| Article Index |
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| FIFA 08 (Xbox 360) review |
| Gameplay&heading=FIFA 08 review |
| Graphics, audio |
| Conclusions |
FIFA 08 review - Xbox 360
(Also available on PLAYSTATION 3 and PC)
Reviewing a FIFA game is always going to be a difficult proposition. In fact, reviewing any of EA’s sports titles is generally going to be fraught with difficulties. With yearly updates that usually only amount to roster changes and whatever catchline gameplay addition EA have chosen for that year, it’s all too easy for a gamer to wonder if the newer version is worth the purchase. This is even more true for the FIFA series, with not only the annual update, but the various mid-season special additions that EA release to milk the franchise.
Or are they milking the franchise really? The argument that I’m sure the EA marketing men would put forward is that they are pandering to consumer demand, and the sales figures seem to bear this out. But just to continue the theme for a moment, given that the Xbox 360 has been out for a little under 2 years, we already have had FIFA 06: Road to the World Cup, 2006 FIFA World Cup, FIFA 07 and UEFA Champions League 2006-2007. And now we have FIFA 08.
This is why, for the reviewer, it’s a difficult proposition. Is our job to compare it to the competition, or to compare it against previous releases? Do the gamers out there actually care that the game they buy today is going to be tweaked in a few short months, have the majority of the teams stripped out and branded for the European Championships and maybe also another version of UEFA Champions League released. Or do they just want to play the latest version and emulate their heroes on the field in that given moment.
Honestly, I don’t know. What I do know is that it would be unfair to review FIFA 08 as anything other than a game in its own right. Yes, during the course of the review I may make mention of PES and previous FIFA titles, but that will only be to give the title context. It is also fair to say that this FIFA is the first truly complete title released on the current generation machines, and is also the first football release on the PS3.