The year’s biggest battle has commenced, FIFA 2008 is out and ready for your enjoyment, with Pro Evolution not far behind. After months of waiting you die-hard FIFA players now have the chance to sample the world’s second best football game. Second best I hear you say? I’m a Pro Evo man and always will be, you’ll see no signs of side switching here but I promise I’ll be objective, quite simply for your benefit. Konami’s Pro Evolution has always been the favourite but last year saw FIFA close the gap and make serious strides towards taking Pro Evolution’s crown.

Anyways the obvious things have improved like graphics and gameplay etc but the biggest change that EA Sports have made to the way you’ll play on the pitch this year has to do with manual controls. They provide a far better level of control in your play, allowing you the freedom to kick your crosses and through balls as hard as you want and in ay direction possible, a feature most people have longed to see on the screens of FIFA. The changes are not particularly earth shattering but these subtle adjustments all add together to make the game a lot better to play.

There is a lot of focus on the artificial intelligence thanks to the new “35 point decision engine”. In simple terms it means that every player on the pitch is fully aware of those around him and constantly thinking about tactics and position when not under your control.

Other new features include Be A Pro which challenges you to play the role of a single player through a whole season or career. On top of this there are revamped online leagues to play a virtual season in the Premier League, Bundesliga, French League or Mexican 1st Division against real opponents. With 620 licensed teams, 30 offline leagues and 15,000 players as well FIFA might just have made enough new signings this year to put it over the top, but I personally doubt it.

At the end of the day this review will probably serve no purpose, all FIFA lovers will undoubtedly stick with their game, regardless of how good it is and the same goes for me and my fellow Pro Evolutionaries, we will happily bide our time waiting for the release of our game refusing to acknowledge FIFA or their game players.

FIFA 08 is a good game and I won’t insult anyone by suggesting they buy it, for most people that is compulsory.

This game was supplied by Jodie Van Hibb at EA Sports.
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James Henderson