
<MAP NAME="boxmap-p8"><AREA SHAPE="RECT" COORDS="14, 200, 103, 207" HREF="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" ><AREA COORDS="0,0,10000,10000" HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/thearmchairem-20" ></MAP><img src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/rcm/120x240.gif" width="120" height="240" border="0" usemap="#boxmap-p8" alt="Shop at Amazon.com">	Platform PC Genre Sports Publisher Electronic Arts Developer EA Sports ESRB E (Everyone) Released November 2001

- No magic passes - The best PC soccer game - Lots of viewing and menu options - Online play - Detailed graphics and animations - Many, many teams - Enough play modes - High replay value

- I miss the magic passes - Online play only supported for a year - Doesn't grip the soul of non-fans

Review: FIFA 2002 (Playstation 2) Review: FIFA 2002 (Playstation)
Newsletter
Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly. Enter E-Mail Address Below: Subscribe \| Unsubscribe

FIFA 2002

Score: 8.1 / 10

Soccer (or more properly, football) enjoys some of the most fanatical following of any sport, especially in Europe and South America. There was a time I included myself in this group. I’d be up late/early watching the highlights of games from all over the world. But I’ve been out of touch for some years (having only just recently escaped the clutches of Ming the Merciless – thanks, Flash!) so coming back to it is like having coffee with someone you haven’t seen in ten years. You don’t know what they’ve been up to even though it’s obvious they’ve changed. Playing FIFA 2002 (FIFA) is like having coffee with a complete stranger.

Remember those great “magic” passes? From foot to foot across the field was never a problem. I issued a, “What the hell?” on my first pass that came nowhere near the intended receiver. At first I thought it was a flaw in the game’s design, but it’s actually the opposite – it’s a feature. It’s debatable if this is actually an improvement as other reviews have suggested. It took me longer than usual to get used to the concept. The aspect of power meter also took some getting used to. Whether you’re shooting or passing, the power meter appears at the bottom of the screen. Basically, it means you have to hit the pass button, hold it until you’ve got enough power behind the pass or kick, then release. The ball physics are believable too. Everything lends itself to a more “organic” soccer experience. (NOTE: Don’t bother using the keyboard controls.)

Advertisement

- Playstation 2 Game Reviews

- Sports Game Reviews

- Reviews of Games Developed/Published by Electronic Arts

Obviously strengthening the organic feel are the graphics. There are multiple viewing angles, even more when you factor in the ability to pull the camera further back. Besides the traditional side-to-side action you can position it end-to-end. Your view is dependent on how you like to play. I played as far back as possible so I could see more of the pitch. Hitting a player off screen with a breakaway pass is really hard to do if you can’t see them. Players are animated

Advertisement

smoothly, although some of this is dependent on your hardware. Their actions are natural to the game of soccer. Guarding the ball, heading, and throw-ins… squint your eyes and you can imagine you’re watching a real game. After a goal is scored or a penalty called, the by-now-traditional close-up instant replay ques up and you get to relive those moments of agony/triumph. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the teams are modeled accurately. (EA has done a good job of this in the past, so why would they change?) There are many, many teams to play as and against, and I haven’t played them all. Some inconsistencies in stats have been noted by the truly fanatical/anal retentive soccer lovers, but unless you’re among them you won’t have any problems.

The thing I like about sports games is that there’s never really an end to them. Most games sit on your shelf after you’ve played through them. Unless there are some killer mods for them you won’t touch them again. FIFA has so many options and teams that you could play forever. Playing towards qualifying for the World Cup should take you a long time – even longer if you pick a crappy team and really have to fight. Include single games and multiplayer games and you’ve got the only soccer game in town. (Actually, I suppose this applies literally rather than figuratively.)

AI is solid. Some of the defensive AI can be questionable at times. But I’ve found this with nearly every sport game. (If the defensive AI is too good, what’s the point in even playing?) Nothing beats playing against a human opponent, but the computer is no push-over.

Anyone lucky enough to have their hearing degraded 10% by a real soccer match should appreciate the overall good sound of FIFA. The crowd has the constant roar and the announcers are good. John Motson and Andy Grey provide play-by-play and color. Their banter is not as loud or grating as that found in NHL 2002 (as funny as it is at times). They have an understated way of saying practically everything. The names of players are mentioned only sporadically but considering the number of players involved it’s understandable. Occasionally, they’ll be inadvertently funny. Kicking the ball from center field and missing the net by a good twenty feet encouraged this response: “Just wide.” The soundtrack is not my bag. It’s Euro-hip hop heavy metal mix that I just can’t listen to. Some will eat it up, but I for one remember fondly the days of midi-music with one or two sampled effects.

FIFA 2002 is more simulation than arcade action. I miss the magic passing but it’s still a fun title to play. And while it’s squarely aimed at the football (or soccer) fan, even casual gamers should find some fun.

- Omni