The Hindu Business Line : Fifa 2007 scores high

`More of the same' would be an apt way of summing up EA Sports' latest in the highly successful soccer-based computer game - Fifa. Fifa 2007 differs surprisingly little from its predecessor, considering that a lot of people now play the game on consoles such as the Xbox and the Playstation series.

Yet, that is also its strength. In terms of graphics, very little has changed in the game play, but it perfects what Fifa 2006 began - giving individual styles to individual players. A Thierry Henry would, therefore, have long, languorous strides, whereas a David Beckham would have short rapid ones. Plus, the film shots when scoring a goal, for instance, don't look like the photos of the players pasted on an automaton body, as it has in the past. The rendering is gorgeous.

The gameplay, on the other hand, has taken a turn for the worse. Instead of the older version of having a button or a key for the conservative tackle option, you have to literally run into the opposition player and hope for the best.

Also, goal scoring is a much more complicated process, especially from set pieces, where you have to control the swerve and the dip after taking the shot. This apart, there is no significant change from 06 - possibly in order to let the player master the game and get tired of it in time for the release of Fifa `08. The game starts you off in semi-pro difficulty, which you would shrug off in a week tops. If you enjoy that sort of thing, you can always choose amateur difficulty and rack up scores of 15 and 20 to nil.

As far as managing your team goes, the game thankfully uses the same interface as '06. The currency - Euros - differs, but the idea is the same. You can start off with the top clubs - unlike the earlier game, where you had to work your way up from the lower divisions - and the bank balance is healthy enough to renew contracts with several players at lower salaries to cut down on your losses.

In a bid to be more realistic, players' skill level differs depending on the position you set them in. So if you want to be a crafty manager and think it's a good idea to play Theo Walcott or Andrei Shevchenko on the wings, you might find the game disagreeing with you, since it has decided they are strikers. The skill level can drop as much as by 10 points if you play them in an unaccustomed position.

And the transfers make less sense than ever. You may bid 17 million euros for a player, get rejected because of `prestige' issues, and find him transferred to a relegation-bound club for 13 million.

Also, it's about time Fifa decided whether the focus is managing a team or playing football. A quick 12 minutes after school, or during the lunch break, is what the casual gamers are used to, and having to deal with interviews, sponsors' demands, youth academy representatives and worst of all, the Board, is not everyone's idea of fun. For the serious gamer/football fanatic, of course, it is a complete experience.

Fifa 07 Online Multiplayer options have evolved. Unlike the earlier version where you didn't have too many options on game modes, you can play tournaments against your friends on PC and gaming console. However, if you have an Xbox 360, you may find that you can only hook up with one other console, making the term `multiplayer' a tad redundant.

abhinav@thehindu.co.in