‘FIFA Soccer ’06’

Genre: Sports

Platform: PS2, Xbox, PSP

Publisher: EA Sports

Stars: 4 out of 5

Strap on your boots and take to the pitch – it’s time to play some footie.

EA Sports’ FIFA series is back with its 2006 version, and it definitely has some changes – some for better, some for worse.

As soon as new owners of ‘FIFA ’06’ eagerly take off the plastic wrap and plop the game into the console, they’ll notice it’s a different game. After selecting your favorite side, you are immediately dropped into a game against a team of international superstars called the Classic XI.

It was at this time I started cursing my choice of D.C. United as my favorite side. Freddy Adu and I may be boys from my brief stint covering the team this summer for The Washington Times, but there’s no way I could maneuver a victory here.

As it turns out, the only thing you can gain here is player bios – not exactly something vital to the gaming experience.

EA Sports also changed up the gameplay from last year’s game. In ‘FIFA Soccer 2005,’ you could tackle the ball carrier, gain possession, make a run with the ball at the goal, shoot and score with one player.

Granted, I’m hardly a good gamer. But match after match, the score ended up 0-0, and I was ready to give up this game and go back to the 2005 version. I tried one more match, and the perseverance paid off.

It seems the designers actually wanted to create a realistic soccer experience. Instead of ramming the ball down the throats of the opposing defenders, you have to settle the ball back, pass around and just be patient.

It’s how scores occur in real soccer, and the programmers made a point of making ‘FIFA ’06’ realistic. Once I realized I needed to play like actual squads do, I easily scored. It wasn’t so much that the game was difficult as it plays true to the sport.

‘FIFA ’06’ offers a revamped manager mode where you take over a team in one of six regions, based roughly on the continents. I didn’t feel I was ready to test my managerial skills in the FA Premier League with the likes of Chelsea Football Club and Manchester United, so I opted to start with Major League Soccer.

Still, most of the aspects are catered to the international soccer scene. You don’t see many transfers in MLS, let alone corporate sponsors and packed stadiums. But it’s neat to navigate a squad through a season (a typical international soccer season is even longer than Major League Baseball’s seven-month monstrosity) and see the development of chemistry and momentum. If you get on a roll in this game, it’s much easier to continue doing well. There’s even a bar next to the score display to tell you how momentum is for both squads.

Overall, this game is a lot of fun. It can be frustrating and you may find yourself a few inches away from the TV screaming at a pixilated Damien Duff after he sails a shot over the crossbar. But then again, that intensity’s what the beautiful game’s all about, and ‘FIFA ’06’ makes the wait until the 2006 World Cup a little easier.

Published on October 30, 2005 at 12:00 pm