FIFA Soccer 2004
- September 19, 2003 00:00 AM PST
With intriguing new control schemes, graphics, and features, FIFA Soccer 2004 looms large.
After retooling its gameplay last season, FIFA Soccer 2004 turned its attention to its Career mode, which lets you start with a low-ranked team and battle to the championships while signing new players, managing the budget, and battling for promotion or relegation between leagues. A much more detailed approach to formations, tactics, stats, attributes, and more makes the management easier, and PS2 players also get the benefit of playing head-to-head online with gamers from around the planet. The graphics are also getting an impressive facelift as the players move with remarkably fluid animations, and the stadiums sport rich lighting and recognizable city backdrops.But all the beef isn�t found just in the game�s features. In hands-on time, the new �off the ball� control system added an additional layer of strategy to the action as you can jostle defenders for the ball, call for tackles, send other players on run, and control someone other than the ball carrier. While the preview versions were still quite early, the game�s potential shined through pretty brightly, and as long as EA Sports maintains that promise as development concludes, FIFA 2004 should be a winner.
