legend_master
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Right,
here is my long review after playing the full version all last night (I had played the demo to death)...
First impressions:
- 2 CDs - that's good, more data the better...
- Installation was relatively quick, maybe quicker than F2003?
- Autoloaded the game after install
- Skipped the intro cos i've seen it before and didn't do much for me anyhoo
- usual EA logo etc that you can't skip
Onto the game:
- greeted by the low-res 800x600 menu interface - same as the demo, just full options now. Man, I can't stress how badly the menu sux - it's the worst I have ever ever seen in any game, ever! It's laid out badly and is really cumbersome..at last though we can use our gamepad to navigate, but alas some menus you need to use the mouse as well cos it's quicker and easier. It is just so UN-intuitive. Not to mention how many steps it takes to get to the goddam league table (career mode)! Team selection is so frustrating because you have to scroll down to see your strikers, your starting 11 doesn't fit on one page! Same with league standings, if I remember you only get the top 8 teams on the first page?? That's not so bad, but just to see the points column requires scrolling to the right several times...man that sucks...also, I noticed there's no longer a stat for top scorers in the entire league, only team top scorer and you can see this for each team, not an overall division top scorer chart - this is the first year that has been omitted - once again EA can't resist taking stuff out...anyhoo on from the menus already
- Graphics are nothing short of spectacular - high res and colourful...but, the FPS is still not quite up to scratch - the old stutter problem from 2003 is still apparent - and my system is pretty kickass (P4 2.4Ghz 800MhzFSB+HT, 1GBRAM, 128MBG4Ti4200 8x, WD80GB 7200+8Mbuffer HDD, XP ProSP1). I can run Tron 2.0 like a charm - too fast if anything on max details! Anyhow, I can live with that....the lighting is great and the stadiums are fantastic - lower league grounds look awesome!
* Why are lower division teams wearing last years uniforms?? Why couldn't EA get this season's??
I have some gripes about gameplay though....first the negative stuff....FYI tho this is on semi-pro, perhaps these things improve on Pro???
the overall game speed seems a bit slow for me - some people may like it like that but I prefer a tiny but faster (maybe this can be edited in the ini.big?) - the players are a bit sluggish and sometimes the old delayed-reaction is still evident (i.e. push the tackle button then you win the ball and your player clears it)
- It's easier to score from distance than close range, honestly....
- While player keeper AI is good, the CPU keeper AI is bad...they seem to let a striker standing right next to them on the goal line just head the ball in from a cross way too easily and too frequently
- CPU AI always attacks down the middle (I think maybe because the default style for all teams is 'posession', and they always just pass it directly on the ground to the centre forward who CHARGES at 100mph toward your goal - it can be very hard (if not impossible) to catch him up when this happens - this results in a 1v1 with your keeper - usually the CPU misses these point blank shots as well - unrealistic
- it's very hard to break down the defence (this can be a good thing - it would suck if it was too easy) but i find you feel you have to resort to long rangers too ofte, because they have more chance of going in!
- Is it possible to do a through ball lob or do all lobs go to the receiver's chest/head?
- are proper volleys possible?
- is it possible to round a defender with a skill move?
- replays suck - they only show the last few moments of the goal when the best bit is the build up
- bug - if a player gets subbed during the game (CPU only subs if a player is injured) then in the replays/highlights they are invisible!
- too many injuries
- too many niggling fouls called
- too many red cards given (straight reds)
- CPU keeper throws/rolls the ball out to it's defence too often when player striker is close by - unrealistic - can score often from these mistakes
- net physics suck- like a steel cage..this i'll agree PES kicks FIFA
- only Home team gets dirt on the kits - BUG
- Career mode isonly 5 years - Danny you lied to us! - LIE
- field could be bigger (editable i think)
- no weather - LIE
Good things:
- free kicks (apart from going way too fast - unrealistic) - good system
- ground passes/lobs are good and feel analog - i.e. freedom of direction...very cool, not so scripted
- headers possible at last!
- excellent randomness of play
- player keeper AI is good
- animations look excellent
- cut scenes are fantastic
- good variety of refs (last year there was one only in normal league play)
- Night time looks good
- Tackling is great
- Faces are awesome
- Corners are much improved
- penalties are good but keeper maybe saves too often....
Overall I give it 8/10 with room to be higher after patching to death.
Anyone that enjoyed prior FIFAs will like it, it's by far the best to date - buy it and patch it
here is my long review after playing the full version all last night (I had played the demo to death)...
First impressions:
- 2 CDs - that's good, more data the better...
- Installation was relatively quick, maybe quicker than F2003?
- Autoloaded the game after install
- Skipped the intro cos i've seen it before and didn't do much for me anyhoo
- usual EA logo etc that you can't skip
Onto the game:
- greeted by the low-res 800x600 menu interface - same as the demo, just full options now. Man, I can't stress how badly the menu sux - it's the worst I have ever ever seen in any game, ever! It's laid out badly and is really cumbersome..at last though we can use our gamepad to navigate, but alas some menus you need to use the mouse as well cos it's quicker and easier. It is just so UN-intuitive. Not to mention how many steps it takes to get to the goddam league table (career mode)! Team selection is so frustrating because you have to scroll down to see your strikers, your starting 11 doesn't fit on one page! Same with league standings, if I remember you only get the top 8 teams on the first page?? That's not so bad, but just to see the points column requires scrolling to the right several times...man that sucks...also, I noticed there's no longer a stat for top scorers in the entire league, only team top scorer and you can see this for each team, not an overall division top scorer chart - this is the first year that has been omitted - once again EA can't resist taking stuff out...anyhoo on from the menus already
- Graphics are nothing short of spectacular - high res and colourful...but, the FPS is still not quite up to scratch - the old stutter problem from 2003 is still apparent - and my system is pretty kickass (P4 2.4Ghz 800MhzFSB+HT, 1GBRAM, 128MBG4Ti4200 8x, WD80GB 7200+8Mbuffer HDD, XP ProSP1). I can run Tron 2.0 like a charm - too fast if anything on max details! Anyhow, I can live with that....the lighting is great and the stadiums are fantastic - lower league grounds look awesome!
* Why are lower division teams wearing last years uniforms?? Why couldn't EA get this season's??
I have some gripes about gameplay though....first the negative stuff....FYI tho this is on semi-pro, perhaps these things improve on Pro???
the overall game speed seems a bit slow for me - some people may like it like that but I prefer a tiny but faster (maybe this can be edited in the ini.big?) - the players are a bit sluggish and sometimes the old delayed-reaction is still evident (i.e. push the tackle button then you win the ball and your player clears it)
- It's easier to score from distance than close range, honestly....
- While player keeper AI is good, the CPU keeper AI is bad...they seem to let a striker standing right next to them on the goal line just head the ball in from a cross way too easily and too frequently
- CPU AI always attacks down the middle (I think maybe because the default style for all teams is 'posession', and they always just pass it directly on the ground to the centre forward who CHARGES at 100mph toward your goal - it can be very hard (if not impossible) to catch him up when this happens - this results in a 1v1 with your keeper - usually the CPU misses these point blank shots as well - unrealistic
- it's very hard to break down the defence (this can be a good thing - it would suck if it was too easy) but i find you feel you have to resort to long rangers too ofte, because they have more chance of going in!
- Is it possible to do a through ball lob or do all lobs go to the receiver's chest/head?
- are proper volleys possible?
- is it possible to round a defender with a skill move?
- replays suck - they only show the last few moments of the goal when the best bit is the build up
- bug - if a player gets subbed during the game (CPU only subs if a player is injured) then in the replays/highlights they are invisible!
- too many injuries
- too many niggling fouls called
- too many red cards given (straight reds)
- CPU keeper throws/rolls the ball out to it's defence too often when player striker is close by - unrealistic - can score often from these mistakes
- net physics suck- like a steel cage..this i'll agree PES kicks FIFA
- only Home team gets dirt on the kits - BUG
- Career mode isonly 5 years - Danny you lied to us! - LIE
- field could be bigger (editable i think)
- no weather - LIE
Good things:
- free kicks (apart from going way too fast - unrealistic) - good system
- ground passes/lobs are good and feel analog - i.e. freedom of direction...very cool, not so scripted
- headers possible at last!
- excellent randomness of play
- player keeper AI is good
- animations look excellent
- cut scenes are fantastic
- good variety of refs (last year there was one only in normal league play)
- Night time looks good
- Tackling is great
- Faces are awesome
- Corners are much improved
- penalties are good but keeper maybe saves too often....
Overall I give it 8/10 with room to be higher after patching to death.
Anyone that enjoyed prior FIFAs will like it, it's by far the best to date - buy it and patch it
