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FIFA 09 First Impressions (FIFA Soccer Blog)

08:28 PM - August 20, 2008 by SoCal-Phenom

FIFA Soccer Blog has posted their first impressions of FIFA Soccer 09.

Quote:


	"The first thing you're presented with is the arena, which looks the same until, of course, you start taking shots and start moving around with the player. Players felt less heavy and seemed like they could turn and react to the positioning of their bodies much quicker. But for a better impression you need to play the game from the normal camera angle, obviously. Gameplay is obviously the most important part of all, so I'll break my thoughts down into several key areas."

Game: FIFA Soccer 09Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: NDS / PC / PS2 / PS3 / PSP / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 28 - View All

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Member Comments

# 1 thegoons21 @ 08/20/08 08:55 PM

Great writeup. Game still sounds great. I'm less than excited about hearing that headers are actually easier. It seemed most goals in 08 were from headers but that could just be me. Outside of that I can't wait. I just want more vids.

# 2 foreversport @ 08/20/08 10:23 PM

I thought it was pretty easy to score off headers in 08 too, especially from corners if you hit them short in front of the goal for your guys to go up and get.

These notes have me so pumped for this game!

# 3 Qb @ 08/21/08 12:38 AM

Hopefully headers are more effective with the better aerial players thanks to the new jostle system, while guys who shouldn't be aren't. I thought Euro made a big improvement in this area...

One thing that stood out to me (more in a bad way) was the mention that shooting from distance is more accurate. It's hard to interpret someone's impressions from a brief time with the game, but if he's saying that it's easier to pick the corners, I'm not sure that's a good thing. I've been using manual shooting lately in 08 and that seems to help out with what I thought was already overly accurate intermediate & long range shooting, but it sure is frustrating missing the sitters...

Also, the author again mentions that larger defenders can muscle attackers off of the ball and that defensive pressure will affect passing. Both of these are good things, but if the fouling/referee logic isn't significantly improved it could lead to the same old issue of being able to charge the ball & double team without consequence. While the improved responsiveness helped to get away from this at times in Euro, you still knew as a defender that you for the most part hard carte blanche...

# 4 ChaseB @ 08/21/08 01:38 AM

Qb I really believe that at worst you'd just have to jack up the one tactics slider to get more foul calls. I think a good amount of fouls were called during my time, some people might just be thrown off because guys in FIFA tend to fall down a lot, and not every time someone falls is something called -- though some look borderline. It's really the animations that I think may need to change, rather than the amount of fouls for this year.

Maybe for shooting he just meant you'd be rewarded for good shots from a distance now -- wher as in Euro they were basically non-existent.

# 5 Qb @ 08/21/08 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaseB


	Qb I really believe that at worst you'd just have to jack up the one tactics slider to get more foul calls. I think a good amount of fouls were called during my time, some people might just be thrown off because guys in FIFA tend to fall down a lot, and not every time someone falls is something called -- though some look borderline. It's really the animations that I think may need to change, rather than the amount of fouls for this year. Maybe for shooting he just meant you'd be rewarded for good shots from a distance now -- wher as in Euro they were basically non-existent.

Your point about fouls not being called every time someone goes down is a good one, as with the EPL back in session, it's apparent that a lot of rough stuff is allowed IRL. However, the problem in 08 was that stuff that sure looked like a clear foul often was not called. I know the devs have said that they re-did the ref logic, so I'm hopeful that there will be improvement in this area.

As for shooting, references to a less floaty feeling (this goes for passes & crosses as well I hope) and more realistic curl are promising. What I was trying to say is that I don't want to see the majority of 25-30yd shots going on target or even worse, finding the upper 90s. Even the best players routinely miss the mark from that range.

As always, thanks for your input, Chase...

# 6 KG @ 08/21/08 10:08 AM

I like the sound of players being more responsive but I wished he would have touched on teammate AI, specifically them being in better position compared to '08.

I also hope they sped up some of the reaction times of the goalies to counter what could be an easier time with headers. Too many times last yr my keeper would get beat by a slooooowww header.

# 7 kerosene31 @ 08/21/08 10:40 AM

Sounds somewhat encouraging. I'm still not convinced the issues that drove me nuts in 08 are fixed. I'm not sold on shooting. Do longer shots occasionally go in? From the gameplay movies it doesn't look so.

# 8 Qb @ 08/21/08 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgx2thez


	I like the sound of players being more responsive but I wished he would have touched on teammate AI, specifically them being in better position compared to '08.

I think therizing said that the teammate AI seemed better to him, but I could be mistaken and don't want to put words in his mouth. I'm sure he'll see this and offer his thoughts before too long...

Quote:


	I also hope they sped up some of the reaction times of the goalies to counter what could be an easier time with headers. Too many times last yr my keeper would get beat by a slooooowww header.

I've read good things about the goalies thus far, but seeing is believing I guess. I'd say that probably 1/3 of the goals I allow are squarely on the goalie (like the slooooowww headers, not reacting to balls in the box, etc), 1/3 can be chalked up to my teammates not doing squat to help me in certain situations (desperation plays were mentioned, again we'll see) and the rest can be attributed to user-error. At least that's what I tell myself to make me feel better...

# 9 poster @ 08/21/08 03:11 PM

I don't care how they do it, there better be more fouls called this year to more accurately represent the game on the pitch.

It would also be nice if they built in some referee logic as well, where referee's from the different leagues would call game differently. I'll take more fouls for the time being.

# 10 PeruvianPlaya954 @ 08/24/08 07:34 AM

I have a quick question that is a little off topic.

Is Holland fully licensed this time around? Or at least the names of the players on the NT?

And does the US NT have their new kits in this version of FIFA?

# 11 Gamecocks625 @ 08/24/08 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeruvianPlaya954


	I have a quick question that is a little off topic. Is Holland fully licensed this time around? Or at least the names of the players on the NT? And does the US NT have their new kits in this version of FIFA?

Holland is licensed in PES, but not FIFA from what I understand. Which would mean fake names for the players (but they would have proper names on their clubs).

I would assume that the US has their current kits in.

# 12 sva91 @ 08/24/08 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeruvianPlaya954


	I have a quick question that is a little off topic. Is Holland fully licensed this time around? Or at least the names of the players on the NT? And does the US NT have their new kits in this version of FIFA?

They look really accurate, Im just not sure if they got the two tone stripes.

# 13 theaub @ 08/25/08 06:08 PM

Man I wish Canada was in this

Ah well, another year of trading all the MNT players to TFC. I'm still pumped.

# 14 Qb @ 08/25/08 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyceBrown


	Can anyone confirm if they brought back the ability to quick select free kick takers in game?

I miss this feature a lot as well. It's not as important offline, since you can just pause & adjust from there. But it really hurts in the online game, provided you get a decent FK opportunity in the first place.

# 15 Bahnzo @ 08/25/08 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qb


	I miss this feature a lot as well. It's not as important offline, since you can just pause & adjust from there. But it really hurts in the online game, provided you get a decent FK opportunity in the first place.

What they need to do, is allow you to select 2 or 3 different FK takers and then pop up a screen when you have a kick in your half to choose which one takes it. That way you could select a right or left footed kicker for the situation.

And I was talking with QB last nite when we played a game of FIFA about this: Is anyone else disappointed that NHL gets the online Be A Pro league thing, while FIFA already has the mechanics in place, and doesn't? It's still gonna be a great game, but that makes no sense to me.

# 16 PeruvianPlaya954 @ 08/26/08 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sva91


	They look really accurate, Im just not sure if they got the two tone stripes.

Awesome. Where'd you get that pic from? I want to see how kick *** the away one looks too. Doubt you have a pic of that from the game though.

I think it does have to two tone stripes though, as you it looks white and then grey in the middle right there in the photo you posted.

# 17 spit_bubble @ 08/26/08 02:11 AM

I don't know why free kicks haven't been given more attention in soccer video games... Not only in regard to who takes them, but also how they're taken.

Set pieces are a big deal, and up 'till now there have been limited options... If any at all.

# 18 PeruvianPlaya954 @ 08/26/08 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koshi


	I don't know why free kicks haven't been given more attention in soccer video games... Not only in regard to who takes them, but also how they're taken. Set pieces are a big deal, and up 'till now there have been limited options... If any at all.

The thing in Winning Eleven that I liked last year was the fact that you could send up to three guys that you ALWAYS wanted up on set pieces for that game. Needless to say, for USA I always threw Onyewu and Bocanegra up top.

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FIFA 09 First Impressions (FIFA Soccer Blog)