good graphics, fantastic skills, technique and excellent game play .
Disadvantages:
low voice on commentary .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I think EA got it right this time because the Previous versions in the play station and Nintendo 64 was something that I could not imagine my self playing. This really is marvelous, EA has been my enemies in making soccer games and these were the few factors that contributed to it, the easy game play and the inability for the computer to compete with you even in the world class level and that makes the longevities very short and uninteresting.
Well for the first time extolling the works of EA in the play station portable FIFA 2007 version it really means that there is a great evolution in the electronic game developers.
What really is new about the game? There are lots of new game features that actually make the game's longevity ongoing. With wide range features, the game can boast of having every thing that makes it almost a perfect footie game. To FIFA and PRO EVO fans, this is a game that cannot be criticized or argued about because this has been the battle between both fans.
The game has sufficient skills, good football technique and even fantastic resemblance of any player you can think about in the real life scenario. EA sports are now out to collect the trophy from KONAMI.
WHAT ABOUT THE GAME PLAY? -------------------------------------------------- Previously, I have been an impatient pal over any EA soccer. All of a sudden, there is a great evolution in the EA FIFA game play. The Game pattern has changed drastically. So what actually is new? That is a very good question and these are the things new. Previously FIFA footie games have not been able to provide good game play rather they concentrated more on providing real players names and real club name but FIFA 2007 on PSP can now boast of having good football game play with more realistic players movements and skills. The number two factor is this, their skill displays are now more realistic and easy to understand unlike before that used to be some thing of a film trick. Just like the FIFA 2003 that I played in the ps2 that caught ronaldinho collecting a ball that was coming with a high-speed velocity from his back with the soul of his boot to his front. Could you please imagine that movie trick?
The aspect of the game that makes me to rate the game almost 5 out of 5 stars is the scoring abilities and patterns. I think I wrote about the game being a piece of cake even at the world-class level in previous installment but not this time pal. I normally put the game in the professional level and find it hard to score. To be frank with you, I have only managed to win them once, is either I draw or lose.
Really there are lots of scoring patterns in the game. You can score by shots on target, score by placing the ball, score by heading the ball and equally score by deflections. Hey pal I am telling you the fact about the game; this is almost 100% real and scoring with free kicks and penalties are equally realistic.
Concluding the game in armature level wont give you the right sense of judgment about the game rather to get the real taste of the game, try the professional and the world class level because by doing this, you will be able to get the real and desired game play unlike in the amaerture or semi- pro that don't seem to give the hit.
The skill displays and techniques are marvelous and the game control has made it very easy to master and use. In my own case, I normally do leg over with the L button but note this, to achieve successful leg over skill; you have to abandon the R button, which is specifically for tipping the ball. Just use the forward button only that makes the player to slow down and then tap the L button consistently then you will achieve your motive. But at times, this sounds pointless especially in the professional or world class level because I don't think they will even give you the whole time in the world to do the leg over of a thing that seem to be play to them. So I" ll suggest this to you, want to hold the ball possession don't just do that. But let me give a bit trick on how to get a penalty in the game and this is where the leg over of a thing has an advantage. When approaching the 18 yard box through the wing or flank, try the leg over and make sure your opponent is at your side struggling to get the ball from you then tap the L button and rush inside the 18 yard box there are 50 to 55% chances of you wining a penalty because the defender can not just imagine you beating him in the 18 yard box because the next thing is you scoring or rebound so will be forced to bring you down. The most of all is that players jostle and collide realistically while trying to win balls.
WHAT ABOUT THE CONTROLLS AND BUTTONS? -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The controls and the buttons are quite easy to use and master. Has some similarities with the pro evolution but different. There is problem people tend to encounter in the game and that is the cross button control. Some times while playing the game you find out that the cross button of your PSP does not respond any more. But you don't get puzzled rather the thing you do is this, when it happens, go to the join stick, rotate it 360 and then go back to your normal cross button control if you like but you can equally use the join stick for directing players as well. The choice is yours because both do the same functions.
The side changing in the game is some thing you really talk about. The ball can be inter changed from both wings by pulling with the ٱ button and with direction. You can achieve David beckham"s stile of ball curve with cross button direction.
What about shots in the game? Good this is where you will tend to enjoy the game most. In my own case, I find it difficult to take accurate shots at times and when get accurate shots; any available defender blocks it. In some cases, when there is a corner or throwing, try and wait for a rebound shot and then tap the О button and this sees the ball through the defenders and puts the goal keeper in a real hard work.
What about tacking the ball? Nice, two buttons are involved in tacking and these are the Ο and Δ buttons.
The Ο button is the button that enables you to get the ball from your opponent without rough play. Let me give another tip for a successful ball tacking. While playing the game, to achieve a successful and fair tacking, I'll suggest you hold the О button while in body contact with your opponent. Although you slide when you tap from a far distance.
The Δ is mainly for sliding and I suggest you don't use this one always unless in a crucial moment. But won't advice to use this in the 18-yard box because this will sees the striker down and obviously a penalty will be awarded. Another major function of the Δ is for through passes.
There are other buttons that perform different functions and they are the X and ٱ.
The X button is specifically for passing the ball to your team mates and not only that, during the corner kick or throwing, the X button can be used to change the cursor to any player you intend to use.
The ٱ has two major functions, which are pulling, and heading while the ball is still on the air. In the professional or world-class level, some team opponents are capable of long trusts balls inside your 18-yard box so in order to survive the pressure, don't forget to tap your ڤ button consistently because this enables your defenders to head the ball out of the danger yard box if the ball is in the high level and if the ball is in the low level, it also enables your defender to kick the ball out with a jump kick.
WHAT ABOUT THE BALL COLORS? ------------------------------------------------------------ Well there are numerous ball colours available depending on the one you want to choose. Have the usual white ball, have the yellow ball, have the blue ball, and have the red ball and other colour varieties.
WHAT ABOUT THE CROWD? ------------------------------------------------ Well designed but usually most of the soccer games I have played, I don't think that the developers spend more time on making up the crowd and in my own case I think they are right. The thing that I like most in crowds are the noise they produce while the match is on. The most exiting thing about the crowd is this; the crowd reacts according to players' performances and second, if you listen to supporters you will hear them chanting your players names and the club songs through rain and sunshine's.
There are equally two players mode that can enable two individuals to play the game.
WHAT ABOUT THE TEAM MANAGEMENT? -------------------------------------------------------------- ----- This is the aspect that makes the game ongoing and long. While get fed up with the game, you switch to the team management mode, in this aspect, you are to manage a team by becoming a team manager. You mange your teams just like in real life, you are to buy and sell players depending on your teams' performances. You win a match you gain more points and how do you actually know the points you get after a match? Very simple, immediately after the end of any match, you see the number of points acquired immediately the players get out of the pitch the next scene shows how many points you have acquired. You can watch the team you mange if you want or if you don't you hear only the result. You can now control your team budgets and real money is also involved and the most amazing of all is that the club board can sack you. You can equally campaign anywhere with the connectivity between play station 2 and the PSP system. Your 11 players can equally make realistic decisions to win matches.
There are also lots of excitements about the management mode. These include press reactions and pressures on team manager. There are some marvelous reflexes done by the players like the technique of getting the ball on the air, which requires the player to jump in an exiting way to trap the ball. The ordinary ball trapping is also done well.
Heading the ball is also done well with good graphics and movement. But there is some thing that I have found out in the manager mode and that is going into depth and gets sacked. But when you win a cup in the manager mode, the trophy is not in your cabinet trophy.
WHAT ABOUT THE REPLAY MODE? -------------------------------------------------------- This is also done well with good graphics and different camera angles. There are the tower replay and the side replay. In this aspect, every thing is made clear in the replay mode like goal scored, penalty awarded, goals missed, free kick scored or missed and foul committed that brought about a card offence. All are very well represented with good graphics and instant replays unless you press any button that will resume the match.
WHAT ABOUT THE CAMERA VIEW? -------------------------------------------------------- Have numerous camera options. Have the brood cast, have the tele view, and, dynamic view and have the far tower view. Each of the camera views has at about 7 to 8 bars. It all depends on how you want to set up your own camera view. If the bars get full, then the view gets nearer but if the bar gets reduced it then gets farther.
WHAT ABOUT TEAMS AND LEAGUES? ------------------------------------------------------------ EA sports from time have been the leader in making sufficient and numerous leagues from the time of the play station and the Nintendo 64 consoles. There are 27 leagues from 20 countries, and over 501 teams including the Mexican and Korean first division leagues. Each of the teams has the real life jerseys and 4000 players are licensed. Each of the 501teams is accurately represented with kits and badges.
WHAT ABOUT THE GOAL KEPPER? ----------------------------------------------------------- The goalkeepers have authentic reflexes and quite brilliant on ball timings. In the professional or world-class level, you find it difficult to get the ball inside the net. That is a very good improvement because in the previous FIFA EA versions, their goalkeepers were equivalent to zombies, their reflexes where very dull, response poor and the rest of them but this time, every thing has changed. In many cases, the keepers are capable of saving deflections, free kicks, penalty kicks and one on one as well.
EA equally made some extra provisions to all the individual players and this include their real life facial resemblance and real age. Actually the players wages are more realistic and smatter decision of the computer manager that brings about the challenges and more strategic in their pursuit of silver ware.
WHAT ABOUT REFEREE? ------------------------------------------ Fair officiating but gets biased in the professional and world-class level. Issue card most when slide tackles is being made at a far distance from the ball.
WHAT ABOUT THE MUSIC TRACKS? ------------------------------------------------------ While the game loads, particular music tracks plays as well. EA helps also in the advertisements of track songs by showing the name of the artist and the particular track that is playing. For you to see it, while the game is loading, you look at the far down left of the screen you will see a moving box showing the name of the artist and the particular track playing. You can equally change the track if you don't like it and then get the track of your choice through a memory card. This is the most multinational soundtrack ever in video games no doubt about that, with everything from Spain's pinker stone, the German group d.o.c.h and the Argentinean popular rock band vergarabat and also the young punx. You can get these tracks playing along with availability of a memory card. Then when you pause the game there must be a playing music track.
WHAT ABOUT TRAINIING MODE AND PATTERNS? ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- Good training pattern and this include the wall attack that enables every of your players to have accurate shots on target. There are other interesting provisions like the youth player development. In this aspect, you as the manager of the team is enabled to train a youth player for advanced league or lets make it simple, this is feeders teams which in real life developing young players. The set plays could be done with the left analogue to apply topspin or back spin for more creative set plays and fitness shots. You are enabled to train players in their ultimate fitness to earn selection to the first team.
WHAT ABOUT LOADING TIME? ------------------------------------------------- This is the major feature about the psp in general. From time, PSP has not been a good game loader. In this case, the load time is not that long but at times it develops the dilemma but when taking much time to load I suggest you keep your self-busy with the playing tracks.
You can equally elevate your superstar by projecting through great performances by the games biggest football icons in most exiting matches.
WHAT ABOUT COMMENTARY? ------------------------------------------------ This is quite good and but you don't have to be surprise over the commentary because EA has been good in that and for over the years, they have maintained the standard in all of their footie games. In this FIFA 2007 PSP, the commentator follows up every event of the match by calling upon the real players names accurately. But there is some thing I have to comment about the commentary and that is the low voice and the calmness of the commentator. I have to get back in time and I hope you would not mind. The best commentary I have heard in a game is the Nintendo 64 iss soccer. In the game, the commentary makes the game hot and lively. But all the same the commentary is quite a creative thing and no word repeat at all.
WHAT ABOUT OFFICIATING? ---------------------------------------------- This Is the aspect that would have made the game 100% but I will still write on the issue some where in the review. The referee is not biased like the pro evolution 5 referee that finds every tackle and challenge an offence, which made the game quite annoying. There are some things I have found out in footie game referee that makes them angry in the game, and that is tacking the ball with a slide and this makes them mad and can even lead to a red card. When slide tackle an opponent in the game, it is 85% certain that you will be issued a yellow card if not even a red card. But want to get a sure red card, slide tackle your opponent in a counter attack and then wait for the exit card. I think that the footie game makers would make other things an offence not only issuing cards on slide tackles. Rough plays like quaking an opponent is also a card offence.
WHAT ABOUT PACKAGING? ------------------------------------------- Well what really do you expect from the game packaging. Well EA has been capable of using the hottest players of the moment as their photo display of their product. In this case, it is the face of ronaldinho and roney precisely and this attracted buyers including me. WHAT ABOUT OTHER FEATURES? --------------------------------------------------- There are other extra features like the media center which enables you to watch video highlights and play your favourite music with the help of memory card and equally customize your own music. Another good feature is online feature that brings about news with the ultimate sports ticker while on line like breaking news, scores and delivered result on your screen. The super star challenge makes you to elevate your game to super star status by replicating great performances by games biggest stars in most exiting matches. You also have the mini games, which affects the players' performances in manager mode.
Bit flaws ------------ Well this time, fifa 07 has now survived the game play flaws. But the flaws are things you can over look and get on with the game. The flaws are the referee and the commentator.
Referee ------------- The referee is fast in making some decisions like corner kicks and throwing. While playing the game, you will realize that when the ball is about to cross the line of throwing or corner, the referee blows the ball before the ball crosses the line and in some cases, you think you have committed a foul. Well the referee seem to foresee corners and throwings. Another flaws, EA did not let the referee and lines men visible in the field of play rather appear when issuing cards.
Commentator. --------------------- Another problem with the commentator is that he is late in making some comments like when a goal is scored. Some times it takes about 2 to 3 seconds before he shouts it is a goal!
My verdict. ------------------- Well this is my general opinion about the game overall. Previously, EA sold their footie by getting real players facts like name, age, real club and country, which was not that necessary for a footie game. They abandoned the heart of every footie, which is game play . Konami realized it and outplayed them. But now I am happy they have realized what it meant on giving footie games acceptable game plays. Well just like Harrison dent commented on how EA is determined to outplay pro evolution footie. Well it might be possible but remember I am a pro evo pal so I don't think of living the brand rather I'll play both. I am happy about the new development in fifa footies so if I spend 6 to 7 hours playing pro evolution soccer I will be forced to reduce it and play fifa because it has gotten fantastic game plays. So I am happy to see another competitive brand of this footie game. Good value for money in my own case, I bought it at Amazon market place at the price of £7.00, which is very good. So what else do you want from this review I think I have given every possible detail that would make you purchase the product. Thanks for reading my review.
More details
Originality
Excellent - very original
Sound
Good - relevant music & effects
Longevity/Expected Longevity
ongoing
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