Okay, I have been playing my brand new copy of FIFA 2009 since midday yesterday and the first impressions were good, and now my final conclusion is that the game is...well you'll have to read the review first!
Graphics
The graphics are much improved over the last game, with the players able to pull more facial expressions to show either their disappointment or elation at an instant. At long last, the referee is now running around during the game, rather than only appearing to make a booking.
The crowd have been seriously worked on, and rather than them all looking like 2D figures, they actually look quite realistic. It shows just how much work has been done over the last year to make this as good as possible.
After conceding a goal against Ipswich today, I could actually see a fan in the third tier of the North Stand at Old Trafford wailing his arms in frustration, now that is realistic.
Sound
The commentary seems to be largely carried over from FIFA 2008, which is rather disappointing, but it does mean that we remain with the best commentator in the world, Martin Tyler, and the man that infuriates me so often, Andy Gray.
One thing that has disappointed me is that the commentary is not that great with the transfers that took place on the deadline day. Yes, Dimitar Berbatov is at Manchester United, but he is referred to like he is still at Tottenham. Quite frustrating when you score a 40-yard volley with him.
The music on the game is as good as ever, with tracks from quality artists like Duffy, The Ting Tings, Sam Sparro, and Radiohead. Naturally there is a few that you will have never heard of, but if this is their big break then who are we to deny them? Nothing from Muse though, and that really is disappointing.
Gameplay
The gameplay is better than ever, with free kicks as difficult as they should be and long range goals just as difficult. The tricks are all there and remain as crisp and surprising as ever.
One big difference is the tackles, rather than a player falling once you have gone through him, he falls in response to the direction in which you tackled from. They also respond to the ferociousness of the tackle, something which I demonstrated today—breaking Frank Lampard's leg.
Goals are easy to come by on amateur mode, as always, but annoyingly easy on semi-pro. Professional mode is tough but beatable, world class is tough but scoreable, and if you even get the ball on legendary mode, you are my hero.
Utilization
Apparently there are 15 new stadiums on FIFA 2009, and yet I have had trouble finding them, or maybe I have...there is a lot of the crappy fictional stadiums on the game that were not on the previous game, so when EA Sports said there was a host of new stadiums, I don't think any of them were real.
St. James' Park is included on the game, and stadiums like White Hart Lane, the Stadium of Light, and City of Manchester Stadium are not. For four years we have asked for them and despite the huge capacity of a blu-ray disc, we still do not have them.
I still feel that the game is not as good as it could be, but at least the frankly stupid offside system has been rectified.
Overall Score: 89%
I have not gone to 90% because there is still a lot to be achieved with this game, more stadiums, better commentary, or up-to-date commentary, and please make the precision shots harder, they are still too easy to score. Still, at least the 'keeper does not turn away from the shot half the time.
Hopefully I will be able to do a comparison with the upcoming Pro Evolution Soccer game, but I will say this, Konami has to pull something very special out of the bag to beat this.
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