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How Metascores Are Calculated
76
Age of Booty
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
The FIFA Soccer 08 next-gen gameplay engine, built to maximize the power of Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3, delivers animations and ball control that is so responsive you feel like you are actually on the pitch. Players in FIFA Soccer 08 now benefit from A.I. so smart, it features a 35-point decision engine which enables players to process multiple decisions and reactions in real-time. The A.I.'s dynamic ‘Threat Map’ system captures the excitement and realism of soccer. Players are now aware of their surroundings, reacting authentically to threats and opportunities to make intelligent football decisions. A true next-generation ball-striking engine calculates shot success by combining an almost infinite number of different contexts, including ball spin, pressure from defenders, player attributes, and even air pressure to recreate the drama and unpredictable nature of shooting. A new play mode called Be A Pro locks you in the role of a single player and challenges you to master the same disciplines as a real soccer player—from positioning and tackling to reading the field and passing. FIFA Soccer 08 introduces skill moves with a true next-generation organic 'building-block' system enabling you to combine tricks and skill moves together to recreate signature moves from the real-world superstars or define your own style of play. Animations can be interrupted at any time to transition into a new move, enabling you to read and respond to the defence, just like real life. Master the skills to break down the defence, elude your marker and lead your team to victory. Represent your club online against your rivals throughout the season in the F.A. Premier League, Bundesliga, French League or Mexican 1st Division. When they play, you play. [Electronic Arts]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 91
Ferrago
Thanks to genuine challenge, bruising A.I., a significantly improved Manager Mode, and more involving evolutionary player aspects, this year's FIFA emerges as yet another successful edition to EA's once vilified football portfolio.
 91
Planet Xbox 360
The FIFA series can no longer be labelled as a joke because this year it has surpassed PES2008. The sheer volume of content along with the realistic game play and superior graphics, has led me to this conclusion.
90
Armchair Empire
Overall great stuff and it makes you wonder how EA will improve upon this… maybe they should start with improving the corner kicks.
90
Operation Sports
Perhaps the place where FIFA 08 shines the brightest is in what I am considering the revolutionary mode of online play.
90
Boomtown
Whether you enjoy one of the many solo modes or take on friends with the excellent and – in my experience so far – lag free online multiplayer, you've a football game that's going to stick with you all season.
90
1UP
A superb and strikingly polished game.
90
GameSpy
After four iterations, FIFA Soccer 08 feels like the first title to live up to the "next-gen" name.
89
Game Chronicles
FIFA 08 is the first soccer game on the 360 that I actually feel like I got my money’s worth.
88
Gamers' Temple
FIFA 08 is not the first next-gen soccer game, but it's the first one to really feel like a full next-gen game.
88
GameTrailers
The franchise has finally reached its next-gen potential with a gang of new modes and gameplay tweaks that make the experience much more realistic and skill-based. There’s a steeper learning curve to overcome, but it’s worth it to finally cast aside the 16-bit pass-pass-shoot trappings the FIFA series has endured for far too long.
88
ActionTrip
Instead of just competing with Pro Evo Soccer outright, the designers were smart enough to reexamine the gameplay from a more fundamental level and "Be A Pro" mode of play achieves this smoothly and effectively.
87
Electronic Gaming Monthly
While the on-field action feels sluggish and unresponsive at first, you soon learn to work with the pace of the game and play it like you would the sport, rather than just the videogame. [Nov 2007, p.107]
85
GameSpot
EA Sports continues to experiment with its FIFA football series, creating a more challenging and slower-paced game for the 2008 outing.
85
Team Xbox
While this current FIFA is solid, EA still needs to put its best cleat forward and utilize this latest SKU as a stepping stone toward soccer game nirvana. FIFA Soccer 08 is, however, an authoritative crossover step in the right direction.
85
GameZone
A huge increase in the league count allows you to play as tons of new teams as well as partake in more than 50 different tournaments. The ball physics have been greatly improved, feeling more realistic than ever. The Be-A-Pro mode is a great, albeit very limited, addition.
85
MS Xbox World
It is one of the best experiences of the beautiful game, but the slightly slow pace of the title doesn’t quite encourage the excitement levels beyond anything substantial.
85
Game Over Online
Overall, FIFA 08 is a wonderful soccer game that improves on its predecessor in almost every way. It looks great, plays great, and is back on the right track for taking the crown back from the Winning Eleven series.
84
Cheat Code Central
You'll get your soccer fix with good controls, great graphics, and tremendous license support.
83
Gaming Age
FIFA 08 is not only the best EA soccer game in years, but one of the best soccer titles in recent memory.
82
Console Monster
A very decent football simulation, mixing both stunning graphics with some well-thought gameplay.
81
Da Gameboyz
FIFA 08 is definitely a marked improvement as it has continued to evolve over the past few years.
80
DarkStation
Overall this is the strong outing that the FIFA franchise really needed and it came out in a big way and for lack of better terms, scored.
80
Worth Playing
Minus its hiccups in gameplay and difficulty, FIFA 08 is a good game. It's just not a great game when compared to the reigning king of soccer games, Winning Eleven (Pro Evolution Soccer in Europe).
80
AceGamez
The differences from last year might only sound incremental on paper, but FIFA 08 provides all the polish of last year with some excellent new features with some additional flair and panache.
80
games(TM)
Those used to the drama of Pro Evo may well be put off by some often dull matches, but as a simulation, FIFA 08 stands as another EA Sports success story. [Dec 2007, p.121]
80
Jolt Online Gaming UK
Yes, the leagues are here; the players are here; the stadiums (well, some at least) are here. But FIFA 08 represents EA’s first real attempt in years to do something with the franchise other than just repackaging what has gone before. Here’s a game that makes a real (if occasionally flawed) effort to move the sports sim forward.
80
GameTap
Players are forced to think, pass, move, and shoot more like pro soccer players than ever before--giving long-time Winning Eleven fans pause for thought.
80
Official Xbox Magazine
Another year, another FIFA--and consider us happy. [Dec 2007, p.78]
80
Official Xbox Magazine UK
By far the best, most revined version of FIFA yet - its presentation and 'big game feel' are second to none. [Dec 2007, p.78]
80
GamerNode
Its depth may scare off some gamers while appealing to the hardcore soccer fan.
80
VideoGamer
Sadness in that here we have a lovely looking and functionally excellent game, but it's just not got that certain je ne sais quoi, that va-va-voom.
80
EuroGamer
FIFA 08 is, on the whole, a triumph. Had the Be A Pro features been more fleshed out and the lower difficulty settings somewhat more forgiving, then it would undoubtedly have scored a 9 rather than an 8. However, thanks to the promise of the former feature, multiplayer games that are little short of superb (due to the lack of AI defenders thwarting your every attack), the usual exhaustive array of official league and cup competitions and some stunning visuals and animations that milk next gen power for all it's worth, it very much feels that the FIFA franchise is genuinely teetering on the cusp of greatness.
80
Video Game Talk
As a standalone game this is easily a recommended title if you enjoy the sport in any fashion, it’s true to the sport and plays, looks and sounds great and there’s a large pool of players around the world to play online.
79
Game Positive
If you're looking for a fun and quick soccer game, you should probably look elsewhere, but if you want a challenge and the authenticity of the real thing, you'll find it in abundance here.
79
IGN
FIFA 08 seems to represent the classic videogame mistake. It’s not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination and will likely satisfy football diehards a bit more than past entries in the series, but one can’t help but wonder just how good the whole package could have been if EA Sports had just held the game back until the online Be a Pro Mode was finished.
78
Game Informer
FIFA 08 is the most playable version of the series yet in the next-gen era--including a cool Superstar-like mode--but ghosts of old gameplay still haunt this release. [Oct 2007, p.110]
75
Xbox World Australia
As it is, FIFA 08 is a football title that has plenty going for it, but also plenty of annoyances and offers a realistic experience that further breaks the mold of FIFA's past poorer efforts from the last few years.
75
Games Master UK
The ultimate FIFA in terms of licenses, teams and presentation; fails to excite on the pitch. [Dec 2007, p.55]
72
Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
The infrastructure is definitely in place for a corker of a kickabout but the important thing - that intangible soul - is still frustratingly missing.
70
Yahoo! Games
A satisfactory update to the franchise, but still has yet to really hit its stride on the next-gen platforms. It took the FIFA team years to get it right on the PS2. Let's hope we don't have to wait quite so long for this FIFA to reach its amazing potential.
70
Gamestyle
FIFA 08 represents an enjoyable if limited take on the beautiful game.
70
X360 Magazine UK
A significant improvement over last time out - requiring patience and guile to succeed - but unfortunately, shadows of its former self still remain, however. [Issue#25, p.96]
70
Thunderbolt
'Be a Pro' is interesting, but far from reaching its true potential. FIFA 08 is like many a top team’s season; plenty of the sublime, but some glaring errors hold it back from greatness.
Apocalypse B. gave it a6: Bassam A. gave it a10: Mike C. gave it a10: Christopher H. gave it a7: Dave M. gave it an8: Martin D. gave it a10: Darren M. gave it a6: |
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