Metacritic Games

FIFA Soccer 2004 (Xbox)

A new Career Mode gives you the chance to take a team from the lower divisions, battle through ranks, sign new players, and turn them into champions. Take control of players away from the ball, and run them into space for attacking passes or gain valuable position during dead ball kicks. A fine-tuned game engine, and new animations dramatically enhance the smoothness in player movement. Deeper team AI, attributes, tactics, playing styles, control, and individual player personalities. Build your franchise and guide your club to the Championship by making calculated front-office decisions with Career Mode. When one season ends and another begins new challenges will present themselves. More than 300 new crowd chants at an ever growing list of officially licensed stadiums help put you in the best seat in the house. Plus, an all-new dynamic weather feature even affects gameplay, so choose your home wisely. More than 500 official licenses, including 16 leagues, 350 teams and 10,000 players. From Europe’s super leagues to the Americas Club Championship, FIFA Soccer 2004 has the most authentic selection of the world’s best. [EA Sports]

EA Sports
Sports
Players: 4
E (Everyone)
Developer: EA Canada
Released November 4, 2003

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

82 / 100

Critic Reviews

100 Play Magazine
Not to be outdone by "Winning Eleven 6," EA Sports has pulled out all the stops and created a soccer game that is second to none... I dare you to find a soccer game where the ball moves so dynamically and realistically. [Nov 2003, p.108]
92 Official Xbox Magazine
Graphically, FIFA charms, but the gameplay is sublime. [Dec 2003, p.146]
90 GamePro
A solid simulation of the sport that offers more teams and unique options not available in its main and only competitor on the PS2, "Winning Eleven." Some minor control issues remain and the depth is still not where it needs to be, but it delivers a highly worthwhile experience nonetheless.
90 Xbox Nation Magazine
Ultimately, whether 2004 is, in fact, a better game than Konami's "Winning Eleven 7" on PlayStation 2 is debatable; what is clear, however, is that this is easily the finest game of footy to be found on Xbox.
88 Team Xbox
Even though Xbox was screwed out of online support yet again, anyone who is a fan of soccer will enjoy this title thoroughly, and find a lot of depth worth hours of play.
85 Next Level Gaming
The computer AI is not quite as realistic as Konami's game this year, but is still very solid.
84 GameSpot
Though some of the new features will inevitably take you a while to get used to--and there's still plenty of room for improvement--it manages to be both enjoyable and challenging.
83 GameNow
Other than the lackluster practice mode, everything in FIFA 2004 is spot-on.
83 IGN
Offers the most significant changes the game has seen in years. The core gameplay is changing ever so slowly from super arcade play to a more comprehensive, more realistic style of soccer, and the series is better for it. But it's not quite there yet.
82 Electronic Gaming Monthly
FIFA's Off-the-Ball control not only increases your offensive potency tenfold but also provides hardcore soccer studs with an added level of gameplay they've been beggin' for from the series. Plus, no other game of footie has such stellar graphics or electrifying stadium atmosphere. [Dec 2003, p.204]
80 EuroGamer
But however much positive energy we lavish on FIFA all the areas that EA beats Konami on - bar online - are simply gloss. In a straight tussle between the games, we just don't enjoy playing FIFA as much as we do "PES3," and, for most of you, that's what matters.
80 GMR Magazine
The Practice mode could've been more intuitive, like "Madden 2004's" minicamp mode. It was not only difficult to figure out, but also, ultimately, not even that helpful. [Dec 2003, p.86]
80 TotalGames.net
Definitely an improvement on previous editions and it seems that EA is some way towards emulating "Pro Evolution Soccer" on the PS2. Unfortunately for Xbox fans, it hasn't quite got it yet.
80 G4 TV
There's enough in here to keep the hooligans entertained until the next World Cup, or at least next year's game.
78 GameBiz
Great Graphics and quality sound provides an overall good game that seems to be lacking in the gameplay area, not due to lack of depth but the difficultness just isn’t there and the game comes across too easy for many.
75 Game Revolution
There’s plenty in FIFA 2004 to keep you happy until next season, when hopefully we’ll finally able to execute some plays of greater skill and complexity.
75 GameSpy
The best FIFA game so far, but it's still a few problems away from being a soccer utopia. EA really needs to perfect FIFA's control as much as it needed to make a better Career mode. The old developmental mantra is gameplay first, options second.
70 Operation Sports
If they had spent a tenth of the effort they made on their graphics and presentation on the gameplay instead, would we have a game that was comparable to the "Winning Eleven" series?
60 games(TM)
Even with its overly ambitious new 'Off The Ball' interface the FIFA series is still a long way from capturing the true essence of the beautiful game. [Dec 2003, p.127]
50 Gamestyle
An average game that lacks the spirit of the sport.