FIFA 2005 is out now on PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, PC and GBA
Office debate no. 963. There's something wrong with FIFA 2005. But
nobody can agree on what. "It's less, err, fluid than PES4," murmurs
writer, Nathan. "The set pieces are rubbish," argues art monkey, Milf.
"No, that's not it," offers a mystery voice from a neighbouring Xbox
magazine. "The problem is that while PES4 feels like a simulation, FIFA
2005 plays like a game - you've got to think about every move, rather
than acting on instinct." The office falls silent. The inability to
define the problem is the problem. Unlike PES4, where every button press
yields a measurable result, FIFA 2005 too often leaves you guessing.
Take
crossing, for example. A lengthy prod of Square sends a floating ball
into the box, but even with analogue stick guidance, you're never quite
sure where it's heading. Even when you meet the ball with a header,
you're never sure if you've held the shoot button long enough,
invariably looping the ball wide. Your teammates rarely make intelligent
runs, and often go missing, leaving you as the sole midfielder in a sea
of opposition players. It's possible to wallop the ball into the top
corner from twenty yards, but one-on-ones are invariably smothered by
the keeper. You can run thirty yards with a defender trailing behind,
but after a while regardless of whether he's made up sufficient ground
he'll inevitably regain possession with a slide tackle.
Don't get
us wrong. The abiding impression is of an intelligent passing game, but
FIFA 2005 seems to be forcing situations to keep everything ticking
along. In fairness, PES does exactly the same thing, but does so
naturally you rarely spot the computer's balancing intelligence at work
(like the way it slyly aligns players for tackles). FIFA 2005 keeps
things tight at least, by making, say, Van Nistelrooy inexplicably shin
one from five yards, or urging the keeper into a great save.
It's
far from bad news. The new First Touch feature works sublimely. A flick
of the right analogue stick as you receive the ball, pokes the ball in
the corresponding direction and lets you steal a yard on a defender - a
feature sorely missing from FIFA 2004, where it was impossible to break
the defensive line without repetitive passing triangles. The skill move
system has also been refined, so rather than perform a pointless
on-the-spot dance before losing possession - like FIFA 2004 - you can
snatch a yard and lose the defender. By tapping the right stick at 90?
angles to your movement, you can shimmy past opponents sideways, like
the invaluable R2 shuffle move in PES. Hold the right analogue away from
your direction of movement, and great strikers like Henry will even
skip the ball over an advancing keeper another great touch, dependent on
timing.
Standard passing is intuitive, if slightly sticky due to the (beautiful)
lengthy animation frames. In five minutes, you'll be stroking the ball
about like Arsenal, exploiting open space and cute angles. The ability
to press o and send players on runs works brilliantly, unlocking
defences and showcasing the enhanced through ball dynamics. (Hold L1 and
Triangle for lofted passes, like PES). The 'revolutionary' - ie. shit
and confusing involving four button presses - Off The Ball system
returns, but tucked away like a ginger stepchild. Your capacity to
initiate teammate runs is so flexible, it's as if the developers have
chosen to keep them still unless prompted. Is it really too much to ask
for Frank Lampard to move five yards ahead without having to jam down
the Triangle button and pray he reacts in time?
As usual player likenesses are superb, with realistic animation and
loquacious commentary. Naturally. Game modes are extensive from the LDV
Vans trophy to Spanish Second Division but the haphazard quantity
diminishes the prestige of individual events. The 'throw enough shit and
it sticks' approach extends to the music, lurching unfathomably from
Morrissey, to The Streets to dire Italian house. The Career mode lets
you tinker with every element of a club, but when tactics make little
difference to the way you play, and with players feeling so similar
there's little to choose between Rooney and, say, Tommy Doherty the
effort seems wasted.
In terms of individual elements shooting,
passing, trickery it's the best FIFA by a mile. Sadly, like Chelsea
under Claudio Rainieri, it fails to gel as a team. As with every FIFA,
you'll love your first ten minutes, but the compulsion to return soon
diminishes. FIFA 2005 might have the First Touch, but lacks the lasting
impression.