When Iwas kid, FIFA was the only real football game around. FIFA 95 on the Megadrive was a classic, but then along came another, better game to take FIFA's crown. Pro Evolution.

The PS2 version is the first to hit the shelves with an Xbox 360 release to follow shortly.

The PlayStation 2 version looks very impressive despite the fact that the PS2 is soon to become " last Generation " hardware.

When people criticise FIFA they come up with the same old comments.

1 - Has too much of an Arcade feel.
2 - The graphics never seem up to standard.
3 - The players AI is never very good.

Well EA seem to have listened because the have got just about everything right in this version.

The game engine has been re-worked, the artificial intelligence of the players is no longer the preserve of the stupid, the ball physics are new and there are plenty more animations for the players to name but a few improvements to the game.

All the menu systems etc have been updated with the old EA magic to make them more appealing and it works. The game is easier to manage and get around without have to remember various menu settings etc. Players names have been updated, all the teams have been updated. Up until late August 2006.

The game play is much improved, no longer can you just shoot from 50 yards and it is certain to go in. You need to work at a goal. Build up from the back, passing and movement. Play the ball into positions. The defenders are quick to close in on you. So you don’t have the chance to run into easy goal scoring positions like older versions. All this makes for a very improved game on last years version.

When you shoot with the ball it feels more like you are in control of where the ball will go. On the old FIFA it felt like there was a set 8 places the ball could go. Top left, Top Middle, Top Right etc and it would end up in one of those positions. With the new FIFA the ball feels like it will go just about anywhere in the goal.

There is a fuller and more organized manager mode but it is nothing compared to games like Football or Championship manager. It has its good parts and makes for an added bonus to actually playing the game all the time. The stadiums have a good atmosphere with most of the worlds best stadiums modelled in all there glory, the ‘live’ commentary also adds to the experience.

The multiplayer component has been improved thanks an interactive League game, where you can play as your favourite team against others alongside the real schedule – so at full time you can compare your scores to the real thing..

But if you connect the game to the online services you really open up the possibilities. You can play as your favourite team through real-life fixtures on a weekly basis against players from all over the world. And while you are online, breaking news, live scores and results are shown on-screen as part of a deal with ESPN and you can even update your teams with the latest transfer news.

























mcfaddenben - Console Central