My new FIFA 2008. What have we got?

STOP! What a history of the past? A new history has stared started! I got my FIFA 08! Unfortunately, I had not much time to play and explore new features but I already have some comments. I have played only two kick-offs with MU and tried two new features: Be A Pro (when You choose one player to play) and Zone Play (when You choose one or more lines of formation to play). That was interesting, however, as I had worried, it is difficult, a little bit boring and unusual not to be able to control the whole team. What is more, I didn't like one more thing. No matter what position your selected player is playing in, with pressing E you can control the keeper. A little bit unfair, isn't it?

I explored some more sad details. Anyway, it is only a few notes as for the first time. And now You can watch my first goal in FIFA 08 scored by Tevez:


PS. When it comes to FIFA games history, I promise to write it whole someday if You want.
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FIFA game history (1995-1997 versions)

After the FIFA'94 success, EA developed the FIFA'95 exclusively for Sega's 16-bit console (Mega Drive, to be accurate). New version had the same engine with only minor retouches and the most essential change was the first time adding about 200 club teams to the series. Players could then play England, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United States, Spain and Brazil leagues, tournaments and playoffs. Also new, a battery backup allowed to save up to four competitions in the cartridge, replacing passwords. And, of course, a football lottery was brought to the FIFA. The Penalty Shootout training mode was added.

FIFA'96 came with the tag- line "Next Generation Soccer" and that was the truth. The version of 1996 is the first FIFA game to feature real-time 3D graphics on the 3DO, Sega Saturn, PlayStation and PC, using technology called "Virtual Stadium". The game's commentary was also revolutionary at the time. Famous British commentator John Motson commented all the incidents and happenings on the pitch in real-time and his phrases varied enough not to make gamers bored. Another one great feature appeared then. It was the first time in the FIFA series when players had real names and positions. There were ranking, transfer and team customization tools. Thats is more, FIFA' 96 boasted eleven leagues, 59 International teams and even International tournaments such as the World Cup.

Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo Entertainment System versions, however, had the simply engine of FIFA'95 with updated teams and graphics (the 32X version features 3D enhanced graphics).

The main changes in FIFA'97 was the inclusion of 6-a-side indoor soccer mode and practicing possibilities. Gamers could choose between action or simulation styles, with fouls, injuries and offsides available to toggle on or off. All player moves was copied from David Ginola using the MotionBlending technology. Full interactive replays were included. It was the historical version of the FIFA series, cause commentator Andy Gray debuted in it. The same guy who comments matches in FIFA'06 and '07.

Hmm, but maybe the most vivid image would the scene from the game itself. Here we go: 6 on 6 and normal match in FIFA'97:

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FIFA game history (1993)

A few days have left till the FIFA 2008 will be released. Therefore I will try to fill these days of impatience with history of this unique video game.

The first version of the game appeared on the late 1993. It was named FIFA International Soccer, but also known as FIFA'94. FIFA series somehow is the most successful job of the EA sports video games, cause it had the strongest competitors. While there was no major competition when EA released both the first titles in their Madden NFL and NHL series, football video games such as Sensible Soccer, Kick Off or Matchday Soccer were being developed since the late eighties and were already competitive games in the Football video games market when EA announced FIFA. To my mind, FIFA has the strongest opponents nowadays too. For example, nobody compares NBA Live with some other basketball game, but everybody discusses which is better: FIFA or PES?

However, let's return to FIFA' 94. It has changed traditional 16-bit era games attitude to football by presenting an isometric view rather than the usual top-down view (Kick Off), side view (European Club Soccer), or bird's-eye view (Sensible Soccer). The Sega Mega CD version includes some features from the next title, and is a highly polished version of the original. A notorious bug allows the player to score directly from an apposing goal kick by standing in front of the goal keeper so that the ball rebounds off him into the net.


Released for: Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Master System, Mega-CD, Game Gear, SNES, DOS, Amiga, 3DO, Game Boy
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Sit and watch FIFA 08

SoOOOoo...here we have some FIFA 2008 trailers today. First of them was really first of them:



Now the one which is somehow called official:




And the last but not the least is this unofficial trailer that was made by Blue dreamer. "Not official, i made it myself because the official trailer was a bit boring and because I was bored", the creator explains.


FIFA 2008: My Own Made Trailer - Click here for the most popular videos
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Some more hopes about FIFA 2008

The days are dying and the F-day is getting closer and closer. Everyone of us is waiting not only the new game. We hope that some little mismatches are eliminated. So I read what EA Sports promises and just thought of it.

Enhanced AI — New defensive and positioning logic requires greater tactical expertise to break down the opposition. New AI ensures players are in the right place at the right time. Player and team traits differentiate the stars, says EA Sports.

As the AI had been improved, I hope I'll have to say goodbye to that trick which almost always guarantied a goal in FIFA'07, no matter on which level I'd been playing. I'm talking about the situation when you get the ball with a side midfielder or forward and run straight to the end line and than turn square to the goal. There are no defenders that could stop you running like that in the FIFA'07. I 'd like there would be a few in 08.


Manager Mode Improvements – New features include pre-season friendlies to test your team before a campaign, new training options to hone your squad of players and dynamic board expectations that change depending on your successes … or failures, promise creators.

Wonderful, I reflect, but have some more desires concerned with Manager mode. In FIFA version of 2007, if you manage a poor team, for example, a club from the fourth division of England, don't be naive and don't let yourself even dream that someday, when you get in the Premier League, you will be able to choose from the greatest sponsors. If the team you've got is poor, you can virtually increase your budget only by building bigger stadium. I think it's unfair and waiting for the look to the new Manager Mode version in FIFA 2008.



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Football melodies

Like every year, FIFA game brings us not only the new video but the new audio also. FIFA 08 soundtrack is one of its largest soundtracks ever with 50 artists representing 27 countries, they say this time.
Musicians are always glad to get into this game cause it's a good promotion. However, I think I won't buy or even load from the internet any of game's soundtrack songs ever. Why? Cause they are either famous enough before releasing the FIFA so I already know(and maybe have got them) or after a few times of hearing among electronic football matches, they associate only with the game. However this one - The Hoosiers "Goodbye Mr. A" - is one those classical ones. It's a song that has the spirit of EA Sports' FIFA. You should hear it.



As I mentioned before, FIFA'08 soundtrack has 50 artists, including Babamars (France), Bodyrox (UK), Junkie XL (Holland), and Santogold (USA), Simian Mobile Disco (UK), CSS (Brazil), Datarock (Norway), Dover (Spain), Ivy Queen (Puerto Rico), Junkie XL (Holland), Maximo Park (UK), Mexican Institute of Sound (Mexico), Planet Funk (Italy), Superbus (France), The Cat Empire (Australia), and Wir Sind Helden (Germany) and so on. Some of them You can hear and watch here. But I want tho show one more song from the soundtrack. Peter Bjorn And John from Sweden offer not only beautiful song "Young Folks" but also the wonderful video clip:


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Customization. If they don't lie...

The EA Sports promises a great customization in every aspect of the game on the official site. The truth can be questioned until the FIFA'08 appears, but let us believe in the creators (we are so anxious to believe, don't we?). So let's look closer at the improvements of the game and analyze them:

• EA Sports boasts of new Manual Controls — Dictate the play with new manual controls for through-passing and crossing. Control the goalkeeper in one-on-one situations to deny the striker yourself. Use the right-stick to quickly switch to the exact player you want to control when defending.
  

We have already been controlling the goalkeeper in one-on-one situations (just press E and direction keys) since I don't remember when. But when the keeper runs close to the forward with the ball, PC just turns in auto regime. So it would be a great improvement if we could control keeper's arms and legs separately or there would be some exclusive movements. On the other hand, it will be very difficult to make exactly what you want. It's always very tough to manage too many buttons. The same problem could appear with that quickly switching when defending. I already imagine how we will swear after three or four goals against us just because of the inaccuracy of pushing the direction keys.

• EA sports also say to us: Be A Pro: Co-op Season — Take on the role of a professional footballer, create your own player and test yourself in one position for an entire season. Master positioning, improve your attributes and develop into an elite player.

Yes, to feel like a real star is one the greatest pleasure that you can get from the sports simulation game. However, there are some danger too. You can lock one player and play only with him in, for example, NBA LIVE, but sometimes PC just don't give You a ball. And there are only five players on the basketball team. How many changes You will have to get the ball if You'll play in a team of 11 players?

• And here we have the... Custom Formations — Design your own unique strategy to create the perfect formation and tactics. Set each player’s exact position in the formation, and assign specific attacking and defensive runs to unlock the opposition.

It is wonderful, WON-DER-FULL! Finally I got it! No more restrictions, no more pre-formulate formation. I will be able to play with 4 forwards or to make my side forwards to become midfielders when defending. That is a real freedom. I can't say nothing critical. Yes, except the fact that I won't believe before I could try...:)
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The F-day is coming but demo is not the thing we need

The real day of releasing FIFA' 08 has been revealed yet. It will be September or November, depending on the region, they say (I put the exact dates on the bottom of this post but I don't claim they won't change). If you want you can already try DEMO on your PC. Demos on Xbox360 and PS3 will be able from tomorrow.

However, personally me don't like demos. They are too short, too little and just make me nervous. I want the game, the large number of great teams and thousands of familiar players, not the match between two teams which the EA sports have chosen. It's a kind of marketing and making money, I know. But it's unfair. Do you agree with me?

The only significant demo of FIFA soccer was released in the year 2000. The new version of the game had the new version of using buttons. Pushing Shift + A or S or D, etc. had lost that magic power to trick the opponent as it was in FIFA'99 . Therefore the demo was very useful for me because I learned the experience of playing FIFA had changed.

After FIFA 2000 the only essential thing players could notice in the demo was graphics. Yes, graphics is important, but the game experience is vital.

And what do you think about demos?

THE LIST OF PLANNED RELEASES:

For PC, PS2, Xbox360, PSP, NDS and Wii:

• Australia - September 27
• European Union - September 28
• USA - October 9
  

For PS3:

• Australia - September 27
• European Union - September 28
• USA - October 16
  

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Can't help waiting

Recently Fifa'07 is being played more than a few months ago, I think. It's the phenomenon that FIFA soccer brings every year. In the end of the spring you get a little bit bored about the game but then the August comes and something begins to rise in the heart. You feel the new version of FIFA is coming to the shops. But before that lucky day you should do something. The weeks are long and the waiting is terrible, so you just play the older version of FIFA...
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