One of the things that I love about FIFA, and FIFA 08 is no exception, is that it comes packed with so many teams. What other sports game franchise out there delivers 620 teams from around the world? You get 30 different leagues full of teams from MLS in North America to just about every major league in Europe. An assortment of other teams from other leagues are made available, so even though you don't get the Argentinean soccer leagues you can still plays as the Boca Juniors or River Platte. If international play is more your thing, then you're in luck because many major national teams are included as well.
There are many ways to play FIFA 08, both offline and on. Challenge mode is a series of games in which you must complete a set of goals such as scoring a goal with the player that you're given control of for the game. In the past challenge mode has been used to recreate historic match moments and let you attempt to recreate the outcome. That doesn't seem to be the case this time out but to be honest the challenge mode provides a very large number of games this year and I wasn't able to play through the whole thing before writing this review.
The game's manager mode serves as its franchise mode equivalent. You take control of a team and manage everything from ticket prices and salaries to player personalities. I have to say that it all seems to be weighed too heavily towards micromanagement, so I spent most of my time playing the game's tournament modes. There's plenty of fun to be had with the game's numerous tournament types and you can also create your own if you'd like.
Lounge mode is a great way to put together a league with your friends. Up to 20 players can participate, each taking control of their own team. The game will manage the schedule, keep track of stats, and even issue power-ups to help players down on their luck. All of this is handled on a single console without any connection to the Internet required.
FIFA 08 is a fully online enabled game. You get all of the ESPN integration found in other EA Sports titles and more. Since soccer is such a worldwide sport, you can also hook into podcasts on the sport from several European countries. Online play ranges from single matches to custom leagues. You can even play through the real schedule of your favorite team with other gamers controlling the opposition. All of this is wrapped in a slick online package with all of the bells and whistles including rankings and extensive stat tracking.
FIFA 08 is not the first next-gen soccer game, but it's the first one to really feel like a full next-gen game. There's a lot of gameplay in the package and the gameplay itself is more accessible than ever before. Soccer fans should definitely pick it up and if you've been curious to check out a soccer game in the past, now's the time to do it.
In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated:
88%. FIFA 08 is first division all the way.
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