FIFA Soccer 2004 Preview

Developer	Electronic Arts Canada
Publisher	Electronic Arts
Genre	Sports
Release Date	10/28/03

Perhaps one of these years Electronic Arts will give soccer fanatics in North America a timely release on their fabled FIFA title. While American football fanatics get to warm up for weeks prior to the new season on the latest Madden or NCAA game, we have to wait several months into the new seasons before we can indulge our true "football fantasies."

All the sour grapes about the October/November release date aside, this FIFA, as usual, looks to be getting quite a work over. Expect the obligatory improved graphics and tweaked gameplay; but also look for three special improvements soccer gamers have been waiting for: a true franchise mode, online play, and for the first time on any console soccer sim, the ability to make moves "off the ball."

Fear Relegation
FIFA plus its license has always had the upperhand over other games in terms of being able to play with real players and real teams. Indeed, the last three installments or so have featured the ability to play not only in pretty much every European league, but also to campaign through both the Champions League and UEFA Cup. Still, the realism of management has paled compared to what other EA sports games offer, like Madden or NCAA Football.

Up until now, injuries to players are a rather minor nuisance, substituting for fatigue, or having to rotate players due to close match fixtures has NEVER been a factor. More importantly, success of failure on the field has never put you in danger of losing your job (or getting a better one.) Basically, most realistic management aspects have been oversimplified or not included at all. In 2004 you will actually feel the pressures of being a manager. This new Franchise Mode will be driven by a manger’s "prestige" so expect to feel the heat from the Chairman if you fail on the field.

Online Soccer Gaming is Here!
Soccer gamers who choose FIFA are also going to benefit from EA’s online exclusivity deal with Sony Online. A console soccer online for the first time in North America alone should be a huge draw to many foot enthusiasts and should increase the already solid sales totals of the FIFA series. Of course, the success of online play entirely depends on players keeping the servers busy – but we are guessing this will not be a problem.

Pass the Ball Mate, Pass the Ball
A new franchise mode and (woot!) online play sound like enormous improvements, but the most radical move on EA’s part may lie in the in-game engine. EA boasts that this will be the first footy game to feature Off The Ball moves. Hereto jamming on a shoulder button as you evade challenge after challenge to make someone break for a run was the only way to get your teamates involved in the action. And while it increases realism to be able to pass to a cutting teamate, really feeling in control of teamates "off the ball" moves has been lacking in games of this type.

EA promises to change all this with its new OTB system. While we applaud the developers for trying what could turn out to be the most innovative footy engine tweak ever, we have to remain a little pessimistic until we actually get the final product in our hands. To be honest, the new freestyle system introduced last year, utilizing the second analog joystick was a similarly bold move, but still proves to be more cumbersome than useful as we continue to work out on FIFA 2003 in anticipation of 2004’s release. How FIFA will pull off this so called OTB system and still maintain freestyle will be interesting to see. Nimble up those hands for a workout this season footy players!

We already learned in 2003’s edition that the dribble was not going to get it done anymore. Maintaining control of the ball at speed was just too difficult. Given the complex and ambitious plans for 2004 we are guessing giving up the ball early will be the order of the day yet again.

Another "New" FIFA in 2004?
Regardless of how the big three changes workout (Franchise mode, online play, and OTB) you can definitely expect slicker graphics, more realistic stadia, and all of those lovely detailed kits featuring manufacturer’s logos and shirt sponsors. (Though the absence of the Nike swish continues to niggle and annoy this footy enthusiast.) Expect better AI and ball/player physics as well.

Hate or love this franchise, I don’t think anyone can accuse EA of standing pat on its soccer games in recent years. Will the finer subtleties of a proper soccer match finally shine through in FIFA 2004? Will players notice the slick and complex attacking moves of Real Madrid, the furious-counter of Man Utd, the suffocating ball control and defense of Juventus? Probably not; but kudos to EA, they sure keep trying. And we will definitely be all over this title when it comes out this October.

Preview by Paul Michael