FIFA 2009 – review

For those of you that have read any of the recent mainstream reviews of FIFA 2009, you could be entirely forgiven for thinking that this game is the best thing since sliced bread. Having now played the game myself I’m not entirely sure the other reviewers were playing the same game.

FIFA 2009 was developed by EA Canada, a country not particularly well known for its footballing heritage, so even before kick-off signs were not good. Having said this, I’d quite like to start the review on a positive note by talking about the things I actually liked in the game. As we’ve come to expect with FIFA the graphics, sound and general presentation is much better than anything you’d find with Pro Evo Soccer. The animations are excellent as well; players will move in a realistic way rather than looking like Subbuteo pieces getting pushed around a pitch. In this regard it’s definitely worth getting a few players sent off just to watch the different ways in which your opponent’s players will fall to the ground.

Once again EA have excelled themselves is the sheer scale of the game. There are over 500 teams from 30 leagues in the game as well as 41 national teams. As well as this you have 32 real stadiums from around the world including Wembley, the Nou Camp, San Siro and the Estadio Azteca in Mexico. You’re certainly spoilt for choice with FIFA ’09.
Well, now that I’ve got the boring stuff out of the way I can really expose this game was what it truly is. There are so many glitches, bugs and annoyances within FIFA that it’s difficult to know where to start. EA have tried to move away from the arcade style of football which they are often associated with, and give us something resembling a simulation of the beautiful game… that was the theory anyway. FIFA ’09 is more akin to playground football than the sort of stuff you would see in the Premier League.

The most obvious problem is that it is very difficult to actually score a goal. It isn’t uncommon to see your player kick the ball over the bar from the edge of the six yard box. There’s also no obvious way of aiming the ball when you take a shot, so more often than not the ball will go straight into the hands of the goalkeeper. To further add to the frustration shots will repeatedly hit the posts and cross bar, particularly when it comes to free kicks.

You almost wonder if the developers had ever watched a football match, yet alone played in one. FIFA ’09 is far too defensively minded, which really takes away from the fun and drastically slows the pace of the game. Most of the time the ball seems stuck around the midfield as all 22 players battle it out for possession. Even if you do manage to break down the opposition defence and get one-on-one with the goalkeeper it’s still a challenge to get the ball in the back of the net.

As you play the game more and more you’ll begin to notice the wide variety of glitches within the game. At times it almost becomes a competition to see how many offsides you can get in a match or what percentage of your shots hit the woodwork.

To EA’s credit they have tried to implement a few new ideas into the game. Referees will now play the advantage, which all sounds well and good, but unfortunately it’s another case of a good idea poorly implemented.

The “Lounge Mode” works very well, and allows you to set up a mini-league amongst your friends. This really adds a sense of competition to the game and gives you a good idea who the best players really are, which can help to resolve any arguments.

As much as I’ve criticised and complained about the game so far I’m not going to completely condemn it. As frustrating as it can be at times, FIFA ’09 is actually quite a fun game to play, the fact that I’m still playing it over a month after release must say something positive. OK sure, there are some interesting design choices and the commentary it about as annoying as the plague, but at least it’s better than Pro Evo.

6 out of 10

Crytek and EA hate you

Following endless moaning about piracy levels on Crysis, it seems Crytek and EA are trying to go one better with Crysis Warhead. Crytek’s latest release comes bundled with DRM which only allows you to install the game 3 times. Once you’ve used up all your install credits you have to make a phone call to EA and ask them nicely if your allowed to install the game which you’ve already payed for.

So, congratulations go out to EA and Crytek. You’ve just given thousands of PC gamers a reason to pirate your game.

You can download the game here.

Then you’ll have to install the crack, which can be found here.

Again, this is further evidence that DRM just doesn’t work. By using this invasive software the corporations are just encouraging otherwise paying customers to illegally aquire their games.

Personally I hope this game sells badly and gets pirated to death. Hopefully EA will have a serious rethink about putting DRM on future titles.

Race Driver GRID preview

Back in the day I used to play loads of different racing games. Looking back now, most of them were probably fairly shity, but at least they were something to keep me occupied. Today i’m more inclined to play a First Person Shooter than anything else, however the other day I stumbled across the demo for “Race Driver GRID”.

The game follows on from Race Driver 1, Race Driver 2, Race Driver: Modern Warfare and Race Driver: Extraction Point. Once again it is developed by Codemasters, who until they released DiRT last year held pretty high acclaim in my books. I only had to play the DiRT demo for about 10 minutes to realise that it was a steaming pile, so naturally I was a bit wary of GRID.

Fortunately though it looks like Codemasters have really got there act together for this game. Its good to see that British developers are still up there with the very best.

The first thing that struck me about this game was the graphics. When turned up to MAX the textures and lighting look spectacular. Sadly though, I imagine this game with have the sort of system requirements that will make you cry into your pants.  Running on an 8800GT I got an average of 45FPS (MAX settings @ 1280×1024, No AA).

In the demo you get the choice of 3 races. Take to the European circuit in a BMW touring car, race around an American street circuit in a Ford Mustang or try you skills at drifting in Japan.

Personally I didn’t find the drifting to be much fun, possibly because I was crap at it. Certainly though the idea is well realised, and it is possible to pull off some very cool looking drifts.

Taking on a street circuit in an American muscle car sounds really cool… and it is! There was a real sense of speed around the tight track, where even small mistakes would be punished with a trip into the barrier.

Out of the three races the Touring cars was the best. The handling was smooth and the track was just plain excellent to drive around. It was challenging, but importantly not frustrating.

Unlike a lot of other racing games the AI is GRID is actually very good. The driver don’t just race you, they race each other. On several occations I would see two drivers battling to out for position, the result being that one of them would end up in the gravel trap.

Crash damage looks very realistic and actually affects the way your car handles rather than being purely cosmetic. The actual crashes themselves look very good, rather the just bouncing off walls, cars react to collisions in a life like manner.

Based solely on this very short demo, i’d say GRID is lining up to be one of the best racing games this year.

Ricky Gervais to star in GTA IV

If the Telegraph is to be believed, Reading born comedian Ricky Gervais is set to star in the Grand Theft Auto IV. He will perform three minutes of new material as well as jokes from his recent sell out tour.

“It’s a first – which always interests me,” he said. “It’s seriously a big deal, though. Games have outsold Hollywood for the past few years so it’s nice to be a small part of that.”

Grand Theft Auto IV goes on sale on the 29th April. Estimates suggest that the game will take $400 million in its first week alone.

Medal of Honor Airborne (PC)

Developed by EA, Medal of Honor Airborne is the 5^th game in the series to come to the PC. Despite using the very good Unreal Engine 3 this game has “bad” written all over it, with only a handful of redeeming features.

Like most of the other Medal of Honor games you once again take on the role of an American soldier. Fighting alongside your allies from the 82^nd Airborne you take part in various missions including the invasion of Normandy and Operation Market Garden.

The first mission sets a benchmark for the game, and yet you very rarely see any improvement on this. It’s almost like the developers got bored early on, fumbled together some poorly designed maps and gave the player the exact same objectives to complete on each one, such as… blow up a tank, destroy enemy radio, blow up another tank, take out the sniper etc…

It’s a shame because the Unreal Engine has a lot of potential, which has been realised to some extent in games like Gears of War and Rainbow Six Vegas. However it’s difficult to see anything new with Airborne. The games main selling point is that you parachute into every level, but even this seems like a gimmick which doesn’t serve to affect the gameplay in any way, shape or form. The idea seemed to be that by choosing your start point you could complete your objectives in any order. However due to the small size of that maps this doesn’t make the game seem any less linear.

Fortunately for Airborne the actual gun play is very good. The weapons feel powerful and there is always plenty of ammo lying around. Although for the most part this is due to the stupid AI of your team mates, who seem intent on getting themselves killed as quickly as possible. Sadly this really screws over the “realism” factor as you continue to win the battle despite your allies being cut down quicker than the Amazon rainforest.

In stark contrast to your allies, the enemy AI is actually reasonably good, although the occasional Nazi will decide that his weapon is better used as a baseball bat rather than a gun. Unfortunately some clown at EA thought it would be a good idea to give the Nazis telescopic X-ray vision, allowing them to both see and shoot you from about four miles away. When combined with an unfair checkpoint save system this really adds to the frustration which comes bundled with the game. At times you feel you’re trying to beat the actual game engine rather than the Nazis.

Graphics wise the game is very good especially with textures and lighting. The sound is also half decent, but it’s nothing that hasn’t be heard before.

It’s almost a blessing that this game is so short, six missions to be exact, meaning you should be able to complete it in around six hours. Although by the time you get to the end you’ll certainly be wanting that time back.

Anti human nature.

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has once again been doing its very best to prove what a massive joke it really is. Following just two complaints they were able to ban a TV advert for the video game “Stranglehold”.

As if in an attempt to compete with the anti-liberal BBFC, the ASA stated their reason for the ban was that the advert, “suggested that it was honourable to seek revenge and that violence was an acceptable solution to a situation.” What the ASA failed to realise is that far more graphics adverts for films are regularly shown on TV.  This seems to further emphasise the fact that these associations are not only anti-free speech, but totally bias against video games in any form. Next they’ll be trying to ban Mario because it encourages you to take magic mushrooms!

These claims by the ASA also create a contradiction so huge that it could cause a rift in the time-space continuum. If humanity creates violent entertainment and people go out and buy it, then surely this is what people want. Evidently we see some kind of strange inconsistency here, where humans ban the very things they create. The very fact the ASA exists also seems to suggest that humans are incapable of making decisions for themselves and therefore need someone else to do it.

Censorship just doesn’t work…

Jack Thompson goes mental… again

For those of you who don’t know who Jack Thompson is he is an “anti-video game’s attorney from the good old U.S of A.

Following the recent decission in America to give Manhunt 2 an “M” (mature) rating, Jack Thompson went mental again with a series of e-mails to Take Two Interactive. I have posted the emails below…

From: Jack Thompson

Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 4:55 PM

Subject: Letter to Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick, Ben Feder Re Manhunt 2

Dear Mr. Zelnick and Mr. Feder:

Congratulations on receiving a “Mature” rating for Manhunt 2. You’ll live to regret it (trust me), so enjoy it while you can.

I want to bring to your attention the fact that at www.rockstargames.com anyone of any age can order Manhunt 2 and receive it, with no age verification whatsoever. Asking a 14-year-old if he’s 17 is not age verification, now is it?

You also know that the use of a bank card as an age verifier is a violation of all bank card agreements, right?

Govern yourselves accordingly, if you can.

Regards, Jack Thompson

———————————-

From: Gena Feist

To: Jack Thompson

Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:47 PM

Subject: FW: Letter to Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick, Ben Feder Re Manhunt 2

Mr. Thompson,Your statements regarding our practices are false, as you know or should have known.

The Take Two website verifies age in two ways. First, consumers who purchase M or RP rated games certify that they are at least 17 years of age. Numerous websites use the same method for verifying age in connection with sales of movies and games. Second, we verify age through the use of a credit card number in connection with a transaction. Such transaction based verification is acceptable to both credit card companies and the FTC (see, e.g. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/coppa.shtm).

We demand that you cease making these false statements about our online sales practices. Your dissemination of knowingly false statements for the purpose of adversely affecting Take-Two’s business is actionable and we reserve all of our rights under the settlement agreement and state and federal law.

Not only are your statements clearly false, but they were made in an email publicly disseminated to both the FTC and the press. Please be assured that I am happy to answer any questions you have concerning our practices in a private communications. It is for this very reason that our settlement agreement designates a legal contact for you at Take Two.

If you continue to make false statements to an audience of press and public officials, however, we will have no choice but to take action against you.

Sincerely,
Gena

———————————–

From: Jack Thompson

To: Gena Feist (T2 NY)

Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:39 PM

Subject: Re: Letter to Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick, Ben Feder Re Manhunt 2

As you should be aware, credit cards cannot be used to verify the age of buyers. Kids have credit cards, and they use parents’ credit cards. You have then got to be kidding me.

Take-Two is welcome to use age verification software that is available for on-line alcohol, firearm and other purchases of adult material. Stop lying.

Thanks

Jack Thompson, Attorney

———————————–

From: “Gena Feist (T2 NY)”
To: “Jack Thompson”
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 5:30 PM
Subject: RE: Letter to Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick, Ben Feder Re Manhunt 2

Jack, give it a break. I am happy to answer your questions and correct any misapprehensions that you have but I will not engage in this type of discussion with you. I am not a liar, I didn’t threaten you, and I wont get roped into this type of dialogue. Don’t bother writing back because I will not answer any further communications along these lines.

————————————

From: Jack Thompson
To: Gena Feist
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 5:28 PM
Subject: Re: Letter to Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick, Ben Feder Re Manhunt 2

Surely you are not taking the position that I am not allowed to communicate with the government about Take-Two’s actions, are you? If you are, then please know that that position renders the agreement unenforceable as a matter of public policy, since the law is settled that no agreement that restricts a citizen’s petition rights to the government is enforceable.

Are you seriously suggesting that an agreement that does not restrict me in that fashion does restrict me? Becasue [sic] if you are, then I have a new civil rights claim agains [sic] Take-Two.

Jack Thompson

———————————–

From: Gena Feist
To: “Jack Thompson”
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 5:20 PM
Subject: Re: Letter to Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick, Ben Feder Re Manhunt 2

Jack,

I appreciate that you directed this message to me alone. In regards to your comments below, I understand that you disagree with the use of a credit card transaction as age verification but it is accepted by the FTC and the retail industry as verification of age.

You are on notice that we use two industry and government accepted forms of age verification. Please do not repeat your false claims publicly or make claims that I/the company are lying about this matter.

We entered into the settlement agreement because we did not want to engage in unnecessary litigation with you, but I assure you that we will enforce the terms of the agreement if necessary and that any suit will include a claim for our legal fees under paragraph 11.

Sincerely,
Gena

———————————-

From: “Jack Thompson”
To: “Gena Feist (T2 NY)”
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 6:17 PM
Subject: Re: Letter to Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick, Ben Feder Re Manhunt 2

What is wrong with you? You threaten me with enforcement of the agreement, and I ask you how I have violated it. Are you nuts?

Jack Thompson, Attorney

———————————–

SOURCES:GamePolitics.com
Destructoid.com

Jonathan Ross to star in Halo 3.

According to an article in the News of the World, Jonathan Ross is due to star in the upcoming Xbox 360 title Halo 3. Here is the source

The article says that Ross, who is a huge fan of the sci-fi shoot ‘em up, will voice an “evil alien” in the game, and will be recieving no fee for lending his voice to Microsofts #1 game.

Although i don’t actually own an Xbox 360, i really hope this news is true just for the pure brilliance of it.

Manhunt 2

As you may have guessed this links in with my previous post regarding the effective banning of Manhunt 2. As things stand the BBFC are still standing by there decision, and Rockstar (the publishers of the game) don’t seem to have made any actions so far.

On the 10 Downing Street Website a petition has been set up in an attempt to fight the ban. Even if you have no interest in the game I would strongly encourage you to sign this petition. The banning of Manhunt 2 is clearly a breach of freedom of speech as well as being hypocritical and in no way democratic.

Thank you if you have taken the time to read this…

I thought we lived in a Liberal society?

I was under the impression that we lived in a Liberal society, but today I was proved wrong by the BBFC [British Board of Film Classifiers], who have taken the decission to ban Manhunt 2 [PS2 and Wii] from sale in the UK. The news was reported both by the BBC and Gamespot UK.

There was little doubt in my mind that this game would get an 18 rating, as no doubt it will contain some pretty graphic images. But people know what this game is about, so if it is going to offend you are not likely to buy it [unless you are an old person, who might buy the game just so they could write a letter of complaint saying how "discusted" they are].

BBFC director David Cooke is quoted as saying “There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed“.

Errrr…. thanks very much Cpt. Fucking Obvious but I do know what the game is about. Anyway, what point is he trying to make? After all you could make the exact same statement about a film like Saw or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but did they get banned… NO THEY DIDN’T! So where the fuck is the consistency here?

You may remember back to 2004, when some kid got murdered in Leicester. The mother of the murdered boy blamed the original Manhunt for her sons death. OK, i’m sorry your son is dead, but get a fucking life, the video game didn’t kill your son, some basket case did. Even the police said that “robbery was the motive” for the attack.

Anyway, back to my original point. The way in which the BBFC opperate is clearly fucked up. How can they possibly be so inconsistant? They need to totally re-think the way in which they opperate and sort out this obvious bias against video games.

Banning this game is only going to cause further problems. Being a Rockstar game, Manhunt 2 had recieved a lot of hype and a lot of people are going to be dissapointed by the ban. Certainly this is going to lead to an increase in illegal copies of the game being sold. And if we are to believe anything we read in the press Piracy funds terrorism.

To conclude…. FUCK YOU BBFC, fuck you and everything you stand for.