FIFA 07 is huge. It’s hard to imagine another sports game out there that
comes packed with over 500 licensed teams – and no, that’s not a typo. The game
also features nearly thirty leagues from around the world, so if you’re a
displaced soccer, I mean football, fan then odds are you’ll find your favorite
league represented in the game. Think of how long it would take you to lead a
team through a season in each of the leagues – that’s a lot of gameplay there.
Of course the issue is not how much gameplay there is, but whether or not it’s
any good.
FIFA 07’s gameplay straddles the line between arcade and sim, but with a
tendency more towards the sim side. What this means is that you won’t be playing
your way through one 12-9 shootout after another, but the gameplay has a faster
feel to it than that of real soccer matches. There’s not as much midfield play
as you’d see in a live match, with the midfield area serving more as a place to
scramble for the ball with the winner earning the privilege to push the ball
forward into the opponent’s goal area. Once you get possession of the ball it’s
fairly easy to push it up the field as the game’s passing system works really
well. Longer passes are aided by an on-field marker that lets you know where the
ball will land. This is a big help in getting your man to the ball or fighting
to steal the pass on defense.
So far it sounds like the game would be conducive to high scoring games, but
that’s not really the case here. The first reason is that the AI plays a lot
tighter defense once you get inside his penalty area, especially at the higher
difficulty levels. The other reason is that the aiming system doesn’t seem to
work that well. Maybe it’s a bit difficult to use or maybe it has a few issues;
it’s hard to say but the net result is that it’s not always easy to put your
shot where you want it.
FIFA 07 adds excitement to the on-field gameplay through the trick system
that’s activated with the right analog stick. The system lets you unleash a
variety of fancy footwork moves that will help give you an extra step on the
defender, and superstars even come with their own signature moves. You won’t be
able to string them together and combo your way down the field, but they are a
cool feature that can give you that one extra step you need at a critical moment
in a match.
In addition to single matches and tournament play, the game comes with one of
the deepest franchise modes you’ll find in any sports game. You’ll need to do
everything from scouting and developing players to locking down sponsors and
setting ticket prices. This Manager Mode is a dream come true for anyone who’s
ever thought that they could do a better job of managing their favorite team
than the team’s staff. There is also support for online play, the centerpiece of
which is the Interactive League. Pick your favorite club and play the same
matches as their real-life ones. The results of your games and the results from
everyone else who picked the same team are all tallied together to determine how
well the club does in the Interactive League. It’s a novel way to run an online
league and support your favorite club.
FIFA 07 is an enjoyable game and will appeal to the majority of soccer fans
out there. Those on the ends of the spectrum who are looking for a hardcore sim
or a simple high-scoring soccer game may be disappointed, but everyone else in
between will have a good time with the game.
In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated:
85%. FIFA 07 earns its spot in the premiere
league.
