Compelling Soccer

I mean it. I turned on my console and then the next thing I knew it was 7:30 PM, Sunday night.

The patch which makes Manager Mode slightly less glitchy was released for the Xbox360 on Friday so it was time for me to dive into the mode fit for obsessive compulsive weirdos. (Hey, the first step to recovery is admission) I had places to be Friday night, so a lost night was impossible until Saturday. Then there were delays Saturday morning. But around noon on Saturday the TV was mine and I didn't relinquish it. I ended up playing almost half a season and could have played more. The hours flew by on Saturday and Sunday with only Liverpool v. Man U keeping me from turning it into an all day affair. But we'll get to that later. First, the nitty gritty, how the in game action feels.

It shouldn't surprise you then when I say FIFA 10's game play is addictive. The 360 degree control has been hyped, but I haven't played a FIFA game in two years so I don't feel as though I have a point of reference. The physics are solid, with deflections and momentum coming into play. If you aren't squared up, your shot will be less accurate and have less power. Size and strength matter as well. You might have a small player who is fast, but don't expect him to survive physical encounters for the ball. He'll be shoved off it and stand little chance on headers. On the other hand get him a little space and watch out.

Speaking of speed, pace is still the dominant force, at least at the lower levels. I have a player, Richard Sukuta-Pasu, who is one of the faster players in the Coca-Cola Championship (Damn you cooperate branding!) and he completely dominates the game. If he gets clear on a through ball, no one is catching him and it becomes a 1 v 1 chance. Without him, my Leicester City team is okay, but is going to end up in dog fights. With him, and they'll beat anyone.

The problem isn't the speed itself though. As mentioned, small players have burners but struggle. The issue is when you get the combination of speed and strength, it trumps skill. I suppose if I find a player who is awful with the ball it could come back to bite me, but Sukuta-Pasu has no such issues. I'll also be curious to see what happens when I get promoted to the Premiership. There his speed and strength will not be upper echelon, so his impact maybe lessened. We shall see.

I thought a potential flaw with the game play was the pressure. Turns out that is not actually the issue. Teams do pressure and you don't have much of a moment to pass the ball. That's what makes the best midfielders, well, the best. To be able to pick out a striker even as one or two defenders are bearing down on you, that's what makes you world class.

The problem for FIFA is the slide tackling. I can forgive straight tackles not generating a lot of fouls; otherwise you end up with a game that constantly has breaks for free kicks. It destroys the flow and isn't fun. However, the AI is able to perform slide tackles to I'd guess 85% efficiency. Your player may get destroyed on a play, but as long as the defender gets a little piece of the ball, no foul will be called. In soccer getting the ball gives you a little leeway, but a viscous tackle will be punished regardless of whether or not you get the ball. It can make the game frustrating at points.

The ironic part is the defending mechanic is improved. Squaring up and playing angles is key. I find it far easier to D up than in previous FIFA games by playing angles and timing when to make tackles or pressure. The base logic is there for good defense without cheap slide tackle abuse. Perhaps it's something to be done for FIFA 11. Also the way teams pressure is very similar. This forces you to play a similar style against everyone you play. What I mean by that is if you play a 4-4-2 flat, then there really is one way to beat the attacks you'll see. If you play a 4-1-2-1-2 then there's a specific way to beat that attack.

One thing FIFA does do well is playing a style with one formation and then trying to use it for another is a good way to get yourself curb stopped. I was having a ton of success with the 4-4-2, the decided to use the 4-1-2-1-2 style and got smashed 4-0. My attacks went nowhere and I couldn't break pressure. I'm sure there's a way, but it wasn't happening with the way I was playing. Once again, the base is there. It could be something special if improved upon.

I've also seen complaints about goalie AI. I think it's improved over prior incarnations but that's potentially because I haven't mastered the chip shot. So far my goalie rushing has been moderately successful, especially when I have a defender.

The AI assistance is better with off the ball runs being done much better. I was going to complain that players go towards the guy with the ball, but with the improved physics and your inability to be falling backwards and deliver a pinpoint pass halfway across the field through four defenders, it probably make sense.

But that's the game play. What about manager mode? The mode that has reported to have 70+ bugs which some users say makes it unplayable? I've been immersed in that over the weekend. Tomorrow, I'll have a write up on that.