“It’s gone
from bad to worse for the goalkeeper – he’s having what they call a nightmare.”
The reason?
Well executed through-balls have led to four goals. The first was a sweet touch
pass from Landon Donovan onto the foot a new member to the team (one bearing a
name similar to the author of this review), a jostle with the defender followed
by a left-footed blast low-near corner that slid neatly under the diving keeper.
Then the latter-named player returned the favor, leading to a 25-yard sprint
before Donovan eludes the keeper with a well-placed shot to the far corner.
The game was
possession after that, and the qualifying World Cup match victory was secured.
What joy!
What excitement! What fun! EA Sports is back at it with 2006 FIFA World Cup, an
Xbox title long on options, briskly paced and with a few new features that will
make the experience all the more enjoyable.
The game has
several ways to play, including an online component through Xbox Live. Other
game modes include Play Now, a new Global Challenge mode that recreates 40
classic moments in World Cup history using modern teams (you can earn rewards to
unlock legendary players and classic gear), Penalty Shootout (you can really
learn to direct shots with this mode), Practice, Team Management (you can create
players here) and My FIFA World Cup (profile management).
The graphics
are solid for the Xbox, with some nice ball movement and player ballhandling
skills that are intelligent. Of course what would the experience be without some
dynamic lighting effects and World Cup has that as well. Moving from the sun-lit
areas into the shadows created by the stadiums can cause a few problems. The
game is not without some visual setbacks, though. The camera is defaulted to the
broadcast mode and while that is a strong presentation, it can be hard to
determine where the defense is aligned on a run down the field.
While the
music is all over the place and does not seem as eclectic as the 360 title, one
of the easy highlights of the game is the play-by-play announcing of Clive
Tyldsley and Andy Townsend. There may be repetitive phrases used, but it always
seems appropriate and holds the excitement of the game very well.
The control
scheme seems more responsive than its next-gen counterpart, but there are some
options in the 360 not evident here. For example, the 360 enables players to
hot-key to menus on out-of-touch plays by using the D-pad. You can still do that
but you will need to hit the start button to pull up the menu interface. Just a
minor inconvenience. An eye must also be kept on the player’s stamina; if they
wear out, there is a greater chance they can lose the ball.
The left
analog stick controls movement and ball direction, while the right analog allows
for special moves. The rest of the control scheme falls in line with what was
seen in previous games in the franchise. The shooting mechanics have undergone
some upgrades, allowing button-pressure sensitive touches.
In addition
to the ability to create a player and place him on the World Cup side of your
choice, the pre-built international cast of players does resemble their
real-life counterparts, not only in appearance, but with their skills. There are
127 teams that head into the qualification tourney, playing in official stadiums
that are rendered out very nicely. Of course, with the 127 teams come 127
national anthems, and a wonderful stadium fly-in. The FIFAWorldCup.com Zone
features in-game videos of 2006 World Cup, and multiplayer (when available) will
allow eight-way multiplayer sessions.
The FIFA
Lounge is new this year, through Xbox Live, allowing players to hook up for
ranked or unranked matches. The experience is rich and while there are
occasional lag issues, they are minor.
This is a
World Cup year and EA has done a terrific job in bringing the passion, the
excitement and the skill of the “beautiful game” to the Xbox console platform.
It is challenging, and a lot of fun.
Or, to quote
the announcer: “It’s the best job in the world watching this class of football.”
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Gameplay:
8.3
The game has some
load times but the controls are reasonably tight. The options package is rich
and allows for great entertainment value. The AI can be a little suspect at
times, though, with players stopping moving once they lose the ball but quickly
tapping the appropriate button gets players back into the game in a hurry.
Graphics:
8.0
The in-game
animation is solid and the stadiums are well done. Dynamic lighting and shadows,
instant replays all add to the thrill.
Sound:
8.5
The musical score
is Ok, but the stars of the show are the announcers and the crowd noises.
Difficulty: Medium
The game has a
variety of difficulty settings to enable players to set up the challenge quite
well.
Concept:
8.4
Customization
packages always add to the thrill of the game, as well as being able to place
yourself into the game. FIFA World Cup for 2006 offers that, enriching the
experience.
Multiplayer: 8.3
Ranked or
unranked matches through Xbox Live provide more depth to the game.
Overall:
8.5
The controls are
more responsive than the 360 platform, and there is the create-a-player option
to put you squarely into the heat of the battle. The 2006 FIFA World Cup edition
is definitely a lot of fun to play, and provides a solid challenge as well.
