I have been a fan of the EA
FIFA series since I played the excellent 3DO version some years ago. The control and fun factor in that game made the sport of soccer appeal to many people that would otherwise have played something else. But on subsequent Next-Gen systems,
FIFA floundered terribly. Control schemes were poorly re-routed, causing gameplay to suffer and frustration to be the only memorable experience. The frame rate of the game took a backward step, and the animation became less fluid -- even choppy. It seemed that everything that made the series great was foolishly tampered with, as if sabotage was the order of the day. Add to those woes the fact that Konami was coming on strong with the
Goal Storm series, and
FIFA found itself in dire straits.
However, all I can say is FIFA is back with a vengeance. Right off the bat, I could feel the control was absolutely right. No delay, drag, or sluggishness. This game is tweaked to perfection. The control scheme is different, but very intuitive. One button pressed different ways yields various results. Press Shoot (regular shot), Tap Shoot (quick low shot), Double Tap Shoot (chip shot)! A novice player... and we all will start in this category due to the changes, can easily pick this up and get fine results. Advanced players can begin to explore the Skill mode that uses multiple button combinations to perform deeper moves. And, what is FIFA’s best kept secret....THE DAMN THING IS ANALOG COMPATIBLE!!!
I haven’t found it on the box or in the manual yet, but if you have a Sony Dual Analog Pad, and activate the “Red” mode, the sucker works, and works all too well. It ain’t even listed, and it’s the single best feature of the game! EA has pulled out all the stops and produced the finest Soccer experience to date... period!
You gotta’ play FIFA: Road to the World Cup ‘98. You gotta’ buy FIFA: Road to the World Cup ‘98. You gotta’ live FIFA: Road to the World Cup ‘98. FIFA is back boys and girls... get your copy, ‘cuz Soccer ain’t been sooooo Good!