FIFA 11

By Martin Korda Published 23 July, 2010

Pre-season warm-up.

As the drone of the vuvuzela fades from our consciousness and the pain of another abject English capitulation loosens its grip around our throttled pride, we come once again to that time of year where the FIFA bandwagon begins accelerating towards its annual release.

But with a potentially revitalised PES gunning to restore its battered reputation, can FIFA 11 maintain its dominance over the world of virtual football? I caught up with Dave Rutter, lead producer on EA's contender for the crown, to find out.

Last month we touched on FIFA 11's new Personality+ feature in a preview. It's an area Rutter believes will make the game fittingly different from its predecessor.

"This is a very big deal for us and we want to push this really hard," he says. "We've done this in a few ways. Firstly, we think the way the players look and move is a lot more like they are in real life. Each player's attributes matter more this year as the game is entirely driven by them. Players all have unique traits, whether they're good at long shots, have a great work rate or dribble well."

Keen to prove his claims are more than just words Rutter urges me to try out the latest build, which is 75 per cent complete. The game's increased robustness is instantly striking. Coupled with last year's 360 degree dribbling, FIFA 11's new jostling and shielding mechanics make for a far more physical experience.

'FIFA 11' Screenshot 1

Passing is no longer a ping pong affair.

Players dart into space with greater intelligence, turning their backs to onrushing opponents to protect the ball. Regaining possession also feels more believable than in FIFA 10 thanks to the increased ability to harry the opposition from every conceivable angle.

Much has been made of FIFA 11's eradication of ping pong passing; the ability to play one-touch passes regardless of player skill. While still in need of balancing, FIFA 11's revised passing system looks as though it could make for a more considered and realistic experience.

Unless you're controlling an Alonso or Xavi, you must first bring the ball under control and steady your player if you're to stand any chance of pulling off an accurate pass. While this does inject extra realism, it also slows the gameplay slightly.

'FIFA 11' Screenshot 2

Players now resemble their real life counterparts more closely than ever.

Another new feature that makes this year's version feel different from FIFA 10 is the revised AI system. Players move off the ball with greater intelligence, making it harder to pull teams out of shape and exploit space.

This in turn makes the midfield feel more like a battleground than simply a conduit for launching attacks. Time on the ball is also more limited, forcing regular use of the new shielding techniques.

The revised AI also appears to make players more like their real life counterparts. Veron conjures passes in areas other players would find only opposition shins, creating pockets of space with canny one-twos before sliding killer through balls into the danger zone.

The distinction between skilful and oafish players also seems to be more defined. Messi's and Ronald's feet control the ball with rapid, blurred touches that bamboozle the opposition, while the likes of Terry lumber forward with less control but come into their own when pulling off spectacular last-ditch tackles. This in turn results in games feeling more like a series of individual battles in which each player's strengths and weaknesses become exposed.

Corners and goalkeepers also display some promise. It feels as though you have more control over crosses from the corner flag, while 'keepers appear less susceptible to dinked chips in one-on-one situations. However, one disappointment is the continued presence of 2010 FIFA World Cup's cack-handed penalty system. Here's hoping a new one is implemented before release.

A few niggles and areas requiring polish aside, FIFA 11 appears to be shaping up nicely, but whether the on-pitch tweaks will be enough to propel the series to the next level is still open to debate. One feature that could go a long way towards determining whether FIFA 11 offers adequate nuances is a new game mode called Career Mode.

"When we looked at FIFA 10 and the management experience we decided it needed to be totally rewritten," reveals Rutter. "The hardcore seemed pretty disappointed with last year's mode. So we've ripped out the Be a Pro and Manager Mode features and replaced them with a Career mode.

'FIFA 11' Screenshot 3

The match action is even more robust this time around.

"You can now be a player, manager or player-manager and play through 15 seasons. We've made a lot of changes, including a two tier transfer system that involves negotiations with players as well as teams. Team management has been improved, especially player comparisons.

"You can also see the results in leagues other than your own. We want you to feel as though there's a whole world of football going on around you, like other European leagues running simultaneously to yours, so the whole world feels more alive."

According to Rutter, there's a renewed focus on feedback and scheduling. "We've incorporated a ton of feedback from Be a Pro, like taking out the endless reserve games and receiving inappropriate feedback on your performance," he explains.

'FIFA 11' Screenshot 4

A new 15 season career mode replaces Be a Pro.

"We had significant problems with our scheduling system in FIFA 10, which meant you had to play multiple games on the same day. We've also improved the transfer system. It's no longer the case where you can get the likes of Ronaldo to sign for Luton."

If Rutter and co can deliver on these promises and create a truly dynamic player career mode replete with transfers, international call-ups and the pitfalls of fame, this new Career mode could blow away everything that's come before. Here's hoping.

With the addition of improved passing and player AI, coupled with a promising sounding new Career mode, FIFA 11 is certainly on course to be another positive step forward for the series. But with PES looking as though it could pose a stiffer challenge than in recent years, only time will tell if FIFA 11 is of a high enough quality to see off its nearest rival and keep the series sitting pretty at the summit of that seemingly all-important Metacritic league.

Picture of Martin.

About Martin Korda

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

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Comments (46) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • jmcflash #1 2 years ago

    "one disappointment is the continued presence of 2010 FIFA World Cup's cack-handed penalty system"

    What? I thought it was pretty decent!

  • BM #2 2 years ago

    Who's Ronald?

  • ZizouFC #3 2 years ago

    Hope they are realizing most people buy the game to play manager mode, and messing that up ruined Fifa 10.

  • GordonBennett #4 2 years ago

    I seem to be one of the few people in the world not sold on FIFA. I want to like it - particularly with Pro Evo stagnating - but I just don't find FIFA fun to play. All the gameplay tweaks suggested here will just make it even harder to score.

    Every year, the EA Sports publicity juggernaut makes promises FIFA can't deliver and every bloody year I fall for it. I dare say it'll be the same this time too; unless Pro Evo pulls itself together.

  • BigDaddy82 #5 2 years ago

    Hopefully the goalies are more intelligent this time around, in last year's effort and the World Cup edition they had the brain capacity of a jellyfish

    It'd also be nice if the defenders could cope with running backwards AND turning at the same time
    Edited by 1 at 23/07/10 @ 09:40

  • onezeonx #6 2 years ago

    Sounds awesome

    And there are strong rumours 11vs11 is IN this year!
    So some funny GK mistakes in clubs :D

  • onezeonx #7 2 years ago

    Oh and the pens in the world cup game worked very well imo!

    Took practice and was more skilled than the boring old system

  • dsmx #8 2 years ago

    Hey don't insult jellyfish like that, jellyfish catch things.

  • Venatio Verified Expo Community & Gaming Manager, Eurogamer Network #9 2 years ago

    "It's no longer the case where you can get the likes of Ronaldo to sign for Luton."

    Why do you mock us, Dave? :( You don't even include the Conference.

  • HandOfBeadle #10 2 years ago

    Gordon

    Countless hardcore fans like me (I was invited to Canada to play it at the end of April and make suggestions) were begging for the game to be made what it has become this year.

    Utterly banal, detail-shy preview. Whether it gets to the next level is open for debate? Depends how terrible you are at debating. Even the build I played last month in Guildford was 5-6 levels above FIFA 10, which was about 2-3 levels below what EG thought of it. It's actually a football game now, not an easily exploited, tactics-free sprintfest. I knocked together a hands-on preview based on the 50-60% complete code and questions people asked me before I went; click the links for actual details (imagine!) about FIFA 11 from someone who thought FIFA 10 was a bit of a mess.

    [link url=http://forums.evo-web.co.uk/showpost.php?p=19729 27&postcount=525
    ]http://fo rums.evo-web.co.uk/showpost.php...[/link]
    http://fo rums.evo-web.co.uk/showpost.php...
    Edited by 1 at 23/07/10 @ 09:58

  • Skandalle #11 2 years ago

    I've already spotted a glitch in the screenshots....
    Fabregas has an Arsenal shirt on..

  • keano #12 2 years ago

    i loved playing pes it was always about good arcade football not realism...

    but as realism goes manual settings on current fifa give a much more rewarding and varied gameplay style. the kind of variety from doing the faintest of layoffs to expansive crossfield balls is better than what can be achieved in a more restrictive pes.

    pes has nothing to lose as its been written off last few years, while fifa has a huge hangover of bugs and complaints tht are beginning to seriously frustrate some.

    hope we get 2 solid choices come the autumn....


    (oh and regards to luton from a smug watford fan...although prob see them in a few relegation-tastic years lol)
    Edited by 1 at 23/07/10 @ 09:59

  • BigDaddy82 #13 2 years ago

    Why did i get downvoted for my comment about the goalies? I'm not here to slag Fifa off, i've got every edition since about 1994 and i love it, i just find it frustrating that the latest editions of the game seem to still feature situations like goalkeepers running out of their area and punching the ball only to miss it and trip over a defender, or ones who can't cope with the whole 'passing to another player across the face of goal' scoring trick. It's frustrating when the one player you can't really control yet need to rely on is acting a bit special all the time.

  • ozallez #14 2 years ago

    i also like the manual settings on fifa so if the game caters to that slower style i'm happy

    with the 'career mode' it looks really promising how they're adding more elements to it.
    And while i get that 'player' is basically BAP expanded ... is 'player/manager' the equivalent of the current manager mode, with 'manager' effectively an off-field mode only? Wasn't sure from the article whether player/manager means you'd be in the team list as an individual player plus controlling the selections. Or whether its playing as all players....

  • The_Sonic_Mole #15 2 years ago

    I'm so pleased they're addressing the Manager Mode issue. Fingers crossed they'll give us what we want...

  • The-Bodybuilder #16 2 years ago

    FINALLY, guys like cesc and xavi (the c*nt!) can actually be better passers than the rest, rather than just the same passing, but compensated with greater work rate. Passers make a difference, and now passing teams (arsenal, barca, e.t.c) can actually play/pass better than others.

  • Stuz359 #17 2 years ago

    So they've slowed it down even further? One of my biggest bugbears with the game was always the speed at which I could bring the ball under control and ping passes around. It always seemed the players took an age to control the ball and even the very best players had the turning circle of an oil tanker.
    Still the best footy game around though.
    Edited by 1 at 23/07/10 @ 10:23

  • geeza2020 #18 2 years ago

    always makes me smile when arsenal fans compare their team to barcelona. Their not even close, pwahahahaa!

  • abcd #19 2 years ago

    As a online club player, the rumour of 11 vs 11 is quite possibly the most exciting rumour I've heard this year. Even bigger than the Micheal Jackson is alive rumour.

  • dynarama10 #20 2 years ago

    Hey I liked Fifa 10 and all but these articles write themselves by now surely. Last year feature x and y was terrible but this year it'll be great - followed by all new things that are bad to be fixed next year etc. etc. etc.

  • solidSnake04 #21 2 years ago

    hey whats wrong with Luton ?

  • HandOfBeadle #22 2 years ago

    Manager Mode is the most played game type in the last two FIFAs.

  • GordonBennett #23 2 years ago

    I've read your preview HandOfBeadle, and I really hope you're right. I want FIFA to get better and better - I want the game to match the licence. I'll buy FIFA 11 anyway, as sure as night follows day.

    Sidenote: It is interesting how anyone who says anything less than complimentary about FIFA gets their post repeatedly rated down. I don't think there is any greater rivalry in fanboy-land than FIFA versus Pro Evo.
    Edited by 1 at 23/07/10 @ 12:41

  • HandOfBeadle #24 2 years ago

    Seems a pretty pedantic point to pick up on. 'Most people buy FIFA with the intention of playing MM on a regular basis.' How's that?

  • freedumb #25 2 years ago

    Fifa manual is only a gameplay thing. It does seem amazing at first but it wears off when you realize what's happening. It has nothing to do with realism if titus bramble can pass as well as xavi. It's only the player skill which counts. With Pes its a combination between player skill and good implementation of stats which affect gameplay and which gives the player individuality the series is famed for.

  • cianchristopher #26 2 years ago

    Since the PC version is supposed to be "good" this year, I hope they see fit to release it on Steam (then it's Xmas Holiday sale for me, for sure).

  • frugtkompot #27 2 years ago

    Sounds good. But it's always all promises. There are many other aspects than these that needs fixing too.

    Having said that, nothing beats FIFA for playing with friends. I will buy this. Again.

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #28 2 years ago

    Argh!

    You definitely wont be able to sign Ronaldo for Luton because WE'RE NOT EVEN IN THE BLOODY GAME!

    God, that Ronaldo comment hurt..

  • Turrican #29 2 years ago

    Ok so finally a quoted acknowledgment of the failings of Fifa 10's manager mode. Now its great you are giving that some focus in Fifa 11 but for all that is holy, TEST IT before you release it!!

    And that goes for you too Eurogamer, no weekend jolly's in a hotel playing around with the multiplayer at gunpoint, test it properly please.

  • HandOfBeadle #30 2 years ago

    @freedumb - that was just as true of FIFA 10's Assisted controls. I agree that the simulation aspect of manual passing was superficial because it was irrespective of the player or the context of the ball, but it was a game-wide issue, not a manual-only one.

    In FIFA 11, manual, semi and assisted passing ALL have context sensitive error. Read my hands-on at the top of this page if you want actual information on the new FIFA, rather than this hand-wavey nonsense. I'd expect more in-depth reporting from the Metro, or the Argus, than this.

  • lennon #31 2 years ago

    "It's no longer the case where you can get the likes of Ronaldo to sign for Luton"

    Thank god for that no need to tear my season ticket up now. (If it had arrived yet!)

    /waves fist in the general direction of J11

  • freedumb #32 2 years ago

    You're correct that it was a game wide issue even on assisted and semi assisted.

  • PuppyFiddler #33 2 years ago

    The A.I. needs a good look at - in the WC edition you often find your players in stupid positions following a throw-in or free kick or defenders who you have direct control over halting their runs to do their own offside attempts. Plus the ref gets in the way in every match that results in balls pinging off him into your half resulting in goals - is there not a rule against that? I also think the shouldering off the ball should be toned down it's like rugby at times and iIt'd be nice to have the defenders a little 'animated' during kick outs, they stand there like statues unaware of any strikers who want to intercept a pass.

    Looking forward to 11 after the world cup game which was a good step forward gameplay wise but there was too many modes cut from the package.

  • absinthe #34 2 years ago

    "Looking forward to 11 after the world cup game which was a good step forward gameplay wise but there was too many modes cut from the package."

    But what about the ones they added in World Cup. Would love to see the online tournament & ranking system in 11.

  • PuppyFiddler #35 2 years ago

    Yea that's true, it's be a backstep if they don't have them, the working your way up the divisions is brilliant and having the cup events in between. Great system.

  • Postumo #36 2 years ago

    World Cup is an improvement over fifa 10, but there are still bugs. I play many online matches and:

    Defenders keep running backwards while looking at the ball while the forward takes advantage of that dumb attitude

    Goalkeepers often leave the area when a defender can reach the ball easily, resulting in a mess with the goalkeepers and the defender blocking themselves.

    Get rid of Rugby players: i can't play a game which has my Gerard Pique or Lucio or Chiellini (high stats defenders) falling like ragdolls when they confront rooney, david silva, or robinho. Makes no sense that a 2,00 Juggernaut like mario gomez falls with every little touch of a tiny defender, and some overrated players feels like they are tanks. What's the poing on emil heskey if he can't stand what jermain defoe can?

    Miracle shots: ok some players have crazy shooting stats and score almost everytime they get a semiclear shot from wherever they are. That's just ridiculous.

    It's too easy for a forward to turn 180º and take a good shot in the area. Defenders always eat up that stupid movement. In real life any mediocre defender can solve that situation

    What's about players f*ckin up the offside tactic? too often i find myself screwed because the defending line is trying to put the attacker offside, and an stupid wing defender is in a nonsensical position screwing it all!!

    I can go on. I win most of my matches. I don't like ping pong passing (stop Yibuti, please, they don't play like Barcelona FC) and i get annoyed with sprinters. I don't like how the game rewards players that put 6 defenders and 4 forwards that don't go back to their fields. They should reward balanced teams. They shouldn't reward those people that use aaron lennon and theo walcott as defenders just because they are fast...

  • HandOfBeadle #37 2 years ago

    You need to get watching the FIFAgamingHD YouTube channel for answers to most of that. And I don't mean to be too much of a self publicist but my hands on answers pretty much all of the issues Puppyfiddler and postumo list.

  • immateriaux #38 2 years ago

    "Unless you're controlling an Alonso or Xavi, you must first bring the ball under control and steady your player if you're to stand any chance of pulling off an accurate pass."

    This will only work if they improve the whole concept of shielding the ball. In 2010, a player could turn his back to the defender and the defender just crash into him, knock him to the ground and run off with the ball.... "defenders tend to be stronger than attackers and that..." bollocks. It was counter-intuitive and poor gamer playing.

    Also, I'd like them to remove players chests entirely from the game. Just a head on top of hips please. I never again want to see my player, two yards from his own goal line, "clear it" by first chesting the ball down to himself and running into his own goal.

  • HandOfBeadle #39 2 years ago

    I love that I was negged for helping people out! Seriously there's been a shedload of information come out that most people not on the football game specific forums won't know. For instance, yes, organic shielding is one of the big things they're adding. It's given a fairly big mention in pretty much every preview that came out today.
    Edited by 1 at 23/07/10 @ 20:52

  • matt6666 #40 2 years ago

    Not getting Ronaldo to sign for Luton is missing the point of Football.. Surely every team has the potential however unlikely to be able to keep winning and propel itself to the big time.. That coupled with the fact that this is fantasy and fans of no-mark teams want to dream anyway.

  • curtlikesmeat #41 2 years ago

    At least they're now acknowledging that manager mode was utter shit last year. Some of these changes sound quite good, though a couple of things stuck out for me:

    "Time on the ball is also more limited" - what? It's ridiculous how little time you get in midfield in the Fifa games. Fair enough some teams press heavily as they are fit enough to do it for 90 minutes but most will allow you some time in midfield and try to cover passes rather than dive in for tackles (Liverpool sometimes press heavily and Barcelona with their 5 second rule or whatever it is when they lose the ball). The result of this in Fifa is people totally missing out the midfield making the emphasis on going from defence to attack as soon as possible - it makes players like Xavi and Scholes irrelevant.

    "It's no longer the case where you can get the likes of Ronaldo to sign for Luton." - Yeah, though they need to make sure this scales in game. In 10 I won the Champions League with Hereford and I still couldn't sign anyone even from the Championship.

  • curtlikesmeat #42 2 years ago

    P.S. Please review it as a single player game too - yes Fifa is loads of fun with a whole office load of Eurogamer colleagues surrounding the TV in your lunch break, but take into account people who only buy it to play career mode please!

  • curtlikesmeat #43 2 years ago

    P.P.P.S Good posts HandofBeadle - loads more info than EG managed to muster.

  • ruttski #44 2 years ago

    @Venation, @chazbigpotato I can't say sorry :) I'm a Herts boy born and bred - so any dig at the Beds just comes natural :) Seriously - It was the first poor club name that sprang to mind. Nothing truly personal :)

    D

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #45 2 years ago

    Oooh..well, that explains it then.

    At the risk of getting heavily negged..

    (Throws a coin at Rutski)

    By the way I take it by that "logic"you can get Ronaldo to sign for Watford?
    Can clubs therefore go into admin in this mode? After all, you do have to make it realistic.
    Congrats on beating the Mighty St Albans the other day, not a great result, but at least you didn't get beaten by flippin Alfreton Town!
    Blue Square premier in this game would be nice, by the way.

    Cheers


  • itsfuzzy #46 2 years ago

    "It's no longer the case where you can get the likes of Ronaldo to sign for Luton."

    What game where they playing? I won the league and cup about 5 seasons in a row and i still couldnt even get Emile Heskey to sign for me!