The first touch. Few things are more important to a soccer player than what they can do the instant they get their boot on the ball. A great player can do whatever he wants with the ball, whether it be deflecting it with a hard strike or stopping it with a toe. Unfortunately, it's hard to accurately recreate this fluid grace in a video game, as developers are forced to script animations for every time you receive or pass the ball. It's hard to get a quick break going when your player needs to slow down before doing anything.
Thankfully, EA has implemented a new system in FIFA Soccer 2005 that will allow you to bend the ball to your will, as well as into the goal. The First Touch system, as it's called, utilizes the right analog stick to let you direct the ball in whatever way you'd like, whenever you want. It comes in most handy when receiving a pass, as this is when a player will be most able to break free from any pesky defenders.
When a pass comes to you, a simple flick of the right analog will defly alter the course of the ball in whatever direction you'd like to go. Simply tapping the ball towards any nearby free space will allow you to clear your way around the nearest defender, and can give you an open look for a quick pass to a streaking teammate. Of course, why pass to a teammate when you can simply give yourself a little breathing room and take towards glory yourself?
After a quick redirect away from your opponent, you can break into the open field by dribbling the ball up with some fast forward kicks to yourself. This allows you to break into a full sprint while still controlling the ball. While most players will not be able to catch you from behind, you'll still have to beware of the opponents in front of you. If you try to take off with a gang of defenders in front of you, they'll grab the ball and take off before you can pick up your jock.
When you're running towards an opponent, your right analog can get you past him unopposed, as long as you slow down enough. If you let go of the sprint button and reduce your speed, a directional flick of the right analog will perform one of the player's skill moves. A quick spin can leave the other player in your dust, and a little juggle over his foot will have him going in the wrong direction as you continue on to the goal.
Finally, as you get to the goalie, you can do one of a few things. You can either try to blast a shot past him, turn and try to tap one into the corner, or you can fake him out of his shoes. As he comes out to challenge you, a press of the shoulder button and the shoot button will perform a special goalie fake, which can leave you with a open shot on the goal. However, if you try to juke the goalie every time down the pitch, he'll learn your tricks and grab the ball every time.
For those times when you'd rather send a ball into the middle of the box from the sides, a new lob system has also been implemented. You can now control the height of your crossing lobs, choosing between high, medium, or low. Depending on where your teammate receives the ball, he can head it or kick it towards the goal. Or, if you'd rather, you can take control of the player and use the First Touch system to do whatever you'd like with it.
Don't think that this year's additions are only to the action on the field, though. Taking a page from it's competition, the game's career mode has also gotten a huge overhaul. Not only will you be responsible for the player lineups and strategies, you'll also have to deal with staffing decisions. While having a good trainer or medical staff might not seem like a big deal, you'll see that they're nearly as important as the talent on the field if you want to be a championship calibre club.
The presentation of the game has been upgraded, as well. The producers told me that they wanted to make watching the game as enjoyable as viewing one on TV, so they've done a lot to change the visual look of the action. Not only has the picture itself been color corrected to appear more like a broadast, even the grass has been reworked to appear more like the real thing. With better textures and sharper contrasts between the varied mowing patterns, the field has never looked better.
The FIFA series has always been one EA's greatest franchises, so it's nice to see some exciting new additions in this year's version. The First Touch system is going to make the game more fluid than it's ever been, as well as more exciting. With players streaking up the field and breaking free more often, FIFA Soccer 2005 is going to bring all of the graceful action from the pitch to your console.
*Spiffy
First Touch control fully conveys the grace of the real game; deeper career mode is sure to please Winning Eleven fans.
*Iffy
Not much to find fault with so far.
**Release Date: October 12, 2004
Direct Link: http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/fifa-soccer-2005/531538p1.html
Thankfully, EA has implemented a new system in FIFA Soccer 2005 that will allow you to bend the ball to your will, as well as into the goal. The First Touch system, as it's called, utilizes the right analog stick to let you direct the ball in whatever way you'd like, whenever you want. It comes in most handy when receiving a pass, as this is when a player will be most able to break free from any pesky defenders.
When a pass comes to you, a simple flick of the right analog will defly alter the course of the ball in whatever direction you'd like to go. Simply tapping the ball towards any nearby free space will allow you to clear your way around the nearest defender, and can give you an open look for a quick pass to a streaking teammate. Of course, why pass to a teammate when you can simply give yourself a little breathing room and take towards glory yourself?
After a quick redirect away from your opponent, you can break into the open field by dribbling the ball up with some fast forward kicks to yourself. This allows you to break into a full sprint while still controlling the ball. While most players will not be able to catch you from behind, you'll still have to beware of the opponents in front of you. If you try to take off with a gang of defenders in front of you, they'll grab the ball and take off before you can pick up your jock.
When you're running towards an opponent, your right analog can get you past him unopposed, as long as you slow down enough. If you let go of the sprint button and reduce your speed, a directional flick of the right analog will perform one of the player's skill moves. A quick spin can leave the other player in your dust, and a little juggle over his foot will have him going in the wrong direction as you continue on to the goal.
Finally, as you get to the goalie, you can do one of a few things. You can either try to blast a shot past him, turn and try to tap one into the corner, or you can fake him out of his shoes. As he comes out to challenge you, a press of the shoulder button and the shoot button will perform a special goalie fake, which can leave you with a open shot on the goal. However, if you try to juke the goalie every time down the pitch, he'll learn your tricks and grab the ball every time.
For those times when you'd rather send a ball into the middle of the box from the sides, a new lob system has also been implemented. You can now control the height of your crossing lobs, choosing between high, medium, or low. Depending on where your teammate receives the ball, he can head it or kick it towards the goal. Or, if you'd rather, you can take control of the player and use the First Touch system to do whatever you'd like with it.
Don't think that this year's additions are only to the action on the field, though. Taking a page from it's competition, the game's career mode has also gotten a huge overhaul. Not only will you be responsible for the player lineups and strategies, you'll also have to deal with staffing decisions. While having a good trainer or medical staff might not seem like a big deal, you'll see that they're nearly as important as the talent on the field if you want to be a championship calibre club.
The presentation of the game has been upgraded, as well. The producers told me that they wanted to make watching the game as enjoyable as viewing one on TV, so they've done a lot to change the visual look of the action. Not only has the picture itself been color corrected to appear more like a broadast, even the grass has been reworked to appear more like the real thing. With better textures and sharper contrasts between the varied mowing patterns, the field has never looked better.
The FIFA series has always been one EA's greatest franchises, so it's nice to see some exciting new additions in this year's version. The First Touch system is going to make the game more fluid than it's ever been, as well as more exciting. With players streaking up the field and breaking free more often, FIFA Soccer 2005 is going to bring all of the graceful action from the pitch to your console.
*Spiffy
First Touch control fully conveys the grace of the real game; deeper career mode is sure to please Winning Eleven fans.
*Iffy
Not much to find fault with so far.
**Release Date: October 12, 2004
Direct Link: http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/fifa-soccer-2005/531538p1.html
A fifa game with major flaws.. no way!! 
