One of the
things that made me a fan of the FIFA series is that it’s one of the easiest
sports games to get into. It’s not a weak game, but you don’t have to be a
soccer game pro (or be the sport’s biggest fan) to get the most out of the
game.
EA knows,
however, that FIFA has a hardcore audience to cater to and that you’re only a
newcomer once. Last year’s goods can only be good for so long. Thus the
addition of team chemistry, the FIFA 06 Lounge, new tactics implementation,
and other tweaks and additions that make the game more enjoyable.
FIFA 06’s
controls haven’t received a massive overhaul, but there are some notable
differences. From the start of the game you get to choose between classic
analog or digital dribbles, or new analog or digital dribbles. The new tactics
feature lets you change your attack and defense tactics at any time during
play. You do this by pressing the D-pad up, down, left or right (similar to
the way you assign tasks to your teammates in many third-person shooters).
Normally the
D-pad triggers attacks: Counter Attack, Box Overload, Wing Play and Third Man
Release. Hold down the L1 button and it switches to defense tactics: Pressing,
Zone Defense, Flat Back and Offside Trap. These are abbreviated in the game
(Offside Trap is OT, etc.). Attack and defense icons appear when you start
making a selection to indicate which ones have been chosen.
This was a
really effective way to get the tactics in there without killing the control
scheme or forcing the player to pause the game to make selections. It’s still
no cakewalk – FIFA is a game of constant movement. You’ve gotta keep your eye
on the ball at all times. But if I have a second or two to breathe, I have
plenty of time to select my tactics and go for the ball.
If you’re
looking to be challenged, look no further than FIFA 06’s challenge mode. There
are so many challenges you won’t know what to do at first. Win the
League/Championship is a common one, but there are more demanding challenges
where you’ll have to score within a certain timeframe. You will have to score
a hat trick to win or prove yourself in some other way.
The new
Lounge mode is a place where you and your friends can get together and play
offline. That seems backwards: a lounge for offline playing? Aren’t all the
players already in the same location? That’s true, but this way you can set up
competitions between you and your friends. Rewards are given to high-ranked
players, which is somewhat ironic. To rank high you must be the best, and
since the reward gives you an advantage in future games, your opponents will
have a much harder time catching up. Back to the tutorial…
FIFA 06 has
a good (if not basic) tutorial mode that makes sense out of the nonsense.
They’re straightforward videos. Moves are shown from various angles to present
the optimal view for each; watch ’em, take mental notes, and see if you can
nail the game’s toughest moves.
Designing a
homemade athlete has never been much of a chore. FIFA 06’s Create-A-Player
mode appears to be the opposite at first, having a plethora of options that
are not the standard for the genre. The focus is on creating a great character
with the proper stats. If you want to get crazy (don’t we all?) you can alter,
with precise detail, his nose, chin, jaw, lips, eyes, and ears, among others.
Picking from a list of pre-determined stats is boring, which is why this game
lets you increase and decrease nose size and nose position with the left and
right analog sticks.
Height and
weight seem to be limited, though I wonder if a cheat code will remedy that.
That exception notwithstanding, most players will be able to make their
homemade player as realistic or as goofy/creepy as they like.
For diehard
soccer fans, FIFA 06 includes 10,000 players spread over more than 21 leagues.
That sounds incredible compared to locally popular sports like football and
basketball, but not all of these leagues are hugely successful and not all of
them big stars playing for them. It’s nice to have them, as are the updated
stats and any other feature updates that change with the sport each season.
FIFA 05’s
soundtrack was a good source for European rock that hasn’t made it big in the
states. FIFA 06 is even better, having more than 20 tracks in rock, pop and
rap (mostly rock-type music). Doves, whose stateside release, "Black and White
Town," has been spinning in my CD player for months, is included in the game.
I’m sure I would have fallen in love with it now if I hadn’t heard it before,
just as I’ve begun searching for local releases of "Ashes" by Embrace, "Gotta
Reason" by Hard-Fi, and "Contact" by KYO.
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Gameplay: 8.7
It’s hard to say
that FIFA 06 is the best FIFA yet when you consider how great last year’s
edition was, but I’m gonna do it anyway. The silky-smooth, highly-realistic
controls are the source of this game’s superiority. Players who dare conquer
each single-player mode should grab a pillow, install a fridge, and see if
they can fit a port-a-potty into the room they game most frequently in (which
might be the bathroom…if you like that sort of thing). In other words,
you’re in for a very long journey.
Graphics: 8.6
It’s all in the
lighting. The players look detailed enough, but I spotted a few strange
animations in between plays when the camera was zoomed in close. Maybe that’s
the way soccer players move, but it didn’t look too realistic to me. The
lighting, however, is really something. When a game is about to start and the
camera pans around the stadium, or when the camera goes behind the goalie
before a kick, FIFA 06’s amazing engine pushes this incredible glow that only
Madden can match. The intricacy of the audience, and the consistency and
realism of the player animations during a game are also worth noting.
Sound: 8.8
Where can I buy
this soundtrack? You mean you’re not selling it? Are you crazy? FIFA 06 has
some of the best European rock I’ve heard since the last game was released.
The commentary is way above average, entertaining players with witty comments
and fewer repeats.
Difficulty: Medium
A hard-to-master
game that just got harder.
Concept: 8
Cheers for
tweaks. FIFA 06 another success story for the franchise. New mechanics, new
game modes, and more challenges.
Multiplayer: 8.9
FIFA 06 is a
solid single-player game, but you’d be crazy not to let yourself engage in
friendly (or not-so-friendly) competition with other real-life players. The
gameplay isn’t any different – the dream of having a real player for every
player in the game has not yet been reached. But the thrill of competing with
a few others still holds the greatest amount of replay value.
Overall: 8.7
FIFA 06 is a
great game, I’m sure you know that by now. If you have last year’s edition
you’re probably wondering: is 06 good enough to replace it? Is it worth
another $50? To the casual players – and only the casual players – I say no.
But to the diehard fans, those who love soccer and/or can’t go through a year
without playing the latest FIFA, this is a must-buy. You’re not getting
something entirely new, but who says refinement isn’t just as important?
