I've been looking forward to playing the FIFA demo.
Gray and I were in HMV mentally spending money.
A dummy FIFA box was there, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about buying it.
Mentally.
With money I don't have.
On loading it up, a few things hit me.
They've gone the NHL/Tiger Woods route. The load screens are all lifted from other EA titles. I mean that as a good thing. Presentation on those other sports games have always been light years ahead of FIFA for me.
They've taken it in game too. The 1-1 load screen is still there. You can play as the keeper now, which is fun for 5 minutes.
Then, EA finally get the intro right. The players walk up the steps from Bernabeau, with the officials in front - last year they started on the pitch and it annoyed the hell out of me. Almost half finished. When they line up, then walk along and do the handshake thing it's mighty impressive.
Add in the commentary that you would expect, and it looks sewn up.
After a few passes through the middle, I scored. I did the self celebration thing which is as fun as ever.
Then, I scored again. With my second shot.
It was a brilliant shot. I got a vibration on the dual shock as it clipped the post.
But it dawned on me. Semi-Pro. First game on FIFA in a year, 2-0 up after three minutes.
So I upped the difficulty. And thankfully the AI improved. What it didn't do was improve the lobbed pass. The weight didn't feel right. They kept going short, and not in an under hit way.
Then, as much as I love stats, they were popping up left right and centre. Essien had run 500 yards. John Terry had won five tackles. Brilliantly done, but the timing was terrible. Bearing down on goal, again, I was told I'd had two shots. Let me take the third one first. eh? Obtrusives not the word.
So it became obvious why I had wanted to play it.
I needed vindication that, for me, Pro Evo was better. More involved. More evolved. More adult.
I needed vindication that it was more satisfying to score, even if I couldn't choose my celebration.
I needed vindication that the new camera angle adds to the depth of the game. Feels more real.
I needed vindication that even if it's "less fun", it's not inferior.
I feel vindicated.
That's not in any way a slight on FIFA 2011. It's a great little kick around. Very fun. Arcadey. Exactly what I expected.
Truth is, I only punched the air once tonight. That was when I won 1-0 versus Bayern Munich on Pro Evo.
Hop over to DiaryOfALedger.Com to see GCs take. He's far less biased than me.
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