FIFA 09 demos: PC out, PS3/360 today

By Tom Bramwell Published 11 September, 2008

Six teams, four-minute match taster.

EA has released a PC demo of FIFA 09 ahead of today's release of the Xbox 360 and PS3 demos.

The PC demo has six playable teams - Marseille, Schalke, Real Madrid, Chelsea, AC Milan and Toronto FC - and is a 1GB download from the likes of FileFront.

The PS3 and 360 demos will offer the same line-up of teams but will feature different stadiums (the FIWC Stadium for PS3, New Wembley for 360).

Expect the usual four-minute match taster showcasing things like the custom tactics feature we wrote about in our recent FIFA 09 hands-on preview.

And don't forget that the full game will include EA's new subscription-based Adidas Live Season online service, which tracks and alters player attributes based on their real-life performance.

Look out for our full review of FIFA 09 closer to its 3rd October release on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS and PSP.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • kincaide #1 3 years ago

    BOOM?

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #2 3 years ago

    @kincaide:

    No, the LHC's not due to perform any collisions until October.

  • Zomoniac #3 3 years ago

    How come the one on the EA Sport website is only 768MB?

  • Anthony_UK #4 3 years ago

    Subscription Based?

    You mean i've got to pay to have my team stats updated?

  • CunningLinguist #5 3 years ago

    @Anthony_UK

    You get one league for free, in the UK I guess most people will take the EPL.

  • Hamflank #6 3 years ago

    Is the PC version as pants as always?

  • Rpt81 #7 3 years ago

    I wish someone would actually say how much this Live Season is going to cost. Perhaps it'll wind up being like the online play on the old PS2 and PSP versions of FIFA, where you either had to pay to play online or choose to be "Sponsored by ESPN". I took the latter option, expecting a wealth of spam from it, and then never got anything!

  • Widge #8 3 years ago

    Yay for this!
    Although boo at not getting Wembley.

  • chiz #9 3 years ago

    The PC demo is terrible.

  • Katsumoto #10 3 years ago

    Well wait, if this isn't coming out on PS2 doesn't that mean the PC should get the 360 version? I guess i'll download the demo and find out!

  • Shabtai #11 3 years ago

    What are you talking about chiz? This is the best FIFA on PC ever.

    It does have the 360 engine it seems. You can now also customize the controls to any keys you want.

  • skillian #12 3 years ago

    Shabtai, have you played it?

    I'd heard that EA are actually trying this time around, and it would be based on the X360 version. It even has mouse driven controls, even though for the first time this season I have two controllers so hopefully we won't have to use it.

    I'm really hoping this is finally a good PC football game, but as it's EA I'm not exactly taking their promises as gospel. I'd love to hear some opinions from players here until I get home from work and can try it out for myself...

  • YoshiIsland #13 3 years ago

    I will certainly give it a go. Have not played a FIFA game since the days of the Megadrive as I am an avid PES fan but as the last PES was so poor I may get this instead - if its good!

  • don81 #14 3 years ago

    @Yoshi

    I agree. was always PES never ever Fifa but was converted last year, it played a better more realistic game, i can't wait to get home and start downloading it. PES has to change radically for me to even think about it. Bring on the superb online matches on Fifa.
    Edited by 1 at 11/09/08 @ 11:19

  • Shabtai #15 3 years ago

    I did play it. It's good. Havn't tried the mouse controls too much but I think i'll stick with the keyboard.
    Don't know what to say more, its is the next-gen game engine.

  • rotmm #16 3 years ago

    @skillian: "I'd heard that EA are actually trying this time around, and it would be based on the X360 version."

    Maybe the gameplay is based on the 360 version (haven't played it enough to find out yet) but the graphics engine is just an enhanced version of the PC version of the last few years.

    Not saying it looks bad, but it doesn't have the spit and polish of the 360/PS3 version.

    I suppose I can understand why though, as a large number of PC owners who pick this up are also those same people who buy their PC's in PCWorld or Comet, which are generally underpowered in the rendering stakes.

  • Spawnofmoose #17 3 years ago

    Marseille, Schalke, Real Madrid, Chelsea, AC Milan and Toronto FC.

    Umm, Toronto FC?

  • jonsaan #18 3 years ago

    Ooooh, 4 minutes. Thanks!

  • deem #19 3 years ago

    'It does have the 360 engine it seems.'

    Eh? It doesn't - it's nothing like the 360 version.

  • BulletTheory05 #20 3 years ago

    I assume it has Toronto FC on it due to the fact that Maurice Edu is the US cover-star. (Maurice has since left Toronto FC and is now at Rangers.)

  • skillian #21 3 years ago

    /despairs

  • Shabtai #22 3 years ago

    Enhanced version of the previous version? It does have the next-gen console graphics, either that or i'm blind, or you are. I have Fifa08 for the 360, its the same engine\gfx as this PC demo. Same 3d grass and look to it, same replays with the depth effects, a 3rd person view in the Be A Pro mode (last year's pc version had only the top-down views).

    Downloading the FIFA09 demo for the 360. I will have another check.

    I presume the PC version wont have some of the features of the console ones, didnt see any sign of the tactical bars you can adjust in the pc demo.

  • huzaifa #23 3 years ago

    Has the ps3 shop been updated yet?

  • smocom #24 3 years ago

    Does somebody know where if the download also on ps3 is? And if you know where, can you tell me?

    Thanks,

    Smocom

  • Emth #25 3 years ago

    This is excellent news, I just hope after getting the general consensus that FIFA was superior last year they haven't balls'd this one up.

  • galerian86 #26 3 years ago

    What happens when we play online? You know, how will the players stats be, if I have the Adidas thing, and the other guys don't?

  • bad09 #27 3 years ago

    \o/

    Can't wait to try it!

  • skillian #28 3 years ago

    Found a couple of screenshots from the PC version:

    [link url=http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/4365/fifa09ny3.jpg ]http://im g179.imageshack.us/img179/4365/...[/link]
    [link url=h ttp://img77.imageshack.us/img77/7311/fifa09hn3.jpg
    ]http://im g77.imageshack.us/img77/7311/fi...[/link]

    Shame they're from replays rather than normal play, but they certainly look a lot better than previous PC releases of PES or FIFA.

  • frika #29 3 years ago

    Just spent the last 45 mins playing the 360 demo.. It is the best football game I have ever played! Amazing!

    The game-play is perfect.. Slightly faster than 08 and slightly slower then Euro (you can change the game speed in options.. It's best on the default setting though)

    The main difference is how much more responsive everything is than 08, through balls actually work, players make better runs (and point to where they want the ball played), the referee (which is on the pitch at all times, along with the lines men!) seem stricter than they used to be, which is good! the in-game graphics are virtually the same as 08, but the cut-scenes / replays look a lot better now!

    I seriously can't see PES2009 being anywhere near as good as Fifa09 (and I used to be a Pro fan before Fifa 08)

    Well done EA, you have created the best football game ever made!

  • frika #30 3 years ago

    galerian86- I read somewhere that the Live Season thing only applies for offline games.. When you play online everyone will have the same teams.

  • Emth #31 3 years ago

    @frika

    That's exactly what I wanted to hear, to the word.

  • tmatharu #32 3 years ago

    Fifa.....too floaty......still too floaty....nice animations, very nice actually.....visually....top stuff....BUT, the most important factor, gameplay.....just not instinctive enough.....

    PES 09 is "supposed" to be an almost total rebuild....so we'll see for that......Granted, the last 2 versions have not been upto there own standards, but i am very curious to see what Konami have re-done for PES 09.

    Fifa09 is good, but still....something doesnt feel right.... :S

  • curtlikesmeat #33 3 years ago

    I could probably agree with the fact that something doesn't feel quite right tmatharu, but I found gameplay wise it does flow quite well and gets across the pace of the game better than 08.

    From the demo the crowd still looks shit, which was disappointing as I thought we were past that now. Also interesting to see if the commentry has advanced at all or if it's just more of the same (it's not on the demo). It took ages to download last night so I only had a couple of games and didn't have enough time to see if tricks were useful at all. Overall so far it looks like an improvement, but not a vast one.

    Oh - heading is vastly improved for me, some really nice animations for running jumps etc. and you actually jump when you press the button so some timing is needed.

  • Nill #34 3 years ago


    Yes, the PC version is just a slightly touched up version of last year's game. In other words, it's still a PS2-port and a completely different game from the Fifa 09 that is for Xbox 360 and PS3. And no, Fifa 09 is actually coming out for the PS2 this year as well, Katsumoto.

    It is enhanced graphically though, but not to the point of the 360-version. Gameplay however remains largely the same, as I said, it is a touched up version of Fifa 08's PC version (or PS2-version, since that's where the port's originally from) - nothing more.

    Just go for PES2009 instead if you want a soccer game for your PC.


    Go EA, go!

  • mepham1 #35 3 years ago

    hi all

    i have just checked the PS store and i can still not find the demo on there. I am not used to the PS store so not sure if looking in the wrong place. Could someone let me know if it is there yet. If not i will just download off Live as you guys have said it is already up on the Xbox.

  • craft418 #36 3 years ago

    this game is insanely immense! i am in love with it! pre ordered already

  • Stu #37 3 years ago

    Played the 360 version last night,... really great, flows beautifully ... I'll wait the PES demo before pre-ordering, but PES will have to go a long way to convince me that FIFA is the way forward from now on...

  • tinners #38 3 years ago

    Think most people loved pro until Fifa and Euro 08 came out. i vowed never to purchase my football from EA, but those days are dead.

    Konami have dropped the ball ive seen and played a little of the new Pro and its just not evolved enough. FIFA really is flying ahead now and i dont just mean graphically, thats all EA had over Konami or Seabass, but the gamplay is now spot on, with manual control enabled its a better game of footy.

  • tmatharu #39 3 years ago

    hmm.....i dunno....was playing Fifa09 for a while on the PS3, and still, its not instinctive enough....and the fact u cant use the Dpad, unless i am mistaken, is a bit poo as well. Visually nice, but Pro Evo still has that real gameplay factor with no real errors occurring when controlling the players.

    PES is still for me the number one choice, though i give credit for EA for improving....

    Now where's that demo for PES09! lol


  • Cregser #40 3 years ago

    I think the demo is in a fairly sloppy state. Some of the in-game camera angles give shots from outside the stadium! There's also an annoying black or grey bar that slides up whenever I'm on the far side of the pitch. As well as that, I'm having real trouble getting my PS2 gamepad adapter to work with the game. Never had so much trouble with any other game.

    But gameplay-wise, I'm blown away!!

    Nill said: Yes, the PC version is just a slightly touched up version of last year's game. In other words, it's still a PS2-port and a completely different game from the Fifa 09 that is for Xbox 360 and PS3.

    I think you should take another look at the screenshots posted by someone above.

    tmatharu said:said: "PES 09 is "supposed" to be an almost total rebuild"

    I read an interview with Seabass were he said PES 09 will actually be based on PES5. So I wouldn't expect a completely new game. PES5 was probably my favourite, but I've already played that.

    Based on the Fifa 09 demo, PES needs a massive jump to keep in touch with EA.