09-11-2008, 04:52 PM
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#38
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Rookie
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Re: FIFA 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here
Man, this is the most blown away I have been since the first time I picked up winning eleven all those years back. If that is the day that completely converted me to WE, I anticipate that the release date in October will completely convert me back to FIFA. What I mean by that is I probably will not be getting WE for the first time in many years as I feel that FIFA if the demo is any indication eclipses winning eleven in every way. I really am that blow away. After reconfiguring the control to WE controls, I kept having to pause the game because I just could not believe that this was FIFA. For the most part, this is the next gen game that I anticipated Konami coming out with not EA. It just reminds me so much of WE9 actually.
After playing 25 demo games I have a few impressions
Offense:
Shooting is incredible as shots will rise starting out low as it starts inching close to the net only to see it go too high. This is unlike 08 where I felt that I knew the shot was high immediately. In this case its awesome to see a shot look great and for that split second you feel excited hopeful only to be let down as it kept rising. Great stuff! Shooting isn't necessarily easier, since I was not able to score from distance, but you feel like with enough space you will score. The computer did store a rocket from just inside the box, where drogba layed it off after skying to trap it, only to have Malouda one time it with a fierce shot .
Ground passing:
Passing on semi or manual is incredible. Passing will miss but you will connect with better players. This is where the difference in quality is most apparent. Playing as Real, I was not always able to connect, but more often then not I did and when making correct reads as your players ACTUALLY move to you for the ball rather then run away from it, great combination play happened.
Crossing, aerial passing:
When playing as Real, ground passing was the way I played due to the quickness and personal control I felt the players portrayed. I tried to play the same way with Chelsea, and it was not as successful as more of my passes strayed. Instead, I decided to play the ball as fast as I could making long passes. My goal was to complete 3-5 passes and shooting as soon as I was close enough. WOW... This worked wonders. Playing against Madrid, I felt that all my players were much stronger, winning most balls in the air. I would play it with my CB out wide and just run until trapped and hit it either quickly in the middle on the ground for an aerial pass switch or just play it immediately in the air near the oppositions box. This stragety worked wonders because I was able to lay off a lot of passes either using my head or trapping and using my feet. I cant stress how great the moment is in this game as many of my lay offs found on coming players where then I would either pass it off quickly or shoot right away. I tried this same style with Real with no luck. Their players just did not seem as good in the air and were not strong enough to win the second ball.
AI:
As mentioned, I used each team differently playing to their strengths. The computer did the same thing. I actually ripped off the comps style of play with Chelsea that is why I switched over to the quick aerial attack.
In the demo:
Real are a quick ground passing team completing many passes in a controlled way
Chelsea are a team that would build up using few passes often trying to hit Drogba long having him hold up the ball and pass it off
AC Milan are a defensive team with a lot of skill who were very good at clogging the middle of the field making it very difficult to complete interior passes against. Usually played the ball on the ground but not in the same way Real. I felt that the comp built up their play slower
Schalke: Tough, very strong, defensive unit who overpowered me at times but I managed to get behind them as they did not see to have the same pace as the other teams. Used long balls to lead to goal opportunties.
NY RB: They just were not that good managed 60% possession. If the demo was longer I would have slowed down my attacks and probably ended up with 70% of the ball.
Defense:
Slide tackling is GREAT. Holding the jockey down and then timing a slide tackle never felt more fun. My players reacted very well to where I was moving my player to close down the opposition. This is much improved over 08 where I felt my best strategy was to pressure holding down both first and second defender buttons. In 09 it did entirely depend on who I was playing. If real played the ball in the air and I was chelsea it was not very difficult to defend. But when they would play it on the ground, I tried not to pressure too much and would wait for their move and I found that my players intercepted and closed down really well.
Heading and the physical element of the game really cannot be put into words as I think this could be the biggest improvement. It just feels so rewarding to be able to play a certain style and win and then play a completely different style and win that way too. This I believe is due to this element of the game. Chelsea were just so much stronger then Real, they were also more aggressive in winning headers. You just need to play the game to really know what I am talking about.
Yes calling that the biggest upgrade by no means is a knock on the overall improvement on the responsiveness of the game. This was my biggest complaint with 08. The responsiveness like this is something that I feel was always the strength of winning eleven over FIFA. Well, that just is not the case anymore. The days of making a long pass only to have my players slowly react and run back to have the computer intercept it are long gone. Passing is so fluid now that when my attack is looking to receive the ball, once the pass is made I can control just how fast I want him to run towards it. Finally the feeling of being stuck in mud is gone!
If Konami thinks they can just release an upgrade of 2008 then they are sadly mistaken as FIFA has improved far beyond what any soccer game to this point has had to offer. Yes, I know it is just the demo, but unless the game digresses drastically from this build, Konami has a lot to worry about.
This month is going to go very slowly as the 2 minute halves in the demo are killing me.
PS. Can you adjust the camera in the demo? I tried and was unable to.
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