Experience realistic football action with Be a Pro mode, enhanced management, and engaging online play
Experience realistic football action with Be a Pro mode, enhanced management, and engaging online play
Vote (2,319 votes)
Program license Trial version
Developer ELECTRONIC ARTS
Works under Windows
Vote
(2,319 votes)
Developer
ELECTRONIC ARTS
Works under
Windows
Program license
Trial version
Pros
- Smoother graphics
- Great online community still
- Be a Pro allows you to perfect your game
Cons
- Small international division
- No European Championship format despite being a Euros year
- Slight lag in commentary in multi-player games
Be your own superstar or manage your way to success
FIFA 2008 saw a radical change from all of the previous FIFA incarnations with the addition of Be a Pro, the first time players were able to take control of an individual player rather than a whole team. The PC version of the game saw a brand new game engine introduced which included better response to match conditions (players running slower in hot weather, balls spinning more in the rain) and more accurate commentaries to bring the game more to life.
New to 2008
Whilst the gameplay remains roughly the same as previous generations, in which you pick a team and either play through a domestic season dealing with injuries and suspensions or through a series of one off tournaments and leagues, the 2008 version offers a range of new features to enhance the gaming experience:
• Be A Pro - building on the success of the Winning Eleven Clun Manager series in Japan, EA Sports introduced the Be a Pro feature to allow gamers to take control of one particular player in the course of the match, although goalkeepers were at this time excluded. Whilst most people chose to be a striker to enhance their team's goalscoring opportunities, the opportunity to plug the holes in the AI defence or play the killer through ball gave players the opportunity to take even the weakest teams to cup and league success.
• Trick moves - the ability to combine certain buttons with the right timing to do special "tricks" was unique to FIFA 2008 and any attempt at using these always made the highlight reel. Of course, players found it easier to do these with footballers with a high skill level, but there remained an interesting challenge of doing a rainbow flick with a defender from Kuwait.
• Online play - rather than simply pitting your skills against other random players, FIFA 2008 allows you to compete against your friends in mini-tournaments, as well as sharing control of a team. In total, the game engine allows for 8 players to play in groups of 4 meaning the game was very popular as an early social media tool.
• One on one goalkeeper control - the PC version of the game allows a player to take control of the goalkeeper when they are in a one on one situation with the opposition's forward. It was notoriously difficult to keep the ball out of the net and the computer AI would almost always do a better job. However, many players hark back to this feature of 2008 and it's always near the top of the wish list for features for EA Sports to reintroduce.
• Enhanced manager mode - whilst the manager mode had been introduced in FIFA 2007, the 2008 version allows players to have much more control over the type, intensity and frequency of training, as well as organising pre-season friendlies to test out new squad members.
Pros
- Smoother graphics
- Great online community still
- Be a Pro allows you to perfect your game
Cons
- Small international division
- No European Championship format despite being a Euros year
- Slight lag in commentary in multi-player games
Pros
- Stunning graphics
- Several players and teams
- Better moves on the field
Cons
- Difficult to coordinate keys
Play as one of your favorite soccer teams from across the world in FIFA 08.
When you begin playing the game, you'll see that the graphics have greatly improved over the other games in the series. There are several European teams in the league, but there are American options as well. Coaching options have significantly improved as well as the ways that the players move on the field. It's almost like watching a live soccer game right from your computer if you can get the right plays made during the game.
There is a "Be A Pro Mode" where you can choose one player to get to the championship. You can control the career of the player and change a variety of things about the person, such as overall characteristics after improving upon skills and even the uniform that the player has while on the field. Cooperative online play makes it easy to get the team in sync so that they share the ball instead of one player taking over while the others run on the field.
There are a few new trick moves that you'll see on the field. These can get the ball in the net a lot faster and with more precision than other games that have been developed in the series. While coaching, you have more options with the plays that are seen on the field. Practice sessions can be set up so that players can improve their skills, such as defending the goal or kicking. The game features over 15,000 players and over 30 leagues with numerous teams. You can change the way that the fields and arenas look to give them a realistic appearance.
Pros
- Stunning graphics
- Several players and teams
- Better moves on the field
Cons
- Difficult to coordinate keys
