A whole new ball game?
Let's begin by allaying fears that 2010 FIFA World Cup is a
rushed release designed to tie-in with the football hysteria
building ahead of this summer's tournament. While it may not be
as fully featured as FIFA 10, developer EA Canada has taken on
board the – admittedly few – criticisms of that title and made
a number of improvements to its gameplay engine that will no
doubt be carried over to FIFA 11.
Crisper and cleverer
In fact, series veterans will be pleased to hear that subtle
tweaks and improvements have been made across the board. Over
100 alterations to the FIFA match engine have introduced new
saves for keepers, improved crossing, crisper passing, cleverer
opponents and nice visual flourishes, to name a few.
Series veterans will be pleased to
hear that subtle tweaks and improvements have been made across
the board.
But perhaps most significant of all the changes - given the
World Cup's ability to captivate non-traditional sports fans –
is the introduction of a new two-button control scheme that
succeeds in making the game accessible to newcomers. By mapping
passing and shooting (or blocking and tackling when defending)
onto two buttons, this optional control system puts an end to
unfair match-ups between players of different skill levels,
meaning inexperienced users can quickly pick it up and even
challenge more seasoned gamers.
The greatest show on Earth!
Befitting for a game celebrating one of the greatest
sporting shows on earth, 2010 FIFA World Cup reflects the mood
of the tournament perfectly, from the look of the players on
the pitch right through to the carnival atmosphere in the
stands. It includes all of the official stadiums, teams, kits
and national anthems, plus a host of other authentic features
that give you a sense of competing in the real thing – think
confetti, streamers, flags and fireworks and you're halfway
there.
Leading your team from qualifying
through to glory in the final, either offline or in the
32-player online mode.
Most of your time will be spent enjoying the World Cup mode,
taking control of a team and leading them from the qualifying
stages through to glory in the final, either offline or in the
32-player online mode. Then there's the Captain Your Country
story, which enables you to play as yourself or a real
footballer who rises from the ranks of the B-team to captain
your nation at the tournament in South Africa. A fun challenge
mode also features various tasks such as entering a match
midway and having to reverse a losing situation.
Extra time
Aside from a few minor complaints about refereeing decisions
and lengthy loading times, our only real concern is whether the
game will offer much replay value after this summer's
tournament draws to a close - unless your team wins that is, in
which case you'll probably want to recreate the moment over and
over again.
But then 2010 FIFA World Cup is exactly what it says on the
box – it's a World Cup game, and a fine one at that. It's
extremely well presented and improves on a winning formula,
making it accessible to the masses without dumbing it down for
FIFA pros, ensuring that it's far more than just a stopgap
between the traditional annual FIFA releases.
GAME's Verdict
- Plenty of subtle improvements build on a winning
formula.
- Attention to detail and presentation is top notch.
- Two-button control scheme is great for new
players.
- Won't feel so relevant after the summer, unless your
team wins.
- Lengthy loading times can be a bit of a bore.
- Going out with England on penalties at the quarter
final stage again.
Review by: Tom 'Golden
Boot' Ivan
Version Tested: Xbox 360
Review Published: 23.04.10