FIFA Soccer 07
Added October 27th, 2006 by Serenity Now
EA recently invited Talk Xbox to their Canadian studios for some quality hands-on time with their latest offering in the world of soccer, FIFA 07. We’re back and have the complete lowdown on what to expect.
To kick things off, it must be said: this is not the FIFA of yesteryear. It’s an entirely new ballgame thanks to not just “renovated” gameplay mechanics, but an entirely new engine, focusing on AI, animation and physics, that’s been in development for the past 2 years. With this, EA has placed upon themselves three goals – to create a true next-generational experience for Xbox 360 owners, capture realism for a less scripted game of soccer, and to make the outcome of matches completely unpredictable. They’re working to accomplish these objectives by freeing up the invisible boundary between the ball and player, allowing for a fully interactive playing field that’s ready to be molded by anyone who picks up the controller. Essentially what this means is the ball will go anywhere you want it to without any red tape or meddling. On both the defensive and offensive ends this is no doubt ground-breaking, from the passing game to breakaway chances.
Due to the new gameplay engine, EA felt obliged to implement a new control layout as well. Say goodbye to switching players with a face-button, as now the left trigger is utilized for this action. This frees up the other half of the controller to form a more tactical system, with the A button carrying out a player press and the B button executing a secondary press. Another aspect that’s brought to the table is style shots – chip, driven and finesse. If you combine a well-timed shot with one of these technique strikes, you will have a solid chance at getting the ball pass the keeper, but remember, it all boils down to timing due to the new physics engine. If you hold down the shoot button too long, you will send the ball flying into the stands depending on where you’re located on the field. To add to this, ball movement actually depends on where it contacts your foot, so be extra careful.
The next exciting feature of FIFA 07 is its player individuality system, which bases players on 43 traits and 35 attributes in conjunction to their real life counterparts. With over 2,000 athletes and 6 leagues on board, this was obviously a vigorous challenge, but with new stat-tracking technology the developers seem to have taken the task in full stride. This aforementioned stat-tracking technology will track each player the entire span of the match, allowing you to pick up on the routines and patterns of your opponents for future brawls. This is the type of strategic gameplay soccer fans have sought after for years, and EA is finally making it a reality.
You may be thinking to yourself this all appears a tad too confusing and complex. You’re not alone – and, as a result, EA will be uploading tutorials to viral video websites such as YouTube to instruct gamers on the ins and outs of FIFA 07. Unlike Madden 07 where these would cost you MS Points on Xbox Live Marketplace, lectures on how to utilize the new controls, ball physics and other miscellaneous facets will be entirely free for anyone to view. In my opinion, this is the correct move. If we’re going to be dropping 60 bones on something, the very least the developers can do is inform us how to use it.
On the presentation front, FIFA 07 will come across as a tweaked 2006 FIFA World Cup. Most of the development time here has been spent on reworking the gameplay, and when you couple the fact that there are thousands of players, you’re going to have fairly barebones facial animations and character modeling. On a more positive note, the 20+ environments are first-rate at every angle, with superb lighting effects and true-to-life grass texturing. However, diverse and comprehensive weather settings would have without question raised the overall level of the graphics.
Perhaps the best aspect of the production lies within FIFA 07’s loading screen mini-game, an NBA Live-esque, third-person romp that pits you against the keeper. Something I admired about this feature was how it will permit you to continue practicing until you signify you want to begin the match. Oftentimes you’ll find yourself spending 10 to 20 minutes just messing around with the different technique shots and skill moves.
Remember FIFA 2000? Me neither, but if you do recall, you’ll know it possessed commentary that was of United States origin. In other words, it was complete and total rubbish. No worries this year, as the commentary sounds as authentic and bona-fide as ever. Moreover, it has been stated that the target audience for FIFA 07 is the Hispanic crowd – so you will have a choice between Spanish commentary and text or the default English setup. Soundtrack-wise, this year’s track-list will boast a slew of incredible songs and bands, including the brilliant “Nothing in My Way” by Keane, “Sewn” by The Feeling, and Muse’s “Supermassive Black Hole.”
The Outlook:
Gamers with even the slightest interest in soccer will fall in love with FIFA 07. It doesn’t add much in the line of fresh modes, but what it does do is lay a firm foundation with its mile deep gameplay and revolutionary physics engine for future titles of the sport. And while the learning curve may be a hair too steep for your casual player, free online tutorials should help everyone get the most out of their game. Keep it right here for our full review when it drops.
To kick things off, it must be said: this is not the FIFA of yesteryear. It’s an entirely new ballgame thanks to not just “renovated” gameplay mechanics, but an entirely new engine, focusing on AI, animation and physics, that’s been in development for the past 2 years. With this, EA has placed upon themselves three goals – to create a true next-generational experience for Xbox 360 owners, capture realism for a less scripted game of soccer, and to make the outcome of matches completely unpredictable. They’re working to accomplish these objectives by freeing up the invisible boundary between the ball and player, allowing for a fully interactive playing field that’s ready to be molded by anyone who picks up the controller. Essentially what this means is the ball will go anywhere you want it to without any red tape or meddling. On both the defensive and offensive ends this is no doubt ground-breaking, from the passing game to breakaway chances.
Due to the new gameplay engine, EA felt obliged to implement a new control layout as well. Say goodbye to switching players with a face-button, as now the left trigger is utilized for this action. This frees up the other half of the controller to form a more tactical system, with the A button carrying out a player press and the B button executing a secondary press. Another aspect that’s brought to the table is style shots – chip, driven and finesse. If you combine a well-timed shot with one of these technique strikes, you will have a solid chance at getting the ball pass the keeper, but remember, it all boils down to timing due to the new physics engine. If you hold down the shoot button too long, you will send the ball flying into the stands depending on where you’re located on the field. To add to this, ball movement actually depends on where it contacts your foot, so be extra careful.
The next exciting feature of FIFA 07 is its player individuality system, which bases players on 43 traits and 35 attributes in conjunction to their real life counterparts. With over 2,000 athletes and 6 leagues on board, this was obviously a vigorous challenge, but with new stat-tracking technology the developers seem to have taken the task in full stride. This aforementioned stat-tracking technology will track each player the entire span of the match, allowing you to pick up on the routines and patterns of your opponents for future brawls. This is the type of strategic gameplay soccer fans have sought after for years, and EA is finally making it a reality.
You may be thinking to yourself this all appears a tad too confusing and complex. You’re not alone – and, as a result, EA will be uploading tutorials to viral video websites such as YouTube to instruct gamers on the ins and outs of FIFA 07. Unlike Madden 07 where these would cost you MS Points on Xbox Live Marketplace, lectures on how to utilize the new controls, ball physics and other miscellaneous facets will be entirely free for anyone to view. In my opinion, this is the correct move. If we’re going to be dropping 60 bones on something, the very least the developers can do is inform us how to use it.
On the presentation front, FIFA 07 will come across as a tweaked 2006 FIFA World Cup. Most of the development time here has been spent on reworking the gameplay, and when you couple the fact that there are thousands of players, you’re going to have fairly barebones facial animations and character modeling. On a more positive note, the 20+ environments are first-rate at every angle, with superb lighting effects and true-to-life grass texturing. However, diverse and comprehensive weather settings would have without question raised the overall level of the graphics.
Perhaps the best aspect of the production lies within FIFA 07’s loading screen mini-game, an NBA Live-esque, third-person romp that pits you against the keeper. Something I admired about this feature was how it will permit you to continue practicing until you signify you want to begin the match. Oftentimes you’ll find yourself spending 10 to 20 minutes just messing around with the different technique shots and skill moves.
Remember FIFA 2000? Me neither, but if you do recall, you’ll know it possessed commentary that was of United States origin. In other words, it was complete and total rubbish. No worries this year, as the commentary sounds as authentic and bona-fide as ever. Moreover, it has been stated that the target audience for FIFA 07 is the Hispanic crowd – so you will have a choice between Spanish commentary and text or the default English setup. Soundtrack-wise, this year’s track-list will boast a slew of incredible songs and bands, including the brilliant “Nothing in My Way” by Keane, “Sewn” by The Feeling, and Muse’s “Supermassive Black Hole.”
The Outlook:
Gamers with even the slightest interest in soccer will fall in love with FIFA 07. It doesn’t add much in the line of fresh modes, but what it does do is lay a firm foundation with its mile deep gameplay and revolutionary physics engine for future titles of the sport. And while the learning curve may be a hair too steep for your casual player, free online tutorials should help everyone get the most out of their game. Keep it right here for our full review when it drops.
