Well, I thought I wouldn't put the whole review in, but a summary.
Is this the campaign where Fifa finally comes good. We hate keeping people in suspense, so we'll tell you the answer now: It's a resounding "yes" Fifa 07 is a brilliant football game. While most of the changes contained within are evolutionary on paper, the end result is a revolution for tjis much-maligned series.
Starting with a physics change
In previous Fifa's the ball's movement was set by the animation. If the keeper dived to the left to save a shot, for example, the ball would always spin out of his hands in the same direction - the one the animation dictated. Now it' entirely context sensitive, so the flight of the ball is prompted by more complex variables like a bounce friction and topspin. For the most part thismeans the ball responds in a far more realistic manner. We're not just talking about spinning through the air when you hit a 30-yard humdinger-we mean moments of beautiful randomness.
Case in point, late in the Merseyside derby, Tim Cahill belts a long range effort past Reina and against the post. The ball comes back into play, hits Reina's knee, loops up into the air, and falls perfectly for the onrushing andy johnston to happily nod into an empty net.
The cleverest thing is these freak moments of drama don't happen in every other game- they're as irregular as in real-life football. In the 60 matches we played we saw three free kicks awarded for hand balls two goals scored from longe range shots deflecting from long range shots deflecting off a defenders backside and one-beautiful in swinging corner that dipped over the keeper and crashed agains tthe bar. You'll occasionally spot sneaky shirt pulls and not-so-subtle shoves in the back, keepers over stretchingand failing to hold crosses and desperate goal-line clearances, small details that not only underline how context senstitive everythign now is, but also that the sweetspot goals that hampered previous Fifa's has gone.
Simple passing is effortless, and the pace is such you can retain possession easily in defence and midfield.
Shooting is now context sensitive, depending on the timing, angle. Long range peaches are still possible but they now require some skill.
There are also first touch features left in, but you don't need them to beat a player, a turn of pace can be as effective.
Sure there are flaws if you look hard enough, for example keeper charge, regularly leaves your man from the nets at the edge of his box watching the ball flying past him, and the old problem of players feeling generic in comparison to the brilliantly individual casting of Pro Evolution remains, but not as pronounced as previous versions.
However, none of these minor issues can detract from the fundemental changes to the gameplay which has had an entriely positive effect.
There's still scope for improvementbut Fifa is now a serious contender for the footie crown Exactly how uch ground it's made on PES this year will only become clear in next months review of PES6
GRAPHICS 8 - Looks great, but some animations are still off
SOUND 9 - Clive tyldeslay and Andy Gray in top form
GAMEPLAY 9 - EA nails footy at long long last
LIFESPAN 9 - PLenty of game against both AI and your mates
OVERALL 9/10
Source: Playstation 2 mag
