FIFA 09 Comments by Tom Bramwell

No tearing in my version at all. But it seems that the tearing on 360 games can often vary based on the TV display setting, the TV itself, or the 360 model that's being used. I've got friends who insist that Force Unleashed was barely tearing at all on their telly, but on mine it was tear-city.

OI! >:( Liverpool has width now thanks to Riera, but Benitez being insistant on using Kuyt on the right is crippling our attack use Babel ffs.

Fifa 08 and Fifa 09 did NOT launch on the exact same day ffs.

@ steroyd
Even babel isn't a winger.

I just found his criticism of no wing play faulty, considering he (although not certain, he does give hints) uses liverpool as a reference.

As great as torrres is, when was the last time he scored a header?

"Tom, were you reviewing this from the 95% complete review code or the full retail version? I ask because I haven't seen this through ball bug - is it a PS3 exclusive or something that got ironed out in the final version?"

Retail PS3 for the most part, which had the spinny around bug. I haven't seen it in the 360 build (also retail) yet, but can check later.

"but because is not PES it gets 8 instead of 9...
shame on you EG... "

This is absolute toss, incidentally. I haven't written about either game in a couple of years and probably have a higher opinion of FIFA at this point.

So did you use liverpool a lot then, mugwum?

I honestly can't tell where that vasaline theory came from on the PS3 version....sharp as a pin on my set-up. I thinks EG needs to break-out the windex on their ps3 tvs.

I like the implementation of the offside rule. In one Be A Pro match, I was standing well offside when one of my teammates scored, but the goal was allowed to stand because I wasn't interfering with play.

I've not noticed this 'bug' in the PS3 version, and I've played over 20 games.

"Can someone please explain to me what the fuck 'Lets Fifa09' means?"

OK.

If you explain what "EA SPORTS It's in the Game!" means.

After playing the PES demo extensively last night im gonna stick with it this year-but my mates are getting FIFA today so ill be playing plenty of that too!

This game is fab but damn it's hard. While i've had some 4-0 and 3-1 wins, I got beaten 5-0 by Bayern (as Juve) on world class, and 4-0 by Chelsea and 5-2 by Liverpool on professional. Defending well is really a big deal now and you get super punished for playing too offensively.

Steroyd

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 also find that you can to some extent indicate whether you want to pass to the the guy right in front of you, the man in the middle of the pitch or the man right at the opposite end, though it's not always obvious. The biggest strength of the bar admittedly is in through balls, but with practice you find there is a bit of a difference in normal passing to the PES (and FIFA 08) alternative.

I appreciate that PES has reverted back to not having to click the right stick in for a manual pass, but it's hardly as if that's an ideal solution is it? At least when you used R3 you could aim the stick and then release the ball - now you have to get the passing direction spot on in the exact number of milliseconds required when your thumb has spent most of the game nowhere near the right stick. It's doable, but it's not easy. Similarly, FIFA's manual passing is instead of, rather than alongside, auto-aimed passing, though thankfully the through ball is a lot more compliant in terms of going in the direction you'd intended rather than that which the computer enforces.
The best solution would be if you could play a manual pass with the same level of control over when to release the ball as a normal pass - for FIFA I think all manual passing/shooting/crossing should have been available by holding L2/LT to activate manual mode in the exact same way you press shift for upper case letters.

Back on-topic, I genuinely don't notice any detriment to the passing play. True it's less twitch-sensitive than PES but then PES has become far too pinball-esque with its passing compared to its own glory days. An intricate passing move in PES simply doesn't feel like football; it's far too robotic and sterile. FIFA 09 is far more organic in feel for possession play in place of PES 2009's stiff animations, dull AI runs and perfect straight line passing/running. In FIFA 09 I've had a huge number of passing triangles going in a 5 yard-square area without losing anything to the power bar and Pirlo has been immense in unleashing the killer ball at times.

I will probably buy both, but I cancelled my PES order on the strength of a few hours with the demo. I'll get it when someone doesn't want it anymore and goes on eBay/Play.com.

"If you explain what "EA SPORTS It's in the Game!" means."

It's a puncyh shortened version of their original slogan, which was "If it's in the game, it's in the game." [i.e. if it is a facet or factor in the sport we are emulating with our vidoegame, then it will be in the videogame; our games are realistic and true to life]

"EA SPORTS It's in the Game!"

My heart lifts everytime I hear it. Loving the return to form apart from FN3 I haven't spent on EA sports games for a few years now.

/ hugs Tiger, drools at FIFA, longs for FN4, contemplates NBA - not madden tho, egg chasing for girls!

Totally agree with the score. I think a lot of you were exaggerating how good it was in the FIFA thread. Might buy it when it falls in price.

My bugbear is very minor: I wish you could skip through the splash screens. There are far, far too many of them. A ridiculous amount, in fact.

re: tearing on the 360 version

Haven't seen any during my extended play yesterday.

@ Eighthours

Splash screens are the bane of my life too. What ever happened to the good old days when all you got was the publisher's logo and then went straight to the title screen?

Splash screens are the bane of my life too. What ever happened to the good old days when all you got was the publisher's logo and then went straight to the title screen?

Another reason (if it was needed) to love Braid.

The game could be loading behind the scenes, of course, but I fear it isn't.

I think I've experienced the bug that Tom is describing, both in defence and offence, where the player doesn't go to the ball and just sort of circles around it or tries to shield it without attacking it. Frustrating but not a gamebreaker by any means.

The most frustrating aspect of the game in my experience so far is the reluctance of the referees to play advantage in so many situations where advantage would make sense (and probably would've been given in 08). I think it's the result of the overall increased physicality of the game, but it's a bit annoying.

Had an awesome experience playing my first be a pro game online earlier. Only 2 v 1, the dude on my team wouldn't pass it to me at all in the first half (I was controlling the striker, he had the rest of the team), at the start of the 2nd half we were down 2-0, at kick off I took the ball from the centre circle, went on a solo run and scored. It was brilliant. In the end we won 4-3 and I had 2 goals and 2 assists. Absolutely brilliant.

Something else I love about the game is the way heading has changed. It requires timing and an element of positioning instead of just pressing a button and waiting for an animation to kick in, or your player will just leap hopelessly into the air. Takes a bit of getting used to a first but you soon get the hang of it and it makes successful headers feel that much more rewarding.

PES 2009 won't be good enough to get a 9/10 so giving Fifa 09 a 9/10 would be saying it's the better game. Thats a very controversial thing to do.

Safe 8's all round methinks and to be fair to Tom neither game is the Pro Evo 4 or 5 of today really.

Tearing on my 360 version. Sucks but oh well...

/Looks at picture on front page

Is this the new Shrek game?

Then again he could give PES 2009 a 7 if it is poor and really throw the cat among the pigeons.

Tearing: I obviously don't understand the "tearing" in technical terms, and though I thought those reports I read here in EG were somewhat biased, as I can't, almost never, notice them in my house. in FIFA none, zero. But, yesterday at a friends I clearly nioticed. Can the TV by itself, have some effect on the output (tear-wise) ?

"Is this the new Shrek game?"

LOL, Shrek is better looking! Mind you I guess Ronaldo does look like a donkey....

Oh look P_I turned up to laugh because PES 2009 will probably get the same score. The score matters nowt. Actually have EG ever reviewed a football game, giving it a score other than an 8.

Pro evo 4 and 5 got 9's loads of Fifa's have scored lower than 8.

As I said before no football game has been completely devoid of issues hence no 10's and as good as Fifa is is it as good as PES4 or 5?

Doubt it.

played both demos and impressed with both, but PES wins it purely on gameplay. It feels far more responsive, and you feel like you really create a goal rather than there being a big element of luck helping you.
Difficult decision though, if the Fifa demo was longer it might win me over, as I'm an old PES hack so know how the game works.

tricky.....

"but PES wins it purely on gameplay. It feels far more responsive, and you feel like you really create a goal rather than there being a big element of luck helping you."

So wrong it's untue.

Well I've decided to pick up the PS3 version of FIFA 09 from Tesco at lunchtime... I'll trade in the 360 version at GAME next week after I've checked it out tonight. I'd rather have vaseline smeared visuals then tearing, thank you very much!

@JYM60

I could post about how you're almost crying about your fanboy game only getting an 8/10 when you probably think it should of got a 10. But I chose to say that I agreed with the score. And guess what, I also said that I might actually buy the game! Calm down yeah.

FIFA fanboys are the worst. PES fanboys can admit that both games are good but they prefer the gameplay of PES. But when a FIFA fanboy reads the post they'll rip into him for not liking FIFA. FIFA fanboys can't say one good thing about PES.

FIFA fanboys are the worst. PES fanboys can admit that both games are good but they prefer the gameplay of PES. But when a FIFA fanboy reads the post they'll rip into him for not liking FIFA. FIFA fanboys can't say one good thing about PES.

In my experience, most articulate FIFA fanboys used to be PES fanboys. Which says something, does it not?

8/10 is more than enough for yet another iteration of the football genre... regardless of who made it.

completly off-topic: I heart Arsenal.

I didnt know mcdonalds served pints at 2am

Word on the street is that the PC version doesn't have the 10 vs 10 online mode. I'd find this surprising as IMO it's the PC, and not the consoles, that tend to have the mightiest online setups (eg, Battlefield's 64-player servers, also an EA franchise). Maybe it has something to do with Xbox Live et al having dedicated central servers or something.

Still, PES won't have 10 vs 10 on any version so this isn't really a deal breaker for me.

FIFA 2009. 8/10.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=65134

http://worldofstuart.excellentcontent.com/swiz2/swiz2.htm

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I wish someone like Nintendo would make a serious football game so we could say goodbye to these average yearly updates from EA and Konami, both games have their faults which makes me not want to buy either of them. They are just not up to the job of giving us a AAA football game.

How about PES 2008 on the Wii? I'm still playing it, I would find it very very difficult to go back to a 'normal' football game now. Sure it's not perfect, but for a first attempt it's bloody good, if they iron out the minor niggles (which they've already mentioned as 'being worked on' for the next version), it will be a winner.

Dear EG,

Surely this game deserves a 9/10? last years got 8/10 but this years is way improved!

Got to say EG, your scores have been a bit odd lately.

Played the pro demo last night and thought it was alot better thatn last time round but still not right. This is coming from a pro devotee..i have now switched to Fifa and this year will be another fifa year for me!

You know what I miss? The indoor 5 a side mode that disappeared sometime around World Cup '98.

How are people getting on with 10 vs. 10? Any lag problems to speak of? Is it just 20 people chasing the ball around? :D

Got it on my desk...... roll on 3:30 so I can go home and play it!

I played both demos back to back last night.

Fifa was the only one that felt changed (apart from PES feeling a little less clunky on the PS3) from the last time round. EA have definitely been the ones pushing forward (well they have been number 2/ underdog for a while now) in terms of searching for improvements.

We can't really have a go at PES until it has been properly released and reviewed but if EG praise it for staying close to its original formula, whilst holding it against fifa 09 for only marginally improving over 08 then I won't be happy (but i'll survive).

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) :-( so i'll be going for fifa this time round.

Who knows maybe Konami will listen to us PES fans moaning and actually do something about it!

@KingsXKing

360s for £100... I'm guessing that's the basic pack yeah? Hmmm, may have to pay a visit to Sainsbury's on my way home...

i aint gonna buy another PES for a long time after the last instalment... right now, FIFA is by far the best footbal game, no doubt.

I just bought FIFA09 (360 version) on the strength of the demo. Played both demos (FIFA and PES) and PES just feels like more of the same, with slighly updated graphics. I have not played a FIFA game since the days of the Megadrive and am really looking forward to this. Got it from Gamestation so can take it back to trade for PES if I am disappointed but something tells me that I wont be....

I'd probably get fifa this year but I'd miss taking that unkown 17 year old and improving him to being a god among ordinary footballers. Master league still kicks ass.

The 360 for 100 quid is the Arcade version.