FIFA 08 Review

By Martin Korda Published 28 September, 2007

0-0. Extra time being played.

Version tested: Xbox 360

Let's rewind twelve months. ‘Watch your back, Konami' was the ominous warning that rounded off our review of FIFA 07, a statement fuelled by a belief that after years of churning out identikit pap, EA had finally taken the hint that tacking on a novelty feature onto the previous year's game and slapping it onto the shelves was no longer a recipe for global domination. Having had its nose blooded by the mesmerising Pro Evolution Soccer series, FIFA 07 was an attempt to bite back. But it wasn't quite enough. Now, FIFA has returned, refocused, leaner, hungrier and eager to retake the crown that PES swiped off its cocky head a few seasons ago.

As has become the norm, every new FIFA game is preceded by bold boasts from EA about why this year's version will be 'The One'. It's a statement that's usually followed by lists of features and numbers containing countless zeros. Apparently, the revamped game engine now sees players making 1000 decisions every second. They can also strike the ball in an infinite number of ways - a stat that's numerically impossible to display, as there simply aren't enough zeros in the universe. EA also claims that defenders are more intelligent than ever (and by that they don't mean they've added home economics to their woodwork GCSEs) and that the ball physics are affected by a multitude of factors, including wind speed, player balance, ball spin and even air pressure. All sounds very impressive, right? But how does it translate on the pitch?

'FIFA 08' Screenshot 1

You'll need to put in plenty of practice and use the right players if you want to bamboozle the opposition with clever tricks.

Well, incredibly well actually. From the first moment you kick off, the sheer amount of love that's been lavished on FIFA 08 is immediately apparent. Charge forward in a cocksure attempt to dribble past the opposition with a journeyman midfielder and you'll be left more red faced than an exfoliated tomato. As is the case with every part of FIFA 08, you're going to need to put in some serious practice if you're going to master its subtleties. Thankfully you can do just that on the training field - which you're transported to every time the game loads a match - for some one on one practice against a goalkeeper. Which is a nice touch.

What will strike you even more is that FIFA 08's pace has been toned right down when compared to the likes of PES. Not to the treacle-like plodding of UEFA Champions League 06-07, but rather to the tactical, considered, multi-tempo pace you'd associate with real football. Instead of just charging forward in endless waves of attacks, you're forced to stop, look around, shield the ball, make space and try to find a team-mate while the opposition incessantly harries you into making a mistake. An excellent fatigue meter ensures that you can't spend the entire match with your finger jammed on the run button. Instead, you're forced to sprint in short, sharp, bursts and bamboozle the opposition by suddenly accelerating past them before trying to release a team-mate with a perfectly timed through ball.

However, passing is no longer a case of pointing in the vague direction of another player and hoping for the best. You see, not only do you now control the strength of each pass but its exact direction (particularly challenging if you turn off passing assistance). This makes for some excellent build up play, where players jostle for position and momentarily find space only to be quickly closed down, forcing you to reassess your approach play on a second by second basis as you look for an opening to thread through that killer pass.

'FIFA 08' Screenshot 2

FIFA 08’s visuals, animations and presentation levels make full use of next gen technology.

It's right about now that it hits you. FIFA 08 is perhaps the most realistic virtual rendition of football you've ever played, one that requires you to think like a real player, to probe and pass and ping the ball around the field rather than charge forward en masse like an invading army. Every bounce and spin affects how the ball leaves a player's foot when they shoot. Defenders and attackers desperately lunge and poke at the ball when it's loose in the area rather than having it sucked miraculously onto their toes by an invisible tractor beam. And then there's the way that you can only ever truly get at the opposition if you put your foot on the ball, graft hard and look for those rare openings that typify a real game of footy.

To emphasise my point, let me take a small detour. After spending a couple of days in an intimate clinch with FIFA 08, I fired up PES6, a game I've always considered a slick and fairly realistic rendition of the beautiful game. It was like someone had sped up time. Players buzzed around the ball like flies around a horse's arse and it wasn't till an hour later that the joys of PES's unadulterated end-to-end mayhem came seeping back into my overwhelmed brain.

The distinction between PES6 and FIFA 08 proved so wide, it was almost hard to believe they were the same sport. And herein lies the age-old conundrum. Which is better, the slow, considered simulation or the madness and mayhem of arcade-inspired action? Well, as with all such decisions, it totally depends on what type of experience you're looking for and how much time you're willing to invest before you master it.

I've heard grumblings from some sections of the press that the game is too frustrating, too hard, that there simply aren't enough goals. All of which, admittedly, are valid points. But that's because FIFA attempts to recreate real professional football, which by its very nature is itself frustrating, hard and often fairly frugal with goal counts. FIFA is like watching a ninety-minute match, one packed with jostling and failed attacks punctuated by the occasional moment of magic that makes the whole affair worthwhile. PES is more like watching the highlights: a series of frenetic exchanges where the action never ceases.

Anyway, before we get too bogged down with this, let's move on to some of FIFA 08's other new features, starting with the Be A Pro mode, which sees you taking control of one player and mastering his position. This is an inspired inclusion, as it allows you to play anywhere on the pitch other than in goal (shame) and then have your performance rated. Thanks to a superb camera system you always remain on screen, with the camera zooming in on you when the ball is close and pulling out when you're far from the action.

'FIFA 08' Screenshot 3

Take control of a single player in the Be A Pro mode and master their position.

Play at left back and you'll have to shuttle up and down the pitch, overlapping the winger and whipping in crosses, then track back to snuff out an opposition foray. Play up front and you'll be attempting to get behind the other team's defence. A simple call for the ball button set-up allows you to request a pass, a through ball or shout for defensive backup. However, almost criminally, you can only play one off games in this mode. Why you can't play an entire career or even just one season in which you build up your player, work with your team and maybe even interact with your fellow squad members is beyond me. Had these features been implemented, FIFA 08 would have been propelled into a league of its own.

So far, you've probably picked up on the fact that I've been pretty glowing about this game. Of course, you've probably also had a look at the score. Maybe you're wondering why it's only an eight and not a nine. Well, let me just clear that up before we start winding things down.

For starters, the game is too hard on the easier difficulty settings. I've no problem with a game being a challenge and requiring you to put in the hours, but when even the beginner settings make it fiendishly hard to find the back of the net, I start to worry. Defenders are impressively efficient, almost too efficient, and you can't help but wish they'd been toned down ever so slightly to make the game more accessible early on, and it's more than possible that a fair number of you will be discouraged by this steep early learning curve.

'FIFA 08' Screenshot 4

No matter which way he's rendered, he's still an ugly sod.

FIFA 08's front end is also a mess. Clunky menus, unclear save features, fiddly squad editing options and an infuriatingly awkward tournament creation process are just four irks that'll irritate you before you even step onto the pitch. The whole team chemistry mechanic is also very undeveloped and somewhat confusing, often feeling like a puzzle game where the right players need to be slotted into the correct positions rather than being a powerful formation tool. What's more, the Manager Mode is pretty under whelming, with transfer negotiations and board interaction the biggest culprits.

So there you have it, FIFA 08 is, on the whole, a triumph. Had the Be A Pro features been more fleshed out and the lower difficulty settings somewhat more forgiving, then it would undoubtedly have scored a 9 rather than an 8. However, thanks to the promise of the former feature, multiplayer games that are little short of superb (due to the lack of AI defenders thwarting your every attack), the usual exhaustive array of official league and cup competitions and some stunning visuals and animations that milk next gen power for all it's worth, it very much feels that the FIFA franchise is genuinely teetering on the cusp of greatness.

So, to finish off, we come to the inevitable question. PES or FIFA? Well, perhaps the most pertinent point here is that FIFA 08 now feels more like an alternative to PES rather than a direct rival, due to its slower, more considered and realistic approach. The two series feel very much like they're on opposite ends of the spectrum now, with both possessing a host of merits, but ultimately providing two very different experiences. Maybe it's time we stopped torturing ourselves about which is better and started thinking about what kind of footy experience we're looking for, then make our decisions based on that instead. Now there's a thought...

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Martin.

About Martin Korda

Read more articles from Martin by visiting the Martin Korda archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (96) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Horse #1 4 years ago

    If only I liked football.

  • killyourtv #2 4 years ago

    rooney in last seasons top. champions

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #3 4 years ago

    Never!

  • Cloudane #4 4 years ago

    Jolly good.

    I can't say I'm too enthusiastic about the comments in regards to finding the score line being low in most matches but I'll give it a go.

  • Heartcore_Ninja #5 4 years ago

    Yes- based on the demo I thought it was hard, and I consider myself a decent Fifa player. I didn't like the direction in terms of gameplay EA headed with this years installment.

  • Nova5lag #6 4 years ago

    \0/ FIFA!

  • Darren #7 4 years ago

    My copy of FIFA 08 arrived last night and I got to play four games as my beloved Hull City, who are every bit as erratic/crap in this game as real-life so well done to EA for getting that right. After playing the PES 2008 demo though, this game feels sluggish to play and really hard to just keep possession of the ball... on Amateur! The through ball just doesn't work at all and even with assisted passing, it's hit and miss. I lost my first game, drew two and eventually won the fourth. It's starting to grow on me but it's hard work scoring goals and the fun factor of the Xbox version of FIFA 07 has been replaced with more emphasis on simulation (likely explains the slow pace of the game). Based on the demo, I prefer PES 2008 but I still enjoy FIFA 08, albeit not as much as I used to, plus I can't play as Hull City in Konami's game. I'm hoping this game improves the more I play because I remember getting bored of last year's 360 game but loving the Xbox version. Based on first impressions, FIFA 08 is a 7/10 game but we'll see...

  • Tenaflyviper #8 4 years ago

    I never thought I would consider getting Fifa over Pro Evo but I may have to reconsider that now after playing both demo's

  • Eighthours #9 4 years ago

    This is a very good game, and the 5 vs 5 online mode that's coming in a few weeks time via free DLC is going to be a real winner. It is hard, though. Don't come here if you're not prepared to grind out results.

  • Darren #10 4 years ago

    I should add that while FIFA 08 manages some passable likenesses, some players, like Nicky Barmy for example, look nothing like their real-life counterparts and overall FIFA looks more cartoony than real. PES 2008 does it all so much better IMO.

    And is it me or does anyone else think that none of the 360's FIFA games have had players that looked as good as FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup? Yeah, I know they looked waxy and dead-eyes but they just looked more next-gen to be... or am I viewing the game through rose-tinted spectacles? LOL

  • Les #11 4 years ago

    Although official EG policy seems to be that demos are useless, I'm still very inclined to pass up on this one based on the PSN demo. Having played Pro Evo since '98 the control scheme doesn't jell with me. FIFA would have to be significantly better (gameplay wise) than Pro Evo for me to ever consider switching. And I see little point in owning both.

  • CheapSheep #12 4 years ago

    Darren, the players in that game give me nightmares to this day. there was a reason why they toned it down.

  • KingKongBassett #13 4 years ago

    Haven't played a Fifa since 97 on the Playstation, but, having read a few reviews and played the PES8 demo, I'm wondering if the two have swapped this year.

    Fifa - tough to score, tough to keep possession, tough to master.
    PES - quick, a bit arcadey, easy to score.

    I'm still an Evo man, but it's getting tougher to justify why.

  • driptray #14 4 years ago


    Based on the demo, Pro Evo this year is much more of an arcade game than Fifa, but it's not shallow; it's an incredibly deep arcade game.

  • lambtron #15 4 years ago

    "In pro evo you feel in total control."

    Maybe in the latest iterations - it certainly wasn't the case in 05 with all that super cancel bollocks.

  • GregorV #16 4 years ago

    So it boils down to this; the realistic simulation of football by FIFA exposes the sport as the uncoordinated, boring mess that it is.

  • mainaman #17 4 years ago

    FIFA has always been slower than PES,but it used to be easy to keep possession(despite the annoying pass lag) and score...Not any more,FIFA 08 looks slow,unresponsive and realistic in all the bad ways.

    On the other hand the Pro Evo demo simply flows,has better implementation of the football elements,stronger A.I. and less zombie-like player models and the only obvious downside from PES5 i have managed to find so far is the reason people have started to call it arcadey-rubbish defenders.

    A curio about the speed in PES- non-sprinting C.Ronaldo run faster than sprinting Albelda!

  • KingKongBassett #18 4 years ago

    @ManicMinerUK

    PES seems to have changed more than usual this year. Might just be the demo, but, to any long-time player/fan of the series, the increase in pace is noticeable.

    @Lambtron

    Super cancel still exists in PES. Fucking rubbish, really.
    Edited by 1 at 28/09/07 @ 14:52

  • Moonprince #19 4 years ago

    "In pro evo you feel in total control."

    Yeah man! Like, like when you do a through pass and the player you are controlling is on the rails running where ever he wants dispite the direction you might be pushing ;)

  • Darren #20 4 years ago

    I think the A.I. in FIFA 08 is still a bit odd. The review mentions that the defenders are very efficient when you have possession of the ball, even on Amateur, making it tough to just keep it for a few seconds never mind run with it. However, your own defenders seem to be a bit crap, preferring to stand around and wait for the attacking players to come to them rather than moving about! I found it frustrating because you cannot control every player on the pitch at the same time so you're at the mercy of the A.I. On Amateur I was finding the CPU running past my defenders and shooting at the goal in a highly unrealistic fashion. Now the difficulty was Amateur but surely it should be ME that does that not the CPU!!! It's almost like EA's developers gave the wrong side the advantage! LOL

    Seriously though, if you've not played the FIFA games for a few years, this game will come as a real shock because it *is* tough and the game is no longer as immediately accessible, as EG pointed out in the review. That will either attract new fans who would normally have dismissed FIFA or completely alienate the existing fanbase. The fact is that Amateur should be the accessible difficulty level but in this game it isn't.

    Mind you, I am playing as Hull City... LOL

  • Steroyd #21 4 years ago

    Oh Fifa score now it's on.

    I hope "Pro Evo feels arcady" isn't a complaint because last year it was "Pro Evo was like a sim and lacked quick pick up and play."

  • Fab4 #22 4 years ago

    I've come to the decision to give both PES and FIFA a wide berth this year. Maybe when they stop just dishing small iterations i'll come back.

  • JYM60 #23 4 years ago

    It's not that hard.

    On my first game (although I had played the demo to death) I beat Chelski 3-1 in the shield. (semi pro)

    The lower difficulties aren't all that hard.

  • FlamingCarrot #24 4 years ago

    Any major differences between the 360 vs PS3 versions bar the rumble?

  • LeD #25 4 years ago

    Well that's not helpful at all. I really don't want to buy 2 games of Football this year, so I have to pick one. I played both demos and was none the wiser. FIFA 2008 was indeed hard work, but I kinda liked it and the presentation is superb. PES 2008 is way behind in terms of graphics, and boy did it feel arcadey after playing FIFA: ball zipping aroud like soap on a wet surface, passes almost always finding their targets, through balls as and when you want it, etc.
    Decisions, decisions.

    I guess I need to wait for the PES review, and having bought enough games this month already, I can be patient.

  • Steroyd #26 4 years ago

    Fifa uses rumble? o_O

  • stormuk #27 4 years ago

    After trying both demos - Id go for Fifa aswell

  • FlamingCarrot #28 4 years ago

    I thought there was rumble when you hit the bar or i hallucinated it. Mainly curious about the graphic differences. Having both consoles i tend to favour the 360 as i prefer the controller

  • Sebo #29 4 years ago

    I'm an evo fan.

    Had a quick game of the finished 360 version of Fifa 08 today and, although it is slow, and I didn't score, I was quite impressed.

    I'm holding off now until I see a finished PES 2008, then I will make my decision. But this is the first time FIFA has been a consideration for me since the year 2000.

  • driptray #30 4 years ago


    Personally, I like arcadey (even though I'm not 100% it's even a word :-)

    For me, some of the PES's of the past have been too turgid to be fun.

  • MGG #31 4 years ago

    Having played both demos on 360, I have to say for the first time in who knows how many years, I have no clue which one to buy. The last FIFA I played was about 97 or 98? whereas I've played PES/ISS since the SNES. The last few versions of PES have really been disappointing, not really building on the joy of playing the PS1 and early PS2 versions. The same gameplay (with a few tweaks) the same god-awful menus (Is it too much to ask for someone who can speak English to write the manual and EXPLAIN THE SODDING FRONT END?!?), the same awful commentary (funny at first, irritating beyond belief now, praise be to the PSP version), yada yada.

    Played the FIFA08 demo, and was surprised to find a different choice in how to play a footy game. Yes it has faults, but it just felt so, refreshing. And yet I felt slightly dirty for thinking so. But also not good enough to raise it above PES.

    Hmmm, I really may give the games a miss this year as others have said - unless PES is a big leap from the demo.

    Oh, and why do the pitches in both games feel so small and crowded?!?

  • ballz #32 4 years ago

    Quick question - are The Championship and lower league teams available in the Xbox 360 version this year?

    '07 only had the Premier League IIRC which was a bit disgruntling for fans of lower league teams

  • JimJam #33 4 years ago

    I kept having to check I was reading the right review - FIFA slower and more realistic than PES, which is more like a highlights package ? How things change...

  • Sebo #34 4 years ago

    @ballz

    Yeah, the English championship and lower leagues are available you mad man.

  • Sebo #35 4 years ago

    Actually, on the subject of leagues.

    Is there a proper champions league tournament in this?

  • ballz #36 4 years ago

    Cheers gents. Leicester City for the Champions League crown then I think...

  • dom6918 #37 4 years ago

    i got a copy through the post..Mr Korda is spot on with his review..finally someone who "gets" it. Steve Hill down at IGN certainly doesnt...Fifa is the footballers' simulation while pro evo is the game..its like comparing Flight simulator to Ace Combat..i like ace for its pick up and play exciting play but also like the depth of flight sim..

    Fifa is just like football.. you cant dribble all over the place..youll look silly..saying that..there are guys online who are able to run rings around my defence with the skill moves (christiano is a pain in the ass).

    You really are forced to think about the pass your about to make..the attributes are excellent too..each player is distinguishable by their style of play..torres tracks backs and tackles defenders and finishes with alomb..kuyt is a little more reckless and less potent on the strike..

    id give this yrs fifa a 9..the online elements take it to that...something that reviewers are missing out on..the ability to save replays to the ea server..play interactive leagues..5v5 online play with be a pro..

    its simply superb..usually with a footie game, i play for 2 hrs max and go back to my FPS's i havent put this down since 9am this morning..every game is different and has a different challenge..love it!

  • DUFFMAN5 #38 4 years ago

    Good afternoon
    Not having the heart to read all the posts, could someone tell me (who has played the game) should I or indeed do I need to replace 07 with this or is it much of a much-ness.
    Thank you in advance.

    p.s. Mighty AFC for the prem.

  • freedumb #39 4 years ago

    PES 6 was never arcadey. It was slightly more attack based than 5, but it was still a refinement of 5's welcome simulation based gameplay. I don't understand how the reviewer thought 6 was that quick. One major difference is that the big teams have been made even harder to play against, whereas in 5 you could counter Barcelona well with say, Borussia Dortmund. But apart from that and other minor things 6 is still a simulation. With extended play it really is the best version, on the PS2 not the 360 or pc! It can be end to end yes, but it can also be tight and cagey, depending on how you play it or the nature of your human opponent.

    If you play the PES 2008 demo and PES6 ps2 back to back, you'll see that the new one has gone down the arcade route. Not just in terms of speed, but movement/dribbling, super cancelling, and even the power bar seems so simplified and accessible, as if they were trying to get back to PES 4 to appease the ones calling for the pick up and play nature again.
    Edited by 3 at 28/09/07 @ 16:00

  • Sid-Nice #40 4 years ago

    How predictable; a FIFA review score that is based on the amount of times PES gets a mention.

  • The-Bodybuilder #41 4 years ago

    I'm confident in my choice now.

    Although all my friends are against me, considering I'm the only one that's played both demo, I think I'm justified in liking FIFA more this year.

    I was quite shocked to play pes 2008 after 4 days of FIFA 08. It was like playing FIFA (pre 07), fast, arcadey and many shots on target.

  • The-Bodybuilder #42 4 years ago

    >"And is it me or does anyone else think that none of the 360's FIFA games have had players that looked as good as FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup?"

    You're absolutely right.
    This is especially the case with the dark and black players in RTWC. Because of thier darker skin tone, they didn't look quite as shiny and thus looked veeery realistic.

    The new fifas look like dolls.

  • lennon #43 4 years ago

    Based on both demos its PES for me this year. (I usually get both)

    Fifa was just too slow and didnt feel right.

  • absinthe #44 4 years ago

    Arcade vs Sim:
    With PES you can pass blindly up the pitch and succeed.
    With FIFA you have to pass across the pitch and can never pass blindly to succeed.

    I find both games fun, but for different reasons.

    For the purchase decision it's got to be the game that I'll still be playing in 9 months time. Judging by the difficulty, depth and online features that has got to be FIFA.

    Blimey, did I say that out loud. In a few months time FIFA will be known as the thinking man's game & PES will be the game you're embarrassed to say you bought.
    Edited by 1 at 28/09/07 @ 16:26

  • stampax #45 4 years ago

    So i assume the wii version is very different?

  • Darren #46 4 years ago

    Well I've bought FIFA 08 for the 360 and pre-ordered PES 2008 for the PS3.

  • tesodosbichos #47 4 years ago

    I don't agree with the review at all. Yes, FIFA is a major improvement and has thankfully decided to head down the simulation route but it has moved too far in that direction. Praising a game for realism is all well and good but when that means a slow, unresponsive, often boring game than what is the point? That is where PES is the real winner here. It's clearly deep enough and has all of the best bits of a simulation but it is also accessible to everyone. Games are all about having fun and that is where this version of FIFA falls down. There is lots to like but ultimately it just does not deliver in the enjoyment stakes. Take an FPS generalisation as an example of what I mean. We all love realism but when you ramp it up too high and you get killed every two seconds then you get frustrated and end up playing something else. Quite a lot of FIFA fans have said that they prefer the PES demo for that very reason. EA is very close but it needs to tweak things back in the other direction.

  • deaner #48 4 years ago

    8 is generous.

    It's balls!

    (ba-dum, tsch!)

  • promoted2001 #49 4 years ago

    The PES vs FIFA argument is pointless unless you've played both games. Some people who play PES on here should try the FIFA demo first.

    Personally it felt sluggish to me and players seemed to avoid having the ball as if they were scared of it! However presentation is 10/10 as usual for FIFA and features are also impressive. But for me all that is pointless unless you like the gameplay, which after giving it a good couple of hours worth of play time I am just not feeling it. Got a kinda Meh feeling.

    As for Pro Evo presentation is improving but its still at the 6 or 7 mark out of ten. Features were lacking in PES6 but some improvements have been made (mainly an actual editing mode!). Where PES excels is gameplay and this year is no different with very fluid and easy to learn, tough to master controls. However speed issues need to be addressed, as players are just a touch too fast. Not much but a little. For me this is not an issue until I get drunk and lets just say reactions are reduced! Still the gameplay on the demo is around an 8.5 or 9 out of 10. AI is 300% better this year IMO as the opposition actually wants to attack your goal (which kinda took me by surprise as their attack were quite predictable in past versions).

    I think that if you prefer players with real licenses then you should rent FIFA and try it out. If you like freedom of movement within a football game and that feeling when you beat 5 defenders and blast the ball in the top corner, then give PES a try.
    Edited by 1 at 28/09/07 @ 16:42

  • FilipGp #50 4 years ago

    I'm buying this FIFA for sure. At least great FIFA game. I can't wait to play. We will se how PES will be. FIFA was never closer to PES than now.

  • Muzakjunkie #51 4 years ago

    Or maybe we could just sit on the fence, theres a thought! ;)

  • juggler #52 4 years ago

    So it boils down to this; the realistic simulation of football by FIFA exposes the sport as the uncoordinated, boring mess that it is.

    Not just me then. I'd rather play golf on my telly. And I'd rather boil my own testes in lard than play golf anywhere.

  • Lionheart #53 4 years ago

    Pro Evo FTW

  • Feanor #54 4 years ago

    Super Cancel is a great tool for doing amazing things - if you have the skill to use it correctly.

  • kentmonkey #55 4 years ago

    Great review, really was. So many other places haven't even touched the surface with their reviews and have reported some very dubious 'facts'. Whether you agree with the reviewers opinion/score or not, that was very well written.

    Feanor yes, Super Cancel is deadly in the hands of the right person, but then why should you have to press two buttons in order to stop a player running off the pitch with the ball for a throw in when you've been frantically pushing up for the past two seconds? It makes the game feel somewhat scripted at times.

    I really like PES, play it for hours at work during lunch hours and I hate to think how many hours overall I've pumped into it, but I'm really pleased there seems to be a viable alternative now as PES for me is starting to feel very bland as it's just not progressing enough. Perhaps the newer version will correct that, but even if it does, it sounds like there might be a place in every footy fans collection for both games.

  • Darren #56 4 years ago

    I see there was no mention of the factual inaccuracies in the Tournament mode which were touched upon by IGN of all people in their 7.7 review:

    "Instead, they've introduced a whole new array of factual howlers, largely by way of the new Tournament Mode. We know it's new as it says so in-game, a worrying trend in itself as there's a danger that FIFA could be going down the Tiger Woods route of adding and removing features each year just so they can be flagged up as new. Anyway, 35 officially licensed tournaments are included, which appears to have been a massive waste of the licence fee. If you're going to have an official tournament, it would make sense to have it resemble the actual tournament, but closer inspection reveals a raft of inconsistencies.

    As any lower division dullard will attest, the early rounds of the Johnstones Paint Trophy don't have extra time; in the event of a draw they go straight to penalties. Thin end of the wedge. How about the venerable FA Cup, which in the world of FIFA 08 has Premier League teams in the Second Round and a final played in September. (Incidentally, Cardiff City beat Doncaster Rovers to lift the trophy, which has to go down as merely improbable). And in The League Cup, Plymouth Argyle's reward for an heroic march to the final was the honour of staging it at their own ground, something that is all the more frustrating given that the game features a perfectly recreated New Wembley."

    When I read about them, my first thought was that it's no surprise because it was developed by EA Canada and what do they know about football. LOL

  • Droidy #57 4 years ago

    Not played a FIFA for ages but the Be A Pro mode has great potential - like Footballer of the Year on the speccy

  • skybluesam86 #58 4 years ago

    FIFA has pissed me off for years now with it's frankly crap team management options.
    PES gives loads of options there; formations, playing styles, right down to individual player positions and instructions.
    The demo seems to imply that it's still as crap as ever this year, and I really wish they'd fix it, then they truly would be on to a winner with FIFA these days.
    For all that they're trying to simulate football now, and doing a good job on the pitch, they're cocking it up enormously in other areas.

  • tesodosbichos #59 4 years ago

    @ ulov3

    I have played both and my comments stand.

  • gaselite #60 4 years ago

    I strongly agree with most of this review. Particularly the points about the gameplay, the comparisons with Pro Evo (which I also love) and the underdeveloped but extremely promising Be A Pro mode.

    I disagree with some of the niggling complaints like the front end, although it's a bit slow at times like when you make substitutions, it all looks very nice compared to PES and makes sense. The Manager Mode as well I feel is a fine alternative.

    This is actually the first FIFA game I've ever bought, done so after I spent a lot of time with the demo (about 12 hours) trying to come to grips with it. People (PES players) that say it's too slow after having a quick bash with it - which is what I originally thought as a PES player - I urge you to persevere and don't be fickle. Once you unlock the ways to become a better player and to create more chances (and it does admittedly take a while to understand just how FIFA plays relative to PES - and it is more realistic than PES, although PES has great merits of its own, all of which is outlined fantastically in the review), FIFA becomes an absolute, unmitigated joy to play. I have to say though, having spent so much time with the demo, I found the lower difficulty levels very easy once I bought the full version. The goals feel so much more rewarding though as a result of the (realistic) difficulty in opening up defences and last minute winning goals give you a palpable sense of achievement and satisfaction.

    Also a word for the production values. I know people say 'gameplay is where it's at' and, in games like this, that may well be true, but, well, we have great gameplay here now and once you have the game you really do appreciate the love and care that goes into this as a football fan (tournament mode issues notwithstanding). Some of the player likenesses are off but apart from that it just looks great and the presentation is top notch. Seeing the Emirates packed to the rafters in the game is surprisingly atmospheric, especially in Be A Pro mode. Even though PES really can't compete in this area due to budget, licenses etc. FIFA really does outshine its rival here.

    Anyway I'm absolutely glued to it now and it is so much fun to play. I'm very glad there's a viable, enjoyable alternative to PES on the market and I hope PES 2008 is great in its own way too.

  • imperial_seal #61 4 years ago

    Expected a 7 or 8 for FIFA, and 8 or 9 for PES. Of course, PES on PS3 is the one to get, the 360 button is just to dodgy to play PES on.

  • jachap #62 4 years ago

    "I kept having to check I was reading the right review - FIFA slower and more realistic than PES, which is more like a highlights package ? How things change..."

    Basically, Fifa 08 is New Labour.

  • kentmonkey #63 4 years ago

    Darren those comments have pretty much been declared null and void by mostly everyone that's played it. I think it was Deem that confirmed that the FA Cup final is not in September, like the review had suggested.

  • Feanor #64 4 years ago

    "but then why should you have to press two buttons in order to stop a player running off the pitch with the ball for a throw in when you've been frantically pushing up for the past two seconds? It makes the game feel somewhat scripted at times."

    I can't disgaree with that. The Super Cancel system does have drawbacks, but on the whole, I like it.

  • Moonprince #65 4 years ago

    Apparently that reviews been confirmed as wrong darren...

    That's what you get for going to IGN I guess. Making you look silly like that 'n all ;)

  • absinthe #66 4 years ago

    I heard that the full game has been improved from the demo too.

    More responsive
    Quicker passes
    Better net anims

    Anyone confirm?

  • acha11 #67 4 years ago

    having been a pes master league player for a few years, i'm interested in fifa's equivalent... how does it work? is it multi-division? do you start out with your team's real-life players or are they a bunch of schlubs a la pes? is the trading and negotiation any good?

  • kzmk #68 4 years ago

    @ absinthe: Full FIFA game is way better than the demo.

    I also have to agree with the last paragraph of the review. You can't really compare the two football games this year, if you ever could.

  • theidiotsarewinning #69 4 years ago

    anyone know who the commentators are? is it tyler and gray again?

  • Zomoniac #70 4 years ago

    anyone know who the commentators are? is it tyler and gray again?

    Yup, thank god.

  • Dixons #71 4 years ago

    Great review. Game sounds awesome.

  • Nithron #72 4 years ago

    Anyone else think Wayne Rooney looks like a Cave Troll?

  • Emth #73 4 years ago

    It's nice that there are 2 actually quality footy games available now giving people a viable choice. PES6 annoyed me , I never gave my life to it like the 3 previous versions, and having heard that PES2008 is even faster (gg no PS3 demo yet) I don't think it's really going in a direction that interests me.

    I like to actually have more than 1 second on the ball. Maybe I'm just crap at PES6 but I find it's like playing ping pong, no time whatsoever on the ball, often even in your own half. That's not how the game is in real life and after playing the FIFA08 gets it about right imo.

  • BaggyAnt #74 4 years ago

    Is that a Thousand Yard stare reference in the title? :)

  • chiz #75 4 years ago

    Super cancel is there for a reason - to make the game more skillful. It should always be in there too imho as it gives you the edge, when used properly.
    Edited by 1 at 29/09/07 @ 16:20

  • immateriaux #76 4 years ago

    Been playing PES6 since it came out but went and bought Ffia yesterday after the positive previews and have to say, really really impressed with it. I've only played three games today but so far this feels to me like the best soccer simulation I've ever held in my hands, superb movement and AI of players, good responsiveness to button presses (though it's the PS2 one I picked up, not the Xbox - whether that makes a difference) and overall far more sense of control of what is happening on the pitch compared with PES6 which continued Konami's annoying trend of having scripted events dominating.

    As for being slow and low scoring... well, my scores so far have been 2-1, 3-1, and 3-0 so I'm not experiencing that (taking the default game setup). Though if you're born and bred on PES, I can see how there's a revision of thought needed. PES had "holes" where scoring has a foregone conclusion and certain tactics were just almost guaranteed winners. Something typical of an arcade style game. Fifa feels much more football in comparison.

    In that regard, I think Konami's game has, in a way, become much more about PES simulating PES, rather than simulating soccer. It's lost a lot of ground in the realism stakes lately and Fifa has definitely stepped in there and, ignoring perhaps issues like some individual player data or competition rules (the latter obviously is unfair comparison with PES given PES hardly has any real competitions anyway), it has triumphed.

    Ultimately, I don't care who does it, Konami or EA, what is important is a game that captures the essence of soccer and, so far, Fifa08 has truly done that for me.

  • deaner #77 4 years ago

    Get this instead.

    I don't know why people still so doggedly cling to FIFA. The gameplay in comparison to PES is awkward and slow.

    It's not a case of one being better than the other, it's just a case of EA not making the most of the franchise, and not making a good enough game.

    The demo of FIFA 08 was so impressive - I turned it off and started playing PES 6.

  • Apologie #78 4 years ago

    i normaly prefer PES instead of FIFA... but i'm really curious about these one, too bad the demo is not yet available in the Ps3 Store.

  • deaner #79 4 years ago

    "but i'm really curious about these one, too bad the demo is not yet available in the Ps3 Store."

    ...Yes it is!

  • krudster #80 4 years ago

    1000 Yard Stare FTW!

  • fatboy996 #81 4 years ago

    its a parallel universe. PES was the sim and FIFA was arcade!, when did they bloody swap.

  • gozzer #82 4 years ago

    1. I've been playing for 2 days now (about 15 games) and just managed to score 3 goals in one game (hurray!!!). I found it quite hard to start with but truth is, you get slightly better as time passes by.
    2. I can't see the ref or the linesmen anywhere (only in the cut-scenes).
    3. All games I played are day/sunshine. Are there no evening games or rainy match-days???

  • ERG1008 #83 4 years ago

    Ultimately, I don't care who does it, Konami or EA, what is important is a game that captures the essence of soccer and, so far, Fifa08 has truly done that for me.

    Indeed.
    It seems people just want to knock Fifa, now matter how good the game is, just because it's EA.

  • jakswan #84 4 years ago

    Think I'm going to this after reading the comments. I thought Champions League was superb but found the FIFA08 demo very hard. Played a few games now and managed to create some good chances and fine goals.

    Plus Swansea City I presume are there, sorted.

    Will certainly get battered online though, I suck at Footy games.

  • Dixons #85 4 years ago

    "its a parallel universe. PES was the sim and FIFA was arcade!, when did they bloody swap."

    Maybe PES was never much a sim? It was just more simmy than Fifa so benefited for the comparison. And now that Fifa has become a genuine sim, people are seeing PES for what it really and always was.

  • siro #86 4 years ago

    Best review mini icon ever! Triple Thumbs up. :)

  • dom6918 #87 4 years ago

    my god..this game is good..

    seriously ive now been playing all weekend..and its just..well..football..!!

  • JaZzBrE #88 4 years ago

    It's awsome :) What I really like about it (next-gen that is), that now you really have to change formations, use different tactics, use man marking to do anything!!! :)
    The game is hard but very rewarding when you manage to win a game by using the thing between your ears(LOL), not just your hands :)

    Just my two cents.

  • gabba19 #89 4 years ago

    fifa 08 isnt gonna be a touch on pro evo 2008 people who think fifa has got the edge over pro are deluded gameplay is what matters to most people not just people who say oh yeah fifa got this license and that license, my m8 got fifa 07 and i swear it is 1 of the worst football games i have ever played pes6 just kicked its ass all day long ea wish they had the team that konami has but you cant copy the masters i suppose haha pes 2008 ive jus pre-ordered it

  • dom6918 #90 4 years ago

    My take on the game:

    Before I begin, here’s a quick disclaimer:":This review will not mention the name of the "other" footballing game that is released around this time". The reason for this is evident in playing Fifa 08, the games cannot be compared, and they are completely different. The only common factor that they share is the sphere that gets its ass kicked around the pitch of grass. I am going to completely focus on the gameplay, forget the presentation and forget the lack of features such as seeing a referee on the pitch. I want to completely focus on the time played on the pitch, the core gameplay.

    I was playing online last night, against a friendly French fellow. The game was locked in at 0 -0 after about 60 mins of in gameplay, stopping and looking at the scoreline, i was hit by a smack of realisation, its 0 - 0, why am i gripping the controller with a mix of excitement and tension. The past 12 mins of real life gameplay has consisted of tackles, runs, passes and tackles, why am i so gripped? That's where the team at EASports has hit the back of the net with, the football gameplay. They have sat down and studied a football match with a magnifying glass. I was at Stamford bridge on Saturday, for the goalless draw against Fulham, it wasnt end to end, all the action was taking place at the middle of the field. Fifa is actually modelling football, its become a Football simulation.

    I decided to watch an AI match, I pitted Manchester United against AC Milan for a 6 mins game. The AI was fighting hard in the middle of the pitch for over half the game until C.Ronaldo did something special and played an inch perfect 1-2 pass with Rooney which saw the pompous portugese star go clear on goal, round Dida and poke the ball into the back of the beautiful new nets! Hmm...i then decided to test the opposite, i put leeds united up against charlton. The differences in the players abilities was highly evident, no player runs were made and no inch perfect through balls. The game ended 2-0 to Charlton but the game was ugly and slow, with the lob ball used every other pass. Finally Fifa has grown up, it looks and plays like real football!

    Picking Liverpool I then embarked on the Manager mode, unlike Rafas current rotation policy, i decided to leave the line up as is. With half the season complete, another realisation hit me. I was looking at the players as their real life counter parts, with Torres able to track back and tackle and Babel able to dribble past one player but not do much thereafter, the attributes combined with the player likenesses were creating a bond between the in game player and his real life counterpart..so many times I have shouted at Kuyt for not using the space in front of him properly and lousy finishing, but i continue to play him for his extremely dedicated work rate, for the first time in a Fifa game, I am emotionally attached!

    EA have built an amazing game engine, the physics are as close to real life as anything i have ever played. The ball is completely free from the player models and this is most evident when you remove all the assists in the controller setup (if you want a real challenge). However, this was also the case in Fifa 07 which i mostly disliked and put away once "the game that wont be mentioned" 6 was released. You see, last year EA released the beta for Fifa 08..FIfa 07, the game was unfinished and lacked the player attributes, animations, feature set and polish that were required for a gamer to play a decent match of football. In fact Fifa 07 lacked everything that makes Fifa 08 such an enjoyable experience.

    The current tag line for Fifa 08 is "Can you Fifa 08", a much better tag line would be "Fifa 08: Think Football!". When i first started playing this game i found it frustratingly hard, the first 10-20 games were ugly and involved me pressing the sprint button and attempting to pass forward continually. I wasn’t getting anywhere near the penalty box let alone scoring a goal (in semi pro). Dribbling was impossible and the skill moves..only used in the arena to boost my self confidence! After four days of playing the game, something changed in me without me even realising! I started passing the ball backwards, using the sprint button sparsely and hitting those long field balls from wing to wing into space. All of a sudden i was getting in and around the penalty box and scored my first goal in open play (a much more satisfying feeling then scoring from a free kick or corner)...since that first goal, i have scored around 10 more in around 16 matches (baring in mind that i use manual "shooting" and semi et al), i am yet to score the same goal twice..

    A further challenge is to turn off all the assists in the controller setup, the players who master this game without these aids will be unbeatable online. When passing with the assists turned on, you are limited by the constraints of the AI who occasionally directs the pass to the wrong player, turning the pass assistance off however gives the player the complete control of where he wants to place the ball..passing the ball into space with the correct amount of power ensures that the receiving players first touch isnt some horrible stutter, giving the player that precious bit of time required to create an advantage. Shooting is another example, assisted shooting usually aims at the goalkeeper and the usual rebounded goal is a certainty, turn the assist off and you can now aim to the top corner! The game really shines when you know how to play it..use the justle button for headering a ball, hold L1 while passing to make the player passing the ball run into space and using the trick stick, the most satisfying moments in the game arrive when all of these elements are combined to score your signiture goal..something you can now show off, thanks to the video uploads.

    No game is perfect however, and Fifa is no different. There are a number of things that could be improved, most notably is the absence of a training mode. Sports games from Japan are heavily influenced by their RPG roots and games like Virtua Tennis prosper from this. There is nothing better then training hard on your backhand in Virtua Tennis to go out for a match and batter the opponent with such shot. EAs very own Fight Night Round 3 has this mode as its centre piece. A training mode enables the player to improve their skills on the pitch and also provides another layer of gameplay, how good would it be to create a custom attacking "play" and then take it out on the practice pitch, successful execution of these moves could then improve your teams EXP points and improve players quality. Wouldnt it be great to hone the talents of young players and coach them to play at the highest level? Maybe a thought for Fifa 09? A training mode will create an even stronger bond between the player and his virtual team and improve the rather stale manager mode to no end.

    I know i did say that i wouldn’t mention presentation and what not but i feel pretty strong on this one. The game does lack that broadcasters quality that previous Fifa's encompass, don’t get me wrong, the commentary is fantastic but the highlights and replays are pretty dull and never show enough. EA should really watch a match on SKYSPORTS HD and see the graphics they use for displaying scores, they could really improve it by a long way. Maybe they could build a "Directors AI" reminiscent of the old Grand Prix games where the director would focus on incidents to create drama. In Fifa this could be little things like zooming in on the manager and the bench of players during out of play moments to show their anguish or zooming in on the scoreline on the giant TV to emphasise the current state of play. One real problem i have is with the cutscenes, they look disjointed and out of place, the Fifa team really need to make all of these seemless with the pitch action otherwise you are really taking the player out of the experience.

    So Fifa has come leaps and bounds from last years iteration, EA have finally made a game that represents the core fundamentals of the beautiful game and in doing so they themselves have created a beautiful game.

    9/10

    Dominic Fernando

  • brazzauk #91 4 years ago

    Always been a PES player but I have this on both 360 and PS3 and I love it. I love the fact I have to work to score goals. The game can be frustrating but when I miss a pass or spurn a chance I know its my fault. PES 2008 will have really be something to top this.

    I racked up over a thousand online games of PES6 on the 360 and have playes it since the ISS days on the 64 but there is something about this years FIFA.

    One example of the things I like about this game happened in an online game, I set of up the right hand side with my full back and got caught horribly out of postion when the ops stole the ball and broke. On PES I would have been in trouble but the AI in FIFA has seen this and my holding midfielder had dropped into the hole left by the full back!!! This is class and is one of a number of little touches i have seen so far. The players behave like real players.

    Yes the game is hard but when you get used the the thre dribble modes you can really get control over the ball.

    Well done EA this is a great game of football and it plays like football.

    PES2008 has a lot to do this year (already pre-ordered it!! Not one or the other for me).

  • SteveB #92 4 years ago

    ^^^

    Totally agree, this game is brilliant.

  • boyakoosha #93 4 years ago

    WHY IS THERE STILL NO INSTANT REMATCH OPTION AFTER PLAYING A MATE IN A PRIVATE GAME?!?!?!

    Surely this is one the most wnated things by players, to just instantly jump back into a game with your mate after you've just beaten him, with no load times.

    can't believe this still isn't in there. hate the menus, they're crap as well and clunky.

    for all the polish and greatness this game has (yeah I think it plays superbly) it is let down by what I consider to be very very poor UAT and testing.

    nuff said

  • rousehill #94 4 years ago

    Darren

    I'm also an Hull city fan although I now live in Sydney.

    I uploaded the Oct 3rd Squads and Hull city now have Jay Jay Akocha and some other players are better like Hughes.

    Give it ago

    Akocha did a good job on weekend v Ipswich

  • ruckus #95 4 years ago

    Man this pissed me off - no more saving replays to my hd, upload them to EA's shit server... yeah, like I want it there. >_<
    Half assed game as usual - no weather, shit ai refusing to pass the fucking ball around sometimes - so it can turn into a benny hill farce. Stupid ai still running the ball straight out of play (though not as much as 06). Oh - but I can play co-op in management mode, thanking you kindly master sir - the one thing that's improved for me over 06.
    /rant

  • freedumb #96 4 years ago

    Changed my mind about my earlier comment on PES 6. After a long time of playing it and PEs 08 on the PS2, it has been fun, there are tweaks over 5 and there is still some elements of simulation, but it is an arcade game that is too easy. End to end stuff with the big teams overblown. Novices can beat masters by simply running down the wing and cutbacking.

    PES 5 was the best. Slow, tactical, defensive and intelligent. It sems Fifa 08 is along those lines as well.
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/08 @ 19:21