FIFA 09

From the mid-nineties onwards, EA have annually produced their own take on the beautiful game, starting off in 1994 with FIFA International Soccer, then obtaining licences for clubs and players, and continuing the FIFA series year-on-year.

2001 saw a genuine threat to EA's FIFA dominance with the arrival of the most complete football simulation to date - Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer - a triumph in gaming terms, only defeated by Konami's reluctance to pay FIFA for the club and player licences. Gamers made their decision, and Konami successfully began to wrestle ground and fans from the once seemingly impregnable EA.

The biggest reason stated by converters to Konami's way of playing, was the realistic approach to matches, with gamers having become fed up of the tedious nature of the 15-13 final scores in the FIFA series. Gamers sacrificed real clubs, real kits and real players, not-to-mention decent commentary, for superb gameplay, realistic ball skils, and challenging finishing.

It was time for EA to rethink their product. Konami had laid down the gauntlet, openly challenging, and indeed, threatening EA's dominance.

Since 2001, EA has been gradually changing the way the FIFA series works, aiming to replicate many of the positive factors inherrent in the Pro Evo series. At the same time, Konami have managed to improve their Pro Evo series year-on-year, with no drastic changes being made to a programme that already works.

So, we come to FIFA09, and once again, EA has improved from last year's offering (the aptly named FIFA08). Controls are slicker than ever before, and the overall enjoyment experienced whilst playing the game has gone up.

Being a pro has never been so much fun, as the gamer can play as one player in a team, and can take this scenario online, playing with up to twenty-one other players.

The commentary in-game is nothing short of astounding, with the commentators saying new phrases all the time, even after countless matches - a weakness all too evident, even in the most recent Pro Evo title.

Graphics are the best they have ever been, but that is a must, in today's fast-moving technology-driven world, where the look means everything.

Despite all the improvements and terrific aspects of FIFA09, there are quite a few drawbacks.

First of all, despite the improvements made to the gameplay, FIFA09 remains behind Pro Evo in the grand scheme of things. Gameplay is edgy, compared to Pro Evo, and the scorelines can still become ridiculous, if the gamer opts for a longer match.

Secondly, the menus are confusing and unnecessary. Gamers need menus to be concise, simple, and user friendly, because no one wants to be in a menu forever. The menu in FIFA09 can best be described as non-user-friendly.

Thirdly, the waiting time for online matches to begin is too long, meaning half the time of the gamer is taken up waiting in a menu. If one person out of the twenty-two has not selected his side or player, twenty-one other people have to wait until the timer runs out. It is one of the most frustrating things for a gamer to face, and is completely unnecessary.

Overall, FIFA09 breaks new ground from a FIFA perspective. The music in the game is youth-oriented, but sounds rather good. The graphics are terrific, and being able to play as your own club, using your own real-life players is a nice feeling. However, despite Pro Evo's failings from a licencing, music and commentary perspective, the main reason people play it (ie the gameplay) keeps Konami's take on football ahead of EA's current offering - the gap is getting smaller, but Pro Evo is still on top.

A very cool Football game, but the newer installments does have you rolling your eyes. And even questioning how it's declined. However, this is not the same for the brilliance of Fifa 09 and many old Fifas.

This game has simple game play, but it doesn't bore you, it doesn't need to be high end definition with glitchy players (primarily the newer fifas) or hard game play that was almost impossible to play. Like running with Stick Legs. But, the games at it's best when it's simple. Because it works so well and you can actually play a fun game without getting so annoyed. The Arena was always quite fun to play before the game. And it's a good way of experiencing what's gonna happen in your game.

I feel like this game is great, and was so much fun to play back in the day, on the X-BOX 360. Creating so many wonderful memories and very Nostalgic at the time. I remember always waking up and desperately waiting, in an eegre Manor to play these video games. It had so much impact on my life and even made me a big fan of the game. I even then started supporting my family team (Spurs) and for my local club. So much good things came out of it.

I rated this one a 6 though just because I found the other fifas that I did play slightly better, and those ones were Fifa 11, Fifa 13, Fifa 14 (twice) and Fifa 17 which is one of my personal favourites. They also have a better score card, this one wasn't particularly great to look at in a visual sense, still a fun game to play though. And I hope they make the games better and improve them later down the line. Everyone on YouTube seems to go back to the old Fifas, so I have decided to share with you some Nostalgia for me! And your sake haha...

Do I recommend this game?

For a re-visit yes, not for another 2 years or so, 6/10, next Review:Dune Part 2.

A new game. Every year there is a new numbered part. Sometimes, after the release of the next "Fife", you could even count down some milestones in your life. Autumn, the weather is deteriorating, but for me, as a fan of EA's football simulator, it's waiting time for another football game with the hope that something will improve there. And there were often such improvements. Small at times, but still improvements. And here we are on the threshold of "FIFA 09".

The game was pleasantly surprised by a noticeable improvement in graphics. It seems that it is in this game that the graphics for the PC format have finally moved forward a little. The players began to look more realistic, their movements became smoother, and the facial animations, although still scary, became much more expressive. Special attention is paid to the details: the wet hair and the rain-shiny faces of the players create the atmosphere of a real match. And when players breathe in winter, steam comes out of their mouths, which adds realism to the game.

Innovations in weather effects deserve special mention. For example, heavy rain not only adds to the entertainment, but also affects the gameplay: the ball slides on the wet lawn differently, and players can make mistakes in control. These details add depth to the gameplay and emphasize the desire of the developers to create a more realistic football simulator.

The work on AI is also commendable. The actions of both your rivals and your team members have become more logical and meaningful. Football players choose their position better, make more informed decisions in difficult situations and react faster to developments. This made the matches more dynamic and exciting. But you shouldn't flatter yourself. They are still quite clumsy and can freak out on the field.

Traditionally, the FIFA 09 series offers an extensive selection of championships, cups and tournaments. Players can plunge into the competitions of national leagues, major international tournaments and guide their favorite team through all stages of the competition. For fans of football statistics and tactics, this is a real pleasure.

FIFA 09 has offered notable improvements, especially in the graphics and realism of the matches. However, most of the changes remain cosmetic rather than revolutionary. Despite this, the game provides enough new details and features to keep the attention of football fans and fans of the series. This is a step forward for the franchise, I personally think so, but not so significant as to radically change its perception. But I still liked the game.

8 out of 10.