FIFA Football 2004 Review

By Tom Bramwell Published 24 October, 2003

Another balls-up or a real threat to PES' crown?

Version tested: PlayStation 2

Year after year we hear the familiar cry from friends and colleagues that Konami's Pro Evolution is king, yet Johnny Punter still shells out for FIFA regardless. After a few consecutive years of Konami breathing down EA's neck, last year EA simply turned up the heat, made the best FIFA ever and tripled its marketing spend. Result? Over double the sales and a game that to this day still sits proudly in the top 10.

But this year, the staunch Pro Evo-philes (and that includes the majority of the specialist games press on the evidence of last night's Pro Evolution Cup) are crowing that Pro Evo 3 has tanked EA's FIFA yet again, almost shocked if anyone dares to suggest that EA might actually be closing the gap once and for all.

Smart move, Konami

'FIFA Football 2004' Screenshot 1

Certainly the decision to release PES3 a week ahead of FIFA was a smart move, mopping up a footy hungry audience and securing the sixth fastest-selling game in the UK ever. But that won't bother EA one little bit, as today it unleashes another scorching volley that will once again outsell the competition by a margin.

But, as we all know, sales mean very little in the process of critical appraisal. While it's no secret that we're all in love with PES here at EG, we're also open minded enough to give FIFA a fair trial, rather than bleat and wail that it doesn't play the same as PES.

The first point to acknowledge is that FIFA 2004 is most definitely the best football simulation EA has ever come up with. It's a quality package on every level, with the usual gloss and presentation that no-one ever gets near to - albeit even better than ever. But does that make it fun? Yes and no, confusingly. This is without doubt the hardest FIFA to properly review, because - for once - there's much more to it than initially meets the eye.

I'll raise you 10 million

'FIFA Football 2004' Screenshot 2

EA has really upped the ante this year, with an entirely different approach to the game. Last year's was a step in the right direction, but it inevitably became so easy to just blast in goals left, right and centre that the appeal wore off after a couple of months. It still crept out of the cupboard once in a while, post-pub, but it was more the game you played with your mates who hadn't mastered Pro Evo 2 yet. Undoubtedly this is the appeal of FIFA for many; that they don't really have to put the hours in to be able to score spectacular goals, and on many levels this is a perfectly worthy aim. Not everyone's a gaming god, and FIFA kind of succeeds on the basis that it makes you feel like one. Pro Evo fans also really really despise the fact that they can get absolutely tonked on FIFA by a relative novice. It's a great leveller like that.

Anyway, I digress. This year, EA has done the unthinkable and made a FIFA that actually requires a degree of skill. No longer can you charge untested up the field with your finger on the sprint button and belt another 25-yarder past the despairing keeper. Try that against the CPU on even semi-pro skill level against the very lamest opposition and they'll just snuff you out around the edge of the box, or nick it off your toes as you attempt another sortie down the flanks. That's not to say it's not possible to score spectacular goals anymore, it's just not the formality it used to be. FIFA 2004 makes you work for your rewards, and after over 10 hours of studious single and multiplayer action we're still only really just getting to grips with it. Shades of Pro Evo? Indeed.

Every year brings some kind of alleged innovation which ends up being confusing and superfluous for most players, but this year's is possibly the best yet if you bother to put the practice in. Using a Madden-inspired off the ball system, tapping L2 while in possession highlights three players you can toggle between with a further tap of L2, and it's a case of deciding whether to pass, lob, shoot or play a through ball to them. You can also move the off the ball player manually by using the right stick, but this actually proved quite disorientating, so we tended to wait for the right moment to release the ball.

The skill will out

'FIFA Football 2004' Screenshot 3

Providing it doesn't get intercepted first (and depending on the skill of the player, and your positioning) you can then instantly queue up a trap and volley, or any another variations of shots, lay offs and headers to score some fairly smug looking goals or split the defence in an instant. It sounds, in typical style, like FIFA is just trying to make things too easy, but in practice it's harder than you might imagine to pull off, forcing you to adapt the long-ingrained principle of merely just pinging the ball around in an often hopeful fashion. It works similarly to how the over-accurate through ball move used to function, albeit requiring significantly more skill to pull off, and feeling genuinely satisfying when you do.

Without the Off The Ball function, FIFA can feel a strangely hollow, sluggish experience. At the default semi-pro level it feels a good few notches slower than PES and in Tom's words "like playing in treacle". At such a lethargic pace it's quite easy to build up some attractive short passing moves, but players always seem to lack the pace to charge down the wings effectively and playing defence splitting balls by default can seem elusive to say the least - even when playing as the best teams in the entire game. Part of the problem seems to be the AI of your players, who rarely make intelligent runs toward an incoming pass, just standing there gormless.

As Tom also observed, the art of scoring goals against the computer seems to be a matter of adopting an NHL-style approach to the game, firing in as many shots from the edge of the area as you can - either scoring direct, or following up the rebounds. Actually getting into the penalty area itself seems bizarrely tricky compared to previous FIFAs, kind of forcing you into this approach. The weird thing is, on the lowest skill level, the CPU opponents back off you almost entirely right up until you're on the edge of the area. Even if you stop running they rarely try and take the ball off you, which looks a bit odd to say the least, although this naturally ceases to be an issue on the higher settings. All-round, unless you're playing against a human opponent as clueless as you, getting to grips with the new system can seem unusually frustrating and not especially rewarding for a while.

But, in the manner of PES, a little persistence goes a long way, and it starts feeling like a game with its own identity, rather than some desperate facsimile of Konami's now-legendary approach, or the charmless bimbo brained pinball simulator of former editions. Whether you prefer FIFA over PES depends on a lot of things - and we'll come to those in a moment - but purely in gameplay terms, where it really matters we'd have to firmly admit that PES still has the edge thanks to its unending flexibility, oceanic depth and the simple fact that it just feels like you're actually playing the beautiful game. Having a tussle with FIFA is still an immensely enjoyable experience, make no mistake, but you come away feeling like you're just playing by its rules rather than actually playing footy.

Get shirty

'FIFA Football 2004' Screenshot 4

The argument that you can just 'pick up and play' FIFA isn't even there for apologists to trawl out these days. Sure, you can try, but the chances are you'll be growling at your inability to find the onion sack rather than doing Ravanelli impersonations around the living room like the old days.

What FIFA does have firmly over PES is some of the best presentation and attention to detail we've ever seen in a videogame. While PES sticks maddeningly to its low budget approach of terrible music, confusing, cluttered menus, hopeless commentary, questionable player likenesses and baffling licensing issues (such as Man City as Lloyd, being one hilarious example) FIFA just continues to set the benchmark for how it should be done.

First off, the soundtrack is absolutely inspired, featuring some excellent up and coming talent, such as Caesars, flavour of the month Kings Of Leon, Dandy Warhols, an old Jam classic to keep the Dads happy and plenty of World music to give it an international flavour. The sound elsewhere is similarly inspired with the usual commentary team of John Motson and Ally McCoist doing a sterling job behind the mic, although they still come out with some howlers now and then after a few hours. One of the most inspired additions is the crowd chants, which - for the bigger teams - will actually chant the team name, while the ambient effects give the game an atmosphere that PES simply cannot match.

Slicker than your average

'FIFA Football 2004' Screenshot 5

The next and most obvious point is the visuals, which take the series to almost unbelievable heights. Even on a massive pin sharp TV, the PS2 version (Xbox looks functionally identical, the PC a bit sharper) looks genuinely astounding, with some eerily realistic player likenesses that make PES look horribly out of touch (although some, like Ole Gunnar Solskajaer, just look plain eery!). But the detail's not just in the face; the skeletal animation system is incredibly advanced these days, giving EA Canada the license to create stupendously realistic incidental moments that you many only notice happening once in a while. Tired players slump onto their haunches, stretch their calf muscles, and slip moments before shooting - things you see in real life all the time. The celebrations and replays are now at such a stunningly high level that it's not just TV-style - it bloody looks like TV! If you're familiar with the Premiership stadiums, then seeing a game played out in that exact environment is an awe-inspiring experience when it pans behind one of the goals to give you a panoramic view. And as we all know by now, EA has all the official rights to everything ever, and so everything down to the socks has been properly represented.

Perhaps the masterstroke this year is the inclusion of the Nationwide League teams, meaning all those poor bastards like me can finally play as their chosen struggling rag bag losers. Naturally they're all rubbish, but that's not the point - thousands of people will buy this game purely because of this, whether they prefer PES or not. Add to that all the major leagues from around the world and all the national teams and you're never going to be short of possible permutations of who to play as.

In response to PES' Master League, FIFA fans can finally indulge in some pseudo player-manager antics, taking a team of your choice through a tournament or league, training up players and dabbling in the transfer market if you're unhappy with the fact that your local team has been rated so poorly. Working on a points target system, you're given basic challenges for the season and it's up to you to meet them. We're doing pretty hopelessly as Norwich right now, but it's a sweet addition that'll have us hooked to FIFA for far longer than we would have been otherwise, and is especially good news for those of you who don't have a ready supply of human challengers.

Beat me online, I dare ya!

'FIFA Football 2004' Screenshot 6

Talking of which, another massive plus is the PS2's online mode, which basically allows for one on one action, and supports the use of the USB headset in the lobby, making it a breeze to set up one on one games and taunt them afterwards. Sadly our review copy failed to authenticate through the servers, so we haven't been able to properly test this side of things, but the set up process is a breeze, so anyone who was considering PS2 Online has another decent reason to get involved.

Basic quickmatch facilities are there, as well as instant messaging to your online buddies, password protected game rooms, user blocking and even the ability to play one off or games or ladder tournaments against ranked or unranked opponent via a Leaderboard system. This could get messy. Downloadable content is promised, allowing you to keep your teams fully up to date, thus eliminating the need to tediously manually update everything.

Taking every facet of the package into account, FIFA completely kicks PES' arse all over the park, and it's obvious that EA has worked impressively hard on all aspects to drag the game up to the kind of high standards that it needs to be to tempt away the growing band of PES-philes. But however much positive energy we lavish on FIFA all the areas that EA beats Konami on - bar online - are simply gloss. In a straight tussle between the games, we just don't enjoy playing FIFA as much as we do PES3, and, for most of you, that's what matters.

8 / 10

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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 (86) Latest comment 8 years ago

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

  • striker #1 8 years ago

    1st!!!

  • Errol #2 8 years ago

    Problem is ... its not Pro Evo 3.

  • FWB #3 8 years ago

    Music sounds alot better. How does the managing aspect play? I'm not expecting someting deep, but do you have cash funds to draw from - paying wages, earning money?

    I have a few GC titles to trade in at some point and this and Viewtiful are looking good.

  • mal #4 8 years ago

    Meh. I can only really buy one football game a year and right now I'm waiting for PES3 to get a bit cheap. Mind you, of the 'one football game a year' brigade, I'm probably in a minority there.

    Really, Konami ought to have sorted out the menus by now. I haven't seen PES3 yet, but the menus in the old ISS games were terrible, and they only seemed to get more oblique with each iteration up to PES2. Really I have no idea what most of the menus do on PES2 do - if someone gets injured it takes literally minutes to sort the mess out.

  • Tiitiz #5 8 years ago

    FIFA 1-0 PES3


    :)

  • Errol #6 8 years ago

    PES3 4 - 2 FIFA.

  • krudster #7 8 years ago

    Management wise, it's quite simple; you have a 'budget' of training points to spend either on single players or across the whole team. I've not dabbled in the transfer market yet, concentrating more on the actual gameplay issues, but it's not that deep. Yellow cards and injuries have a bearing, obviously, and each player has about five stats devoted to them.
    A nice addition, and just enough stuff to mess about with.

    As for GameCube, Rob, we've simply seen nothing about it.

  • FWB #8 8 years ago

    Everton 3 Villa 0

  • brutal #9 8 years ago

    shouldn't that be Fifa 8(+1) - PES3 10???

    sounds like a fifa of olde scoreline ;)


  • Harry  #10 8 years ago

    A really good review there. Of the two, I prefer FIFA. But I'm glad to see a review that talks about the games and states a preference based on the games not that lame standby of which one is for real football fans.

    I only started player FIFA 2004 Xbox version last night but I can agree with the eeriness. At times it's downright spooky how much it looks like the real thing. EA has used some nice depth of field, fogging and lighting effects so those cold evening kick-offs at Old Trafford really do look like the real thing, there's atmosphere in the stadiums, not just nice stadium models.

    I haven't had much problem, unlike the reviewers, using the off the ball controls, even though the Xbox controls are a bit fiddly compared to PS2. It's not too hard to control another player off the ball with a little practice - one of the much earlier FIFA's had something slightly similar and I think my reflexes have remembered. ;o)

    And there are touches which, not really gameplay benefits, but are really nice icing on the cake. The first time the game showed a replay from the back of the stands with the fans jumping in front of the camera it was stunning. As was the first time I saw replay where Ally McCoist (Shame it's not Andy Gray, but you can't have everything) got out his magic markers and circled the players and showed passing moves with errors. Okay Actua Soccer kinda did this years ago, but nice to see it implemented.

    I know to some FIFA games can seem a little easy - but most of my FIFA gaming is done with friends who are equally skilled and into the series and result in pretty low scoring, tense, and well-defended games.

    Anyway great review. If PES3 is your thing play that. If FIFA is your thing play that. It's definitely a genre where personal preferences really come to the fore. I guess us gamers are very lucky that both franchises are very strong this year and give plenty of choice. Unlike say the years of FIFA 2002 (Crap) and FIFA 97 (Very crap!).

  • lordofdeadside #11 8 years ago

    xbox live? or not.

  • krudster #12 8 years ago

    Yeah, it's a touchy subject that most people who have an opinion get really irrational about.
    "Why don't you like FIFA?"
    "Because it's shit"
    "Have you played it?"
    "No. but i know it'll be shit"

    Right.

    It makes a big difference playing FIFA two player, that's why I believe the online element gains it an extra point.

    Personally I have enough reservations about PES 3 (such as the way good players score from nearly every single shot) to give it a 9/10 myself.

  • krudster #13 8 years ago

    No Xbox Live - have you not been paying attention? EA and M$ just don't get on at all.

  • striker #14 8 years ago

    FIFA 97 Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Nemesis #15 8 years ago

    FIFA just appeals to the graphics whore in me. You can't fault the EA lads for polish.

  • statix101 #16 8 years ago

    Another football game.....ZZZZzzzzzzz......yet more fodder for the sheep to feast upon....

  • gizmo #17 8 years ago

    I may pick it up when it goes cheep cheep. Just to play the nationwide sides. PES3 simply allows you transform your ideas directly to the pitch, previous fifa's have kind of done it for you.

    The scars of playing someone who could sprint up the wing, cross, and score from a scissor kick EVERY SINGLE TIME after playing the game for all of christmas morning, simply never heal.

    If EA made football boots they'd be sticky.

  • Harry  #18 8 years ago

    But both FIFA04 and 03 for that matter don't let you do that. That's one of EA's problems. Bad games in the past are blighting the reputation of recent strong titles in the franchise.

  • striker #19 8 years ago

    It does look good, but it's hard to skip the cutscenes, and you don't want them after a week. And if you're losing it's even worst, the cutscenes will make you break a pad....
    In PES3 you just click a button and it stops.

    In terms of gameplay, I don't think it's bad, but I prefered last year's version. Teh AI of tour teammates seems much worst.


    *I'm talking about the PC demo, don't know if it's different in the final game.

  • barchetta #20 8 years ago

    So guys. You've all got 30mins to tell me whether I should be gettin this or Club Football. Damn shame us Xbox only gamers haven't got the PES3 option but there ya go - I guess the PS2 would be slightly shafted without that exclusive. So which is it to be... the young, nubile Club Football or the surgically augmented middle aged beauty FIFA2004? Christ on a bike it's like Blind Date....

  • Harry  #21 8 years ago

    I'm not going to tell you to get FIFA. That's worth playing down the shops and considering. But for the love of pete don't get the codemasters one, you'd be better of spending £20 on last year's FIFA.

  • striker #22 8 years ago

    And I still think it does too much for the player. It guesses too much what the player wants to do instead of just translating on-screen what the player wants it to.

  • krudster #23 8 years ago

    Yep, I'd actually forgotten about the EA Sports Biog feature that allows you to unlock new features like old strips and other bits of other EA Sports titles if you do well.

    Club Foot? Ahem.

  • gizmo #24 8 years ago

    Thats probably true Harry, I bought pes3 without playing either - just from reading reviews, but I do have both 1&2 already. I bought fifa2003 purely because WBA were in the premiership and to be honest I haven't played it that much. Without my preconceptions of Fifa my decision between f2004 and pes3 would probably have been a lot harder.

  • binky #25 8 years ago

    stay clear of club football dude!!!

    Glad u mostly enjoyed FIFA Kruds. Did Tom get bored with it in the end? ;)
    Cut Scenes ARE skippable, person who asked.

  • Harry  #26 8 years ago

    I guess I’m in a similar but reversed situation Gizmo. I must admit to struggling with PES2, the presentation tended to put me off for a start (yes I’m a graphics whore – but what ‘s wrong with looking like the placeholder graphics have been replaced with some finished articles). But I never felt like I was on a level playing field to the AI – I guess I’d become so used FIFA that I found it hard to think in the correct way to play PES2 well. I know some find FIFA constraining in that they feel it has too much control over what they are doing, yet I have this problem with PES. I guess both games make you feel like you don’t have much control if you can’t play within the design “flow” of the control parameters and gameplay. In the end when two games are as good as PES3 and FIFA04 it does just come down to personal preference. In some senses PES3 is like Italian football, and FIFA04 like our humble frantic premiership. And perhaps I just like a knockabout in the mud rather than a game of 11 a side chess. ;o)
    Edited by 1 at 24/10/03 @ 17:10

  • barchetta #27 8 years ago

    Thanks, guys. Well I guess it's a bit of a no-brainer then. Haven't bought a FIFA game since the megadrive isometric days but can't really justify a PS2 for PES3. Just hope that this time next year EA and M$oft have made up and I can play Live....... Will let you know how it goes.....

  • Aretak #28 8 years ago

    ...How come there was no mention of the GameCube version in that review? It's certainly coming out for it.

  • spuncken #29 8 years ago

    I have to admit that I havent played with Fifa 2004 a whole lot. But my first impressions where just bad bad bad. I own an xbox and have therefore never tried the infamous PES series so this is not some fanboy trashing Fifa.

    First of all I think the graphics are arse! I actually think they are a step backwards. The players heads and hair looks really blocky and dated. The animations for the crowd seems to consist of two frames, crowd with hands down - crowd with hands up. It just looks very old.

    And while I can understand the joy of english fans that they now have the second and third division I just cant understand why EA ignores so many countries. Im come from a small country in EU and there´s nothing in the game for us. Not even the national team is there anymore. I can understand that it´s time consuming to put teams in the game with player likeness but no one is asking for that. Just the kit and some names would be fine. At the very least provide us with a f***ing way to do this ourselves! But EA does not bother with anything but the big markets.

    Fifa 2004 is a big disappointment. I am holding on to Fifa 2003 and hoping Konami gives PES to Xbox owners so we have an alternative to this crap.

    Ps. Note to Eurogamer staff... Halo and Fifa 2004 are not equally good!

  • krudster #30 8 years ago

    Sure the crowd is a bit crap, but I don't think too many people will have any complaints about the graphics. On the contrary, the PS2 version pushes the format harder than any footy game ever. The legacy of its PS2 'base development' means the other formats have to live with the same graphics I'm afraid, but they're still excellent.

    Our scores aren't comparable between two totally different genres, so please quit the Halo comparisons!

  • Soul_quake #31 8 years ago

    Almost bought this at lunch, and then remembered that I am playing Rugby 2004! What an absolutely amazing game: The presentation, and the graphics, the gameplay, the sound. It matches FIFA 1994 on all those levels! Such innovation for 10 years development!

    Anywho so after 5 years I might just go back to a FIFA game - last one I played to death an uni was Fifa 99 - many hours lost to it!

  • prettyboytim #32 8 years ago

    Yay! At last I can play Norwich City!

  • Nemesis #33 8 years ago

    Come on you Gills!

    /gets kicked out of FA Cup by Chelsea again.

  • fatboy996 #34 8 years ago

    "Yay! At last I can play Norwich City! "

    yipee!, I can play as Ipswich and beat Norwich.

  • gizmo #35 8 years ago

    Thats a really good point Harry, picking up on whether the cpu's 'second guessing' matches what you have in mind.

    Some people have been saying pes3 is harder than pes2, where I actually find it easier. It just seems more in tune with what I am anticipating. Going back to pes1, when I played that for the first time, i found the exact opposite.

  • Ivefoundgod #36 8 years ago

    "yipee!, I can play as Ipswich and beat Norwich."

    Me too, i'm seriously tempted by the option of finally getting to play as Ipswich in a half decent football game. But seeing as I got PES3 last week I think I'll wait a while and maybe just create Ipswich in PES. I got Fifa 03 a month or so ago for cheap to see what it was like and I'm absolutely terrible at it. I struggle on semi-pro even when playing as AC milan against rubbish teams like Chievo(no offence to Chievo Football Club). Does 04 have an edit mode?

  • Ivefoundgod #37 8 years ago

    There is no editing tools then? Don't think I'll bother pick it up then, my GC will have to make do with other fun multiplayer games. Roll on Mario Kart.

  • Olf #38 8 years ago

    I bought this instead of PES3 because of the online-stuff. I really like the idea of playing online, but up to now, I've managed to play two games, while like 50 games has been "unable to connect to other player"... I hope this is because of the other players and not because of the game itself, cause I wanna play online!

  • Amajiro #39 8 years ago

    EA and M$ just don't get on at all.

    Really? That's ridiculous. Why? They could be a super-powerful alliance, or have EA already sold their soul to someone else?

  • Frogger #40 8 years ago

    PES : Pro Evolution SOCCER.
    A good enough reason for me not to buy this game ever. Who are you marketing guys to think that you can tell us what's the name of the game ??? It's FOOTBALL all over the world, except in the country where nobody cares about it, and where football is a pale copy of rugby.
    Is it so f...ing hard to brainstorm for 5 minutes (maybe 6) and give your f...ing game an european name ?
    Name it Pro Evolution Football and you will sell at least an extra copy, Konami loosers of the rising sun...

  • Khab #41 8 years ago

    Nevermind the name, it IS the game.


    And as for the EA - MS debacle, IIRC it has something to do with MS' Live! service, and EA not being allowed to control their own online stuff... :/

  • krudster #42 8 years ago

    I suggested it was worth another point for online on the basis that 2 player action is more fun than offline against the CPU.

  • Frogger #43 8 years ago

    Khab, I do mind the name. Because it's a 10 minutes job to change the name in Football for the worldwide market and "soccer" to please the few yanks who will buy it. It's important for me because they don't even consider to make this small effort for us european, south american, africans and so on. And I don't like it. I talked about it with an american Interplay VP some years ago when I was in the gaming industry. He agreed, saying that he just didn't realized that some "countries" were calling it "football". It's just a lack of education and cultural identity respect.

  • mcmonkeyplc #44 8 years ago

    bah i need a review of the PC version of PES3 but from the demo i think its almost exactly the same game! I may give this ago when its in the bargain bin until then roll on november 7th

  • Harry  #45 8 years ago

    Crikey the Career mode is tough - even using a top Premiership side. There's more depth than you might think - players have form, condition, moral and fatigue and you really have to rotate squads. I didn't realise it had these things (thought it was fairly shallow management stuff like buying, selling and training) and thought I was playing worse. It wasn't until I got dumped out of the League Cup by Notts County that I realised my players were all knackered and needed a rest. I'd been playing the same squad for a while. :)

  • Aretak #46 8 years ago

    "Because it's a 10 minutes job to change the name in Football for the worldwide market and "soccer" to please the few yanks who will buy it."

    Sorry mate, you're wrong. It isn't even called Pro Evolution Soccer over there. It goes by the Japanese name of Winning Eleven 7.

  • Frogger #47 8 years ago

    I know that Aretak, and that's the point ! If they can change the name for the outside-japan market, why couldn't they change it for the right name ?

  • Frogger #48 8 years ago

    Nothing, I sent my previous message twice... :-)
    Edited by 1 at 25/10/03 @ 23:23

  • Royal Fool #49 8 years ago

    Sid, representatives don't know squat 90% of the time...

  • Ivefoundgod #50 8 years ago

    Especially about football.

  • Harry  #51 8 years ago

    1) Can you curl the ball whilst shooting in open play.
    I'm not really sure. I've not noticed, next time I play I will have a look.

    2) Is it worth getting Fifa 2004 if you already have '2003?

    Only if the money doesn't seem a burden. There's the new more realistic gameplay model, updated graphics, more leagues (down to and including div 3 in England), Career mode etc. Get it from Game and you can take it back if you don't like it.

    3) Leading on from this, if you own 2003, is 2004 too easy even on the harder settings?

    It's a lot harder, especially in career mode. There's plenty of new things to learn. The AI is much tougher. In career mode your players get tired and out of form. I reckon I'm very good at 2003, so it was a shock when Notts County knocked me out of the League Cup on semi pro level when I was playing as Manchester United (in career mode). New corners and other set pieces, ability to jostle and push other player for position.

    4) Are there more skills in 2004, and is the set-up for tricks the same as used for 2003?

    It's slightly different. You still use the right stick. But now there is an added extra. During open play the left trigger makes players walk rather than run. This is surprisingly useful as you can protect the ball and look for a good passing opportunity, if you use the left trigger with the right stick - you can do fackes, roll backs, step overs, backing away while facing a player etc. while stood still to spoof defenders and get past them. There are also situations where you receive the ball with your back to a defender and you actually held against them and can't move, and have to lay the ball off. Looks convincing.

  • Harry  #52 8 years ago

    1) Does the inclusion of Career Mode mean that the standard season option is now no longer available?

    Yes that's right, normal season mode is not included. It offers all season mode had plus new stuff. You can play tournaments such as the FA Cup and League Cup outside of the career mode though.

    2) Is the crossing system still intact?

    X button (or square on PS2) is still used to cross the ball. The "off the ball" system now allows you to also pick out an individual to cross to.

    3) What does training mode offer?

    You can practice running around the pitch, passing and shooting against as many defenders as you like (or none at all). You can practice indirect and direct free kicks from various positions. And you can practice with the new corner system. There's even a choice of places to practice at.

    Crikey looks like this thread has lured out the tards in the form of Monkey Punch. Someone should tell him that the games he chooses to play don't make him any more heterosexual.
    Edited by 2 at 26/10/03 @ 16:17

  • Tiger_Walts #53 8 years ago

    Finally, a training mode, sounds like an obvious inclusion but took them ages to implement. But then, what do Canadians know about football anyway?

  • Harry  #54 8 years ago

    No Stevey, you can start with whatever team you like - just like season mode. Just think of it as season mode with added extras. One of the things you can't do in the first season is play in Europe (if a UK team - obviously the Serie A is already on the continent lol). You have to qualify during your first season. So don't worry - it's season mode - just with extra stuff. And you do start with the real players.
    Edited by 1 at 26/10/03 @ 18:05

  • Monkey Punch #55 8 years ago

    LOL@BartonFink, why u mad at me for... :(

  • Harry  #56 8 years ago

    I don't seem to have your problem dribbling. You making use of the right analog stick?

  • Harry  #57 8 years ago

    To answer the last few questions.

    1, No creation tools.
    2, You unlock third kits as the game progresses
    3, Haven't found international tournaments yet
    4, You can customize tournaments in the sense that you can choose which teams take part - that's about it. You still have to follow the structure of the FA cup if you're playing that event.

  • Nemesis #58 8 years ago

    Bloody thing crashed on me. Twice

    /nudges FIFA back to Game.

  • Harry  #59 8 years ago

    I’m on the lookout for a good all-round midfielder. I have plenty of good players it’s just that they get tired and I need a bigger squad of talent rather than relying 3-star players from the reserves when my 4-5 star players get tired. Currently putting Ronaldo (I’m playing as Manchester United) through a lot of training but I’m thinking of making a bid for Seedorf when the transfer window opens – the reason I chose him was I’ve actually used him in a friendly game and was impressed. Like an idiot I rushed into the first few games of the season without buying anyone and forgot the transfer window would close. Oh well, just got an away Xmas week game at Spurs to play then the transfer window will open again. I’ve got £33 million burning a hole in my pocket. I suppose I could always make a bid for the cocky southern git that plays for Real Madrid ;o)

  • Harry  #60 8 years ago

    It is affected by the main difficulty that you set from the main menu. But you can change this at any time. My plan is to complete the first season on semi-pro (which is level 2) then in the second season move up a level to professional and then play year 3 world class. There are other factors that affect the career mode. One is the way your players get injured, lose form, moral and become fatigued. This means that your best 11 on paper isn’t always your best 11 on the pitch. This makes the game harder as it takes some thought – after a while I found myself putting out weaker teams for home games against sides towards the bottom of the Premiership so my stars got a rest for the big games. The obvious answer to this is to buy more players star players if you can afford to do so. And of course train your less able players to become much better.

    One thing I noticed yesterday was that when I was playing against less able sides who found it hard to attack me my defenders hardly got tired at all. Which meant they were fresh for the next game. However, in my glee to try to put 4 past Wolves I was sprinting about with the forwards and midfield like a man possessed. So even though I was never going to lose once I got a brace of goals I continued to totally knacker my midfielders out. Once I realised this I started playing differently. If I managed to take the lead I started knocking ball around a bit more and running less, biding my time for spaces to open rather than trying to run things through. It certainly changes the way you play when you realise Ryan Giggs is running out of puff and your next game is away at Arsenal.

  • Harry  #61 8 years ago

    Yeah manual has quite a few mistakes. I think every FIFA manual does now. It’s a tradition, an old chart, or something. I’ve been struggling to get the one-two passing to work as described by the manual. I think the black button is a bit dicky on my pad, which doesn’t help.

    You’re right about not being able to pick weather effects. You do get a variation between sunny and cloudy, and different pitch surfaces. There times when the stadiums seem more foggy. I wonder if EA are trying to show wet games in the way we see them on TV – where you can’t actually see the raindrops, you just get reduced visibility. Anyway yeah it’s daft not being able to pick weather.

    Dunno about four player as I’ve only got 2 Xbox pads. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t in though – they’d had it all the way back to FIFA 96. So anyone know if it’s in?

    Crikey I do seem to be talking a lot about this game. Maybe I should just shut up!
    Edited by 1 at 27/10/03 @ 18:03

  • Olf #62 8 years ago

    I've got BIG problems with getting the online-thing to work on my PS2. I've tried opening ports 3658 & 6000, I've tried making my PS2 the DMZ and I've tried just plugging my PS2 directly to the Internet on a 2.5 Mbit line with a public IP-nr. Whichever way I connect, I always connect to the server, and I always get a decent connection. (100-115) But when it comes to connecting to players it almost always fails.

    When it does work, it works several times in a row, but then it just stops working for the rest of that day. Isn't that strange? Anyone else experiensing something like this?
    Edited by 1 at 27/10/03 @ 19:45

  • Ivefoundgod #63 8 years ago

    Has anyone who already bought pes3 bought this as well? I'm very tempted by the inclusion of Ipswich and also the off the ball thing is very intrigueing(sp?)Won't be getting it til around xmas anyway cos I'm skint and have loads of other games to buy, was going about finishing zelda before pes3 came out and now I can't stop playing it. I just had an embaressing 1-1 draw against Spurs in the ML.

    /hangs head in shame and legs it from the crazy spurs fans

  • meepster2312 #64 8 years ago

    Great game, but I have had the exact same problems as Olf.
    Most times I have got on the server, but as I am being connected to
    another player the connection breaks. I have completed 2 online games
    (1 draw, 1 defeat) and the connection has broken twice mid game
    and my ranking now reads 3 defeats!
    Judging by my converstion with the PS2 network helpline there are a lot
    of issues with the online aspect.

  • Russty Cage #65 8 years ago

    FIFA 2004 requires the following ports to be open on your firewall, both inbound and outbound.

    TCP 13505: this is used by BuddyList/IM server
    TCP 10400 - 10499
    TCP 443: used to access Sony DNAS server. This is a standard https port
    UDP 3658/3659: these are the main game ports
    UDP 6000/6001: VOIP ports

    If you are playing behind a router, the ports listed in bold above must also be forwarded to the IP address of your PlayStation®2

  • Olf #66 8 years ago

    ...but the strange thing is that it works equally bad without a firewall at all. It connects to the server, and sometimes you can play a few games, but then nothing for lots of hours. This is both with or without a firewall for me... :-(

  • fatboy996 #67 8 years ago

    ahhh, I love my xbox live connection. no worries just ire.

  • Harry  #68 8 years ago

    thanks for that Law, though it seems if i have to hit the direction and a button to pass again it's not really a 1-2 shortcut as one might expect. it's just like making two passes the normal way but making you press more buttons to do it. or am i getting confused here? ;o)

    Just read the thread you linked to. That makes much more sense. The EA manual is wrong as usual. Seems you have to press the black button more than once. I'll try that out later, bro-in-law is coming over for a few games.
    Edited by 1 at 28/10/03 @ 17:16

  • Harry  #69 8 years ago

    Okay I've just had a play around with this and have sussed it. One of the things the manual makes very complicated is the idea of sending a play on a run the way the R-trigger did on FIFA2003.

    It's not complicated at all.

    1, White button activates the Off the Ball feature where you can control 3 different players, make an accurate pass to them, control them with the right stick or choose which one to go on a run

    2. The black button is essentially doing what the L-trigger did last year. With a slight change that you double tap it. So just double tap the button and a player (of the AI's choosing) will make a run and wave his hand in the air to show he wants the ball. This is exactly what the L-trigger did last year.

    3, If you do the black button double tap right after passing to someone with the A button, the guy who just kicked the ball will always be the one making the run. You can then aim a pass to him as he scootles past. Effectively a good one-two system.

    So it seems the actual game controls work really well. I've just spent two minutes in practice with this and it's a breeze. So no fault of the game there. It's that idiotic manual that made it look like you had to type and essay with the joypad buttons that made this whole process seem complicated. Before Law explained, and I had a fiddle with the game based on that, it seemed there was no quick way to tell the AI to make one of your players run without engaging the Off the Ball system. A shame as I used that feature a lot in FIFA2003 as did my friends. Now it seems the feature is there with a simple double tap. And I think it is just a deliberate double tap rather than some problem requiring 2-3 hits, double tap has worked every time for me so far. Top, this makes the game better for me. That manual truly sucks though. ;o)

  • Russty Cage #70 8 years ago

    For anyone with online problems with Fifa 2004 on their PS2.

    https://eauk .custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eauk.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_sid =t_U_*_Wg&p_lva=&p_sp=&p_li=

  • Harry  #71 8 years ago

    "let me decide for myself to whom I wanna pass the ball, and how to do it. "

    Y button on Xbox, Triangle on PS2: for higher passes X and Square respectivly.

  • Harry  #72 8 years ago

    1: Do you need to 'toggle' between players when in Off the Ball TM ;) mode to select the corect one?
    When you press the white button a 1 icon appears over one player, and a greyed out 2 and 3 on a couple of others. pressing the button cycles through them. you can do this pretty quickly. but i often find that it's the most central one that gets highlighted first - which means you can hit white, then the cross button. The player runs (like last years ones) don't require this, just a double tap of the black buttons - handy to bring out wingbacks etc.

    2: Does the right analogue stick do anything thing independently whilst running (last year it done the Freestyle), or do you need to do 'the walk' to be able to do skill?
    Unless you have Off the Ball TM ;) activated the right stick behaves just like last year with Freestyle, it's just that you can now do static and walking freestyle too with L-trigger.

    BTW L-trigger also adds a handy feature to lobs and shots, if your already running and pull the trigger when you shoot, you play a low shot. so it's easy to make hard and low shots on goal.
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/03 @ 00:15

  • Harry  #73 8 years ago

    We? Speak for yourself mate ;o)

  • Russty Cage #74 8 years ago

    Fifa 2004 - not very good...

    1. When you press X to change the player you control you never seems to get the right player, it always seems like you have to press X a couple of times before you get to control the one you like.

    2. Where is the international tournaments, that's just unforgiveble... I want to be able to play the the euro cup or the world cup and to be able to construct my own tournaments.

    3. Off-The-Ball-Control - also known as "we can't make proper AI so we are going to leave it all up to you to try and fix it with fiddly controls"

    4. Player AI - why is it when you pass the ball with the X button the reciving player never seems to meet up the ball. They just stand their with cement boots watching the defender intercept the pass.

    5. Carrer mode - why would anyone in the world like to spend their time setting up practices? If I wanted that I would buy CM.

    6. Replays sucks - they are way too short. They just show the ball being kicked into the goal, you never get to see the beautiful passing play that made the goal happen.

    On the plus side - the soundtrack is awesome...

  • Harry  #75 8 years ago

    "5. Carrer mode - why would anyone in the world like to spend their time setting up practices? If I wanted that I would buy CM."

    Eh? Practice mode isn't part of career mode.

  • gizmo #76 8 years ago

    Ask Harry, I reckon he wrote it ;)

  • Harry  #77 8 years ago

    LOL

    Nah, I'm just playing this a lot more than anything else at the moment.

    Beat all the teams in a division and you'll unlock the third kits. I don't think it matters whether this is done partly in friendly, some in career etc. Don't forget to play against the team you normally plas as in that league.

    H

    (Happy to help, slightly nerdy FIFA player) ;o)

  • Ivefoundgod #78 8 years ago

    GRRRR!!! roxxorz!!!1!!

  • Russty Cage #79 8 years ago

    My thoughts on Fifa 2004 (ps2 - european version)

    Negative
    1. When you press X to change the player you control - when you get in the offensive end you never seem to be able get control over the correct player, it always seems like you have to press X a couple of times before you get to control the player you like. (very frustrating)

    2. No international tournaments, that's just unforgiveble... I want to be able to play the the euro cup or the world cup.

    3. Off-The-Ball-Control - not very good, it would have been better if the offensive AI of ones teammates were better. Getting away from defenders into open space. And meet up passes instead of standing still watching the defender intercept the pass.

    4. Carrer mode - having to set up training programs for players is not something I want to spend my time doing? If I wanted that I would buy CM.

    5. Replays sucks - they are way too short. They just show the ball being kicked into the goal, you never get to see the beautiful passing play that made the goal happen. (and they don't show near misses)

    6. Online play - not very user friendly for user behind firewalls or routers.

    7. The computer controlled teams you play against never changes a player during any game (unless there is an injury). NOT VERY REAL, EA!

    8. Graphics stutter at times.

    9. Starting line-ups not presented before the game. (in a good way)

    10. The commentery is ok, but could have been better. And Ally McCoist (co-commentator) sounds like Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons and can be hard to tell what the heck he's talkin' about at times. (that's my personal opinion at least)

    11. Corners are a bit strange - not very real at all. You choose a type of corner and then the ball comes to one certain spot (marked with a ring), and it comes exactly to this spot every time (not even beckham or any human) would be able to hit a 1m circle every single time. Where are the corners that go to far or short and so on...

    12. Free-kicks away from the goal sucks. You just don't have any good indication on where you are aiming.

    13. No match facts pop up at half-time or at end of game.

    14. There's sometimes a graphical glitch on players backs.

    15. Saving games takes way too long time. (Longer than other similar games - that's not from EA).

    16. Dribbling - is it even in the game?

    17. Players never seems to tire. You never has to change a player because he is too tired, not very real.

    Positive
    1. The soundtrack is awesome.
    2. Plays quite good.
    3. Good graphics - esp. player likeness and arenas.
    4. Audience sounds are very good.
    5. Free kicks near goal - good interface (a bit hard though, but sweet when you are able to get one in).
    6. Practice mode.
    7. Career mode (should have been a lot better, but it's better then not having one).
    8. Highlights after a game (no need to show the tackles though, would be better if it was concentrated to showing goals and goalscoring chances, and showing which goal is which).
    9. The best game in the fifa series.

    Overall: 7/10
    It plays a resonably good game of football but it should have been better.
    Fans of previous Fifa games will probably like it, but I guess most will feel that it should have been better. Pro Evo fans won't (and probably shouldn't) bother with this years fifa game.

  • xtremeboat #80 8 years ago

    The last FIFA I played was FIFA 98 and this is no big improvement. People go on about EA's games having better graphics and presentation than Konami's Winning Eleven/Pro Evolution games but this isn't true. The front end is slow slow slow and clunky, and button presses aren't always recognised. Admittedly the music is awesome but that doesn't make a good game. OK, Konami's games are slagged off for having basic looking menus and stuff but at least they're quick to get through. On to the game itself.....first thing I noticed was the graphics. Nice enough in stills but jerky and low resolution up close. Look at the pitches - blurry. Look at the kits and ad-boards around the pitch - blurry. The players are blocky - the only realistic thing is the faces. WE6:FE on the Cube is silky smooth and hi-res compared to this. The gameplay isn't as bad as I thought it would be, but its still arcadey and lacks the depth of Konami's games. The off the ball feature is gimmicky and is just a cover up for sloppy AI. There's still sweet spots to score from, and once you've learnt them the game is easy. Sure the commentary is good and there are a million and one official licenses but its still an average game underneath all the gloss.
    Bit of a let down really.

  • frod. #81 8 years ago

    Thats an excellent point ahmad, thanks for sharing.

  • ruttyboy #82 8 years ago

    Well boo, fucking, hoo.

  • Blerk #83 8 years ago

    You can tell it's half term, can't you?

  • binky #84 8 years ago

    2 questions here that I can answer for you. North American clubs are in becasue thats where its developed.

    Dutch squad not in because the dutch FA want a stack of cash (3 or 4 times more than any other league).

  • advance powerman #85 8 years ago

    ONLY THREE WORDS - VERY,VERY BAD -

  • Tiger_Walts #86 8 years ago

    GOAL!!!!1!!