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What we played was the game’s alpha build, so there are still a few coats of polish to go on, but even at this stage, it’s a very good looking game. Visually, the first thing you notice is the addition of different weather conditions. We only played in snow, but it looked pretty unrealistic and had no impact on how the game played. The second change, and one that massively impacts the game, is how much slower FIFA 10 plays; it’s closer to FIFA 08 than FIFA 09. Watching someone else play, I didn’t particularly like the fact that its slower, but playing it myself I realised that it didn’t matter, because it actually contributed towards making FIFA 10 a more focussed simulation.
There are also new animations in FIFA 10, but there’s just so many of them and they’re all so elaborate, that way too often players would just trip over one another, lose their balance, or just lose the ball. Other times, they would play the ball using animations that weren’t appropriate for that situation. It was disconcerting to see how many times players of opposing teams would collide and fall to the ground. The referee too would get a little too involved in the action, and in every match, the ball would hit the ref at least twice, resulting in a very annoying change of possession.
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What the slower pace brings to FIFA 10, however, is a more deliberate and realistic style of football. The ball moves from defence to offence the way it would in the real game. The ball feels more weighty now as is evident in the increased power you will need to put into passes and shots on goal. The ball also travels slower through the air now, and for corners and long free kicks (as well as the new custom set pieces feature), the pace is now ideal.
Defending is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, the new jostling system is brilliant. No longer will a pacey striker leave a stronger but slower defender for dead. Strong defenders can now outmuscle faster opponents, but the system also leaves the door open for the striker to get back in there and win the ball back. Off the ball defending is also much improved and the urgency in defending that EA has been highlighting is very much in evidence.
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The downside though is the defence doesn’t really hold its shape, neither does the rest of the team for that matter. When a side back pushes forward, you expect a mid-fielder to cover him at the back, but instead in FIFA 10 (like previous games in the series), all you get is a gaping hole for the opposition to exploit. Even with the ball in your possession, players move out of their positions way too often, and it just isn’t very conducive to build-up play. This one thing EA are yet to pick up from the Pro Evolution Soccer games.
Another exciting new feature on paper was the 360-degree player movement. Honestly, I didn’t see too much evidence of it and the players moved very much like they do in FIFA 09, but maybe that’s a feature that’ll be worked in later in development. Also in desperate need of attention is the goalkeeper AI, which still seems rather dull even on Legendary difficulty.
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On the whole though, I believe FIFA 10 is a definite improvement over 09, even if, at this stage, it’s only marginal. The formation play and the implementation of the new animations need some work, but the game is showing a lot of promise. A lot of people who were playing the game with me kept comparing it to Pro Evolution Soccer. As someone who has been playing PES for the longest time, I don’t see where they got that idea. And I don’t know if they meant that in a good or bad way, but regardless, for the FIFA fan, this is a game that is unlikely to disappoint.
Next page: What two of IVG’s top FIFA players had to say about FIFA 10
With me at the EA showcase event were two IVG members, who are also ardent FIFA fans. You all know Omar (boltonfan), who represented India at FIWC last year. Along with him was Azaan (xzaanx), who was a finalist in our recently concluded IVG FIFA 09 League 2. Here’s what they thought of the game:
Omar’s impressions
This is the best FIFA game I have played yet, or to say the least, it is the closest that FIFA has got to the rival PES series in terms of gameplay. Before playing, I thought that this would be yet another FIFA, which was a polished version of the previous installment with some minor changes here and there. But boy, was I wrong!
To begin with, the arena looks very similar to FIFA 09, but once I started practicing with the player, I noticed that the ball mechanics have changed. The ball feels much heavier and so if I shoot the ball, it doesn’t bend tremendously or feel like it’s floating in the air. It feels more realistic.
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The game speed is a bit faster than that of FIFA 08 and slower than FIFA 09. It is perfect. FIFA 10 gives equal importance to physical strength as well as technical skills. Not only does one have to outplay the opponent (which Azaan did against me), but will have to also fight physical battles to win the ball back (which Azaan also did against me).
The jostling has been significantly improved. Players run alongside each other and fight and jostle for the ball just like they would in real life. This means it is not easy to just run through the defence with a fast player. A physical defender can equally match a fast striker. This shows that EA have worked on the defence mechanism and have considerably improved it.
Passing and crossing are more manual. A pass or cross does not guarantee that the ball will land exactly on the player’s feet. Heading is also tougher in this game, especially from corners. Even if one does head the ball, it is difficult to get it on target. The incorporation of quick free kicks has added to the surprise element and has made it easier to counterattack, so I’m not complaining.
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Along with the positives, there were some negatives too. During open play, the ball would hit the referee too often and the opponent would get the ball. Another major flaw I noticed was that the referee was giving frequent fouls even for X tackles. Also, I was fouled twice by the defender behind me when I was one-on-one with the keeper, but the defender only got a yellow card instead of the usual red. I was told that this was the E3 preview version of the game, which means that the game will go through many stages of polishing before release, and I hope all these flaws are ironed out.
Although I don’t want to say this, the game feels very similar to the PES series. All those who have played, have unanimously agreed. PES fans will love the game and FIFA loyalists will find this a different experience from previous versions. That said, I’m sure both sets of loyalists will appreciate the game as EA Sports have yet again produced a gem of a game and have raised the bar even further. The clock is ticking, Konami.
Azaan’s impressions
I have been a FIFA fanboy for more than half my life. Before FIFA 10, I’d played 15 FIFA games, but I’ve always had the feeling that PES was the better game when comparing gameplay. Last year, EA raised the bar high with gorgeous graphics and excellent online play, yet I felt disappointed with the gameplay and felt that FIFA 08’s gameplay was better. So I was a bit worried before playing FIFA 2010, fearing that all EA might do was improve the graphics and leave the gameplay unchanged. I was wrong.
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FIFA 10 looks quite similar to FIFA 09 in terms of presentation, but all this changes while you start a match. The graphics have not received a major overhaul, although the player animations and faces are slightly more realistic. The main changes are apparent in the gameplay. For the first time ever, players in FIFA run like real players do (some might say it is like PES, but I don’t agree because for years, PES has been the only game where the players ran properly).
The game pace is slower than FIFA 09, but faster than FIFA 08, thereby striking a perfect balance. Players move very smoothly and strikers bend their runs to remain onside. Defenders cover their areas well. At least mine did; I don’t know why Omar’s were not defending well. The jostling is outstanding, with the jostling winner now not dependent on pace but also on strength.
Crossing and through passes have also been improved. Gone are the days when you had to just put the ball in a particular area and the striker would head home. Now heading depends on timing your jump, the power you get on the header, and the placement. Shooting has improved as well, although hardcore FIFA 09 players might find it strange.
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Flaws are few, but cannot be ignored. The referee consistently got in the way of my passes, and the goalkeeper AI still needs improvement. Even on Legendary, keeping wasn’t great.
For three years now Konami have been losing their battle with EA due to online play and they may argue that they had better offline play. But this year, they probably will lose in offline play as well. I have not played PES 10 yet, but it would take something truly special to even come close to FIFA, let alone match it. First day buy for me.
Title: FIFA 10
Developer/Publisher: EA Vancouver/EA Sports
Genre: Sports
Rating: 3+
Release date: October 2, 2009
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, PSP, PC, Wii, DS, Mobile
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