The 08 Installment

Author's Rating:

Pros: More Realistic Defending, New Stadia/Teams, Create A Formation!

Cons: Too Defensive, Lack of Variety During Gameplay

The Bottom Line: 
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Author's Review
The yearly FIFA installment is one that I always await with great anticipation and usually end up pre-ordering it about a month early. This leads to heightened expectations and anticipation, which could have led this game to be a bit of a disappointment to me. The game has undergone extensive changes in it's existence with each year getting more realistic and making other improvements. However, despite the fact that FIFA 07 was one of my favorite in the series, FIFA 08 has many visible flaws that makes it much less fun and appealing than it predecessor. It still provides a decent experience, but falls short in a couple of categories.

Game Modes

The game modes in FIFA 08 stay relatively unchanged from FIFA 07. The only addition is what's called "Be A Pro" mode which I was very excited about. I was very excited about the mode because it sounded similar to Superstar mode on the Madden series of games. Unfortunately, it meant being locked in as one player for one exhibition game. It also has something to so with an online game for next Gen consoles which did nothing for me.

Much like FIFA 07, I've spent the vast majority of my time either playing Manager Mode or Online. Manager Mode allows you to play 15 years with a club with the option to switch clubs at the end of certain years. Manager Mode is fun because you control the personnel moves, run the training sessions, and are under pressure to achieve certain goals set by your club's board in order to not get fired. The other game modes such as Friendly Matches and Tournaments are fun with multiple players, but not so much with only one.

The Good

The first thing I noticed when playing this game was how defenders actually behave like real defenders when going for the ball. In past games, it was possible to fake going one way then running right beside the defender the other way. They also cut down space and jostle more realistically when you have the ball. In other positive things, FIFA has finally included a formation editor with this game! This is awesome, but it's extremely puzzling why you can't edit your formation while in Manager Mode. You can create one before you start, but can't change it when you get new players or lose players. It's a frustrating and honestly, not surprising obvious omission by EA. It also features three more leagues and four new stadiums not available in FIFA 07.

The Average

Certain aspects of game play have received touch-ups to make the game a little more enjoyable. Slide tackles are a little more accurate and your player seems to go for the ball more than just sliding through the opposing player. I also think free kicks and throw-ins received minor upgrades. There's an option of taking "quick" free kicks like in reality if you're attacking and would benefit from a quick kick. EA's midseason release last year "UEFA Champions League 06-07" was a disaster, but it at least also had quick throw-ins which are absent from FIFA 08.

The menu music which features music from artists across the globe is pretty decent, and the English nationality commentators are pretty solid as well. The only beef I have is when you narrowly miss the goal and the 'keeper doesn't touch it, the announcers will say something like "Oh! He just gets his fingers to it!", but it will actually be a goal kick rather than a corner. It doesn't affect gameplay, but is annoying nonetheless.

The Bad

In an attempt to make the game more realistic, EA seemingly just simply decided to make the game slower and more defensive. It basically forces you to play a more possession style game with defenses very hard to break down. This isn't always a bad thing, but past FIFA games gave you the option of how you wanted to play. Even when opposing teams are desperate for a goal at the end of the match, they'll still play the same style and have five guys playing defensive roles. It takes the fun and creativity out of playing attacking soccer.

Another negative is eventually, every game feels the same. Playing against a top Premier League team like Manchester United and a English League Two (sorry for the confusing reference, but this is actually the fourth division in England) squad such as Stockport County is disappointingly similar. The Man. United players will move faster and have a little more stamina, but their offenses will operate in a similar fashion and the defenders will act about the way. All teams will put at least five men behind the same ball to defend no matter how they play in real life or how skilled they are.

Final Thoughts

FIFA 08 was a mild disappointment for ironically trying to make the game more realistic. I think their idea of realism is a little skewed and ends up taking most of the fun from the game. I can only hope FIFA 09 is better, and you can bet on me pre-ordering that a month before it comes out in October of next year...

Big thank you to Jeremy1456 for adding this game to the database.