FIFA 09 Comments by Tom Bramwell

Ugly bugger isn't he Mr. Rooney?

Guys 360 or Ps3 on a 1080p tele?

My boss just bought an Arcade and FIFA, at lunch - he called it "an expensive desert". 189 Euro in Lisbon.

@Fab4

Thought so, but still quite tempting. I can buy a 3120gb HD for £80 from Play.com, and as I don't care about the wireless controller or the headset, then it's a pretty sweet deal (IMO anyway). That trip to Sainsbury's is looking more likely by the minute...

I'm sorry but this is one of the worst reviews I've ever read. It's so gushing and full of praise then only gives the game 8. The way it was written it looked to me that it was going to be a 10!! Anyway, I'm loving this game and it's definitely a 9.

I've spent the last six hours on it as I'm ill and idle and quitting smoking, gonna take it online later and can't wait.

PES2009 players look much better...
Check this link out!

http://www.pcaction.de/?menu=browser&art...

Yes,this time FIFA 09 is much more better than before.

I got this yesterday its the first Fifa I have bought since 2003 and I am very impressed, the gameplay is great, the animations and ball physics are good as is the collision detection. I have had every Pro evo since ISS pro evolution 2 on the ps1, I was really dissapointed with the jerk fest that was pes on ps3 last year and the poor goalies (the fifa goalies are as athletic as a gymnast), the commentating on fifa is just on another planet in comparison.

I played the pes 2009 demo on ps3 last night and its definatley steps in the right direction, I think the players actually look more convincing on pes myself, but the demo didnt give me the impression it was overhauled in anyway, it had a nice slower pace similar to pes 5, the grpahics seemed to have a lot of jaggies but its only a demo.

Overall though as I have not bought a Fifa in a while it made more of an impression on me, I would give it a 8 as well (9 if the online is good not tried it yet)

reads like a 9/10

PES2009 players look much better...
Check this link out!

Which formats are those shots taken from, because I can assure you that based on the demo of PES the players aren't better looking at all.

I am a Pro Evo fanboy and even i have to admit that the Fifa 09 demo pisses all over the PES 09 demo. Gutted with how bad the PEs demo is. So im finally going to give EA my money that Konami have been getting every October for the past 10 years or so. Konami should be ashamed of themselves for the lazy lazy updates each year. Pathetic

@Eighthours

PES2009 & FIFA09 mucker!

I assume you're using Auto passing mode. If you use Semi passing mode the power bar becomes more prevalent in dictating the level of power in your pass.

I've used every settings, every mode of everything, I even changed the controls to PES type controls to see if I can adapt to the Fifa demo quicker I played the damn game longer than I've probably played full retail games. :O, the only thing I haven't changed is the difficulty which is set at max.

Lets forget through balls, I'm talking about the pass you use 95% of the time pressing X or A or whatever the Xbox 360 equivalent is, and right now I'm not seeing the difference between having a bar there and not, looks like we'll have to agree to disagree here.

I am a long time PES fan myself but i am a little disappointed that Konami haven't made many changes, to freshen it up (something Fifa were always accused of not doing)

No Fifa always had a new gimmick year on year, the ball never had it's own physics and you couldn't move the players for poop (okay I've probably made the last part up afterall Fifa 05 was the last Fifa game I bought, it was only until they moved to PS3/Xbox 360 that they gave the ball it's own physics.

10 v 10 is flippin' tremendous.

I've never had so much fun playing as a left back - Ronaldo was in my pocket all game as Man City crushed Man Utd just now.

Awesome game.

Have to agree with the score it got. It's a nice edition but still misses a few minor things.

I found the 10v10 to be shite and annoying. Fed up of always playing as a cunting right back, too. I went on a run and scored and it was great, but no one cared. Pricks. And the thick twats don't understand offside.

I think i'll wait until next year.. or maybe the year after that.

>going for £100 you can get three for the price of a Sony LOL

The rate they break down at - You just might need to do that. :-)

So you gave PES2008 8/10 last year... meaning you Konami and PES really have some kind of influence in videogames sites... sahme on you!!!! What's next? 9/10 to PES2009? From the demo I can only say it's as bad as last year's terribles PES...

It seems that the PC version of FIFA 09 is just a port of the PS2 version (ie not the next gen gameplay engine) with smartened up graphics. Here's the debate - http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/fifa-...

I'd be interested to know how much the differences would impact the score. Anyway, leaves the door open for PC PES 2009!

I've played around eight 20 minutes games on FIFA 09 tonight across the excellent Be a Pro: Season (my favourite) and Manager modes and the game is superb. It really does feel so much better to play than previous installments with better animation and improved A.I. I see that EA have also eliminated most of the slowdown that plagued the cinematics and replays in the earlier current gen versions of FIFA too and overall the game feels very slick and polished, the best one so far IMO. There's so much stuff in this game it's daunting really. Graphically the game doesn't look much different from last year but the player models are more human-like and facial likenesses seem better. There's a lot of jaggies though but once you start playing you stop noticing them. I'm really loving it so far. :)

P.S. I've not seen any tearing in the 360 version so far, only the odd rare framerate stutter... playing at 1360x768 on a 32" Sony LCD HDTV.

Been playing FIFA whist downloading the PES demo. I just gave that a go. Oh dear. Looks (and plays) primitive in comparison. Perhaps they should do a COD and get 2 sets of developers working on it. If they spend 2 years on it (or not release one for a year) then perhaps it'll be a cracker.

So (for the moment) FIFA wins out. Unless the PES reviews start coming in and it gets 9 and 10s. But it seems to be that most reviews are reluctant to give PES a bad review (such as a 5 or a 6). All the previews seem to be gearing up towards that kind of score. But they won't give it. Be a case of read the review and ignore the score.

First FIFA i've bought since FIFA 96 on the Saturn!
Been into Pro Evo since the PS1 ISS Pro days & the demo yesterday sealed it. It was just the same old Pro Evo, nothing new or fresh about it.
Saw this for 35 & picked it up & so far, it's been a breath of fresh air. Fluid, playable football with amazing presentation & options to match.

>Saw this for 35 & picked it up & so far, it's been a breath of fresh air.

Yeah.. But you have to ask yourself - if you bought LAST YEARS version, would it be a breath of fresh air?

That's what reviewers have to think about.

Do they mark this as a brand new game for people who've never owned a fifa game before? Or do they score it for those who bought it last year - i.e. do the improvments REALLY justify the asking price (or would a downloadable patch done the same thing - ala Burnout Paradise!)

Played the demo last night, and it still has the 'feature' that sometimes, when you are in control of a defender and tracking back, the active player is switched to another defender who is nowhere near the ball. For that reson alone I wont be getting it.

I also played the PES demo and they wont be getting my money either, because now they are just taking the piss...real evolution is faster with change.

So no footy for Fab4 this year.

>Yeah.. But you have to ask yourself - if you bought LAST YEARS version, would it be a breath of fresh air?

Well, probably not, but i was speaking as an old-school PES player coming over to FIFA after years of swearing i never would. I actually totally agree with the review & the score.

Got it for Ps3 yesterday.

I have noticed the bug the reviewer speaks of with players turning around etc.

So far I have the same first impressions as with Fifa 2008. It's not as frustraing once you get into midfield as that game was but I still have the same problems as with that game.

Still feels unresponsiveness and ball phsyics floaty(switching play to either full-back f.e with a long ball). Lofted through balls(using manual btw) seem to hang in the air forever. Also I never feel there is enough power in any form of passing even if I fill the power ball all the way. It's aggravating when you spot a gap for a runner. You really can't 'ping' passes. I don't mean PES pinball style but it would be nice to be able to drill passes into feet.

I agree with Steroyd about the power bar for short passes. What's the point if you have the through ball option with a power bar. I agree they should have had the PES style 'press X for short pass to nearest player, hold X for short pass to further player.'

Players still ball watch when passes are played to them allowing defenders to nick infront of them. Is there a way to manually move your player, L2 f.e?

Corners are also tricky, why the game doesn't include a trianing mode is beyond me?

goal celebrations ! loving the robot - first footy game I've bought in this gen of consoles and I'm loving it

it still has the 'feature' that sometimes, when you are in control of a defender and tracking back, the active player is switched to another defender who is nowhere near the ball.

Tried setting the player auto switch slider to the left?

It seems that the PC version of FIFA 09 is just a port of the PS2 version (ie not the next gen gameplay engine) with smartened up graphics. Here's the debate

Only the first (official) article is worth reading. The rest of the 'debate' is, for the most part, a bunch of 10-year old kids flinging insults at each other.

I've been playing FIFA 09 for a bit and while I like it in general, fatigue in manager mode seems a little harsh. Playing as a League Two side (I want to work my way up to the Premiership), two games in and my players have red stamina bars before the start of the game and my goalie has a yellow bar. These are supposed to be professional footballers and they can't play more than two games in two weeks at the beginning of a season?

8/10 my arse, it's slow, slow-down-ridden shit.

Played PES for about 5 minutes last night and immediately went out and bought FIFA. In PES, any sliding tackle = a yellow card, even if you get the ball. The crowd animation and sounds in PES are laughable, then annoying. The crowd chants "Liverpool, Liverpool, Liverpool, Liverpool,Liverpool" endlessly in a monotone sort of way that sounds like a bunch of robots.
FIFA's crowds may stand up and sit down in unison, but they look better and the commentary/chanting is miles ahead of PES.

Generic crowd noise would have been better. It wouldn't have drawn so much attention to the games failings.

As for gameplay, I liked FIFA better, but I'm no expert. I've only bought 2 footy games in the last 5 years as they don't seem to improve that much.

@dudeguyRox
wayne rooney looks ugly in the ps3 version of fifa 2009

You got Shrek on the cover.

In Ireland, we got Donkey a.k.a. Richard Dunne.

We also got the Irish Eircom league, oh the excitement.

@Bosh_Factory "Word on the street is that the PC version doesn't have the 10 vs 10 online mode.", "It seems that the PC version of FIFA 09 is just a port of the PS2 version"

Yup, and it's been that way for some while - which is why you can't compare PES with the shitty PC/PC2 FIFA.
I suspect it might have to do with the "EA HD" label that the 360/PS3 versions come with.

I can't decide if I want to buy this or not :(
The formation options still seem to suck incredibly hard compared to PES, even if they now have a few awesome FM-style tactics sliders. But seriously, those default formations just hurt.

I tried the PC version of FIFA 09 over the weekend and while it isn't up to the standards of the PS3/360 versions graphically, it is far from being the usual PS2 port. Which is nice to see. I hear it has a much better Manager mode than the current gen versions too.

"The crowd chants "Liverpool, Liverpool, Liverpool, Liverpool,Liverpool" endlessly in a monotone sort of way that sounds like a bunch of robots."

No, that's what they actually do. Only with more hideous accents.

I was impressed when I played the demo of this on my mate's PS3. The series has certainly improved a lot over the years. The last version I played was '06 I think. Possibly '05. Played two matches and never returned to it.

This game is brilliant.
From what i've played of PES 09 it should get 6/10 if this got 8. What the hell has happened to PES in the last few years? It used to be the only football game worth buying but since the jump to the next gen it seems to have got very arcadey and crap. The sound effects of boot hitting ball - wtf?!

Something tells me EG were late on getting a copy of this or are smoking crack...... 8???? erm....how????

i mean 10 v 10 is enough to make it a 9 alone, not to mention the fact you can play any variable of that e.g. 2 v 2, 3 v 3 i mean come on thats what we have wanted for ages and its here for everyone to enjoy. played a 2 v 2 last night with my mate and it was football sex!

Manual passing destroys any other game in terms of the different ways you can ping the ball about, not even a mention of how good it is compared to having it on Auto, which is what your forced to play on pro.

And the sheer amount of different animations you get, no game seems the same and you need to play quite a while to see this, giving it an 8 makes me think theres no time to review this properly, lets play it safe and give it the same score as last years even tho its better in every single way, as for pro i hope konami realise they cant be lazy anymore and i bet it gets an 8 like FIFA just to keep both camps happy. FIFA is a 9.... plain and simple.

I've been playing FIFA as solidly as you can when you have a new born baby to look after, and I really am loving it.

It's good fun online, Be A Pro Seasons is great, although the online 10 v 10 I played was a farce. I'm assuming this works better playing with people you know, rather than random ball hoggers.

My only annoyance, and this came after playing the Pro Evo demo...is crossfield passes are rubbish, they take forever and don't feel like you are pinging them...Pro Evo has always done that better...unless turning manual passing on changes that?

Ive been a die hard pro evo fan for years and have never been swayed by fifa, but fifa09 in outstanding! far better than previous versions and if your a pro evo fan go and buy fifa and give it a go, it really is fantastic, its that good i wont be buying pes anymore!!! And i mean that !!!

Game of the year for me...only game im still playing months after buying it!