specialized event on hand: a drift competition set on the shipping docks in Yokohama. Here, speed isn't your concern; style takes precedence when you're drifting your car around the multitude of right-angle corners that make up the circuit, hopefully kicking up as much burnt rubber as possible. Drift success is measured by a number of factors, including the length and speed of your drift, as well as your proximity to the apex in corners, and so on.

 

Chaining multiple drifts together will result in higher scores through combo multipliers and, at the end of a race, you'll get a detailed breakdown of how your two-lap race event went: longest drift, biggest combo, that kind of thing. As you might expect, the cars in drift events feel quite a bit different than in the regular race events, looser, more apt to swing their rear ends out, and with short gear ratios to keep acceleration at a premium. Of course, you'd naturally expect a specialized drift car to feel different from the regular cars, but Grid seems to be doing a pretty good job of portraying the unique feel of all the cars in the game. For example, the relatively stubborn Aston Martin DB9 that you race in Milan is an entirely different beast than the BMW 320si that you drive in Spain; it's heavier and tends to understeer in fast corners.

 

 

 

 

 

I like Gamespot's Reviews but has anyone got GRID themselves? Thanks In Advance