GameCube

FIFA Soccer 2004

Ah the beautiful game, just like the team loyalties themselves, nothing divides gamers as much as their favourite football game. Well the ref has blown the whistle and we head out on the pitch to tackle the latest FIFA game and it seems, some pretty awful puns.

FIFA Soccer 2004 is 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.

Als leidenschaftlicher Pro Evolution Soccer-Spieler ging ich natürlich mit kritischem Blick an das neue FIFA-Spiel heran. Zu meiner Überraschung zeigt es sich gegenüber dem Vorgänger in vielen Punkten verbessert und kann nun auch spielerisch überzeugen. Technisch war FIFA schon immer top! Vor allem der Manager-Modus, lässt jedem Fußballfan vor Freude das Herz höher schlagen.

Nothing new in FIFA 2004 that you haven't already seen. But with the exception of that one FIFA World Cup game a few years back, there hasn't been anything wrong with the way FIFA looks. FIFA continues to be the standard for all Soccer titles, including those from 989 and Sega (if there will even be one from them anymore). And it's not so much the backgrounds or stadiums, which don't get me wrong look great, but the animation of the players.

The GameCube version of FIFA 2004 is almost on a par with the Xbox version, as far as the visuals are concerned, and, like the Xbox version, it boasts progressive scan support for those of you in a position to take advantage of the feature. The GameCube version also boasts connectivity with the GBA game, although the benefits are limited to being able to earn additional GameCube prestige points on the GBA and/or unlocking additional competitions on the GBA through strong career performances on the GameCube.

EA's FIFA Soccer 2004 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.

Comme tous les FIFA, l'édition 2004 se compose d'une belle réalisation associée à un gameplay un peu moins emballant. Ca reste quand même du bon football, le meilleur sur la console à l'heure actuelle.

FIFA 2004 continues along the improvement path and delivers EA's best effort yet, if still not the best soccer game out there.

Overall we'd have to say that those of you that have yet to pick up a soccer game for your Gamecube should grab FIFA 2004 simply for the superb Career Mode. It's great fun. However those with FIFA 2003 already might want to pick this up for a rental first before forking out the dollars.

In many ways, FIFA follows the template set by other EA Sports mainstays -- primarily Madden. This means a few new control mechanics and a career mode that's so deep you may have to occasionally come up for air. Sports titles no longer get by on the updated roster schlock the genre's naysayers use to bash digital jocks, and fans of FIFA's past will have no qualms about getting into this year's game.