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FIFA 06

Maldini or mouldy, Steven decides...

The FIFA Football games have been with us from what seems like the start of time (1994 to be exact) and most of these games have been highly successful and worthy of any football fan's time. The first and arguably only real rival for the FIFA series is Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer which has gone from strength to strength in recent years.

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It's no secret that EA have a reputation for only making minor modifications to sequels and FIA has received much criticism in the past for that very reason. All things said FIFA 06 doesn't feel dramatically different to FIFA 05; its certainly no big improvement.

When you start the game for the first time you will be asked what your favourite team is then challenged to a match with that team against a fictional squad called 'Classic XI' consisting of legendry players of yesteryear such as Eric Cantona and Rudi Voller. This match allows you to get used to the new controls but feels ultimately pointless since your likely result will be a loss against this 'all star' team on your first ever play.

The main single player venture is called Manager Mode. As the name suggests the managerial aspects are a great deal more sophisticated than previous instalments in the series, giving a lot more depth to the training and financial side of your club. Your main objective is to lead your team to great things in 15 seasons of play. While some of the managerial aspects may please the hardcore, some fans will be left with the feeling of having to wade through endless screens before being able to play the next match. The game also offers to let the computer play games for you which feels a little cheap, hardly surprising since what you would be doing essentially is completing the game without even touching the main gameplay aspect of FIFA. If this is all you want from a Football game look elsewhere, to Football Manager 2006 for example.

If its gameplay you want FIFA 06 has seen some slight changes since the last instalment and not necessarily for the good. FIFA 05 was well balanced and although it could be classified as inferior to rival series Pro Evolution Soccer from a gameplay standpoint at least it was its own alternative. Now FIFA 06 claims to have 'learnt from Pro Evolution' which just feels like they made a really poor attempt to copy things, and it doesn't suit the game at all.

The biggest problem with FIFA 06's gameplay has to be the lack of support from your team mates, even despite the new Tactical Control function during matches. You get little if any runs from your team mates making it feel like you have to dribble the whole way down the pitch with one player to get anywhere in the game. This is rarely possible because dribbling feels clumsy and awkward, and you will eventually be challenged by the dull and predictable AI and as a result the game sees very little goal mouth action.

FIFA 06 claims to have 500+ fully up to date teams but this isn't entirely true. While most teams do have all their correct players and fairly accurate stat ratings all of course fully licensed as a trademark of the FIFA series, some of the late summer signings for many teams are missing which will make for some very unhappy supporters.

Graphically the game is nothing special either. Despite some key players looking almost exactly like their real life counterparts this cannot be said for the bulk of players in any given team. With Many players it's difficult to tell who they are actually supposed to be due to the sometimes awful player models. The kits look reasonably accurate but with minimal detail, the logos are very difficult to see thanks to poor textures. The pitch and some of the stadiums are the only things which stand out for any kind of praise. Sadly the often jittery frame rate lets the graphics down to the point that it's no better than the previous FIFA game.

Sound thankfully has seen some major advances since last years Fifa game. Clive Tydsley and Andy Gray are this season's commentators. The commentary is overall a lot more convincing and can often be mistaken for commentary off the TV. Each team appears to have there own chant which is a nice touch but that same chant happening for the duration of matches tends to get a little frustrating after a while. In the menus the ever trusty EA trax return with songs from various artists around the world. Some menus even have famous commentary from real life footballing events such as Wayne Rooney scoring his first ever goal.

FIFA games have always been good at capturing the essence of 'the beautiful game' not through first class gameplay but mainly through presentation. It makes you feel like a true football fan to own FIFA 06 because as you progress though the game you can unlock videos of last seasons premiership highlights and a great deal more footballing extras. If you like retro there is also the original version of FIFA World Soccer from 1994 to play just for a laugh.

Overall, few new ideas, lack of creativity and mediocre gameplay mean FIFA 06 this time round doesn't live up to the hype the series is famous for. They threw out many decent features from Fifa 05 such as First Touch and the unique free kicks in favour of poorly copied gameplay dynamics from Pro Evo, which don't work at all in FIFA. The game feels uninspired and unless you are looking forward to the sophisticated managerial aspects the single player has to offer it's difficult to find a good reason why anyone should get it. FIFA 06 will sell, it always does purely due to its unlimited licensing. However now more than ever if you haven't already started to look at Pro Evo perhaps you should, it plays much better and feels like more a game of football than FIFA 06 ever will.

72%

1. have you got a serwer???

   lukasz Wednesday, 9 November 2005, 17:34:15

2. hey crap on that pro evo 5 is heaps better

   kieren Sunday, 13 November 2005, 08:31:14

3. the graphics in this game are terrible, the players look like aliens with the ebola virus, the gameplay is unbalanced and horribly frustrating. FIFA has attempted (badly) to copy PES's realism and customisation but only made FIFA look like a pitiful attempt at a copy.

   If I wanted cartoon style football I'd play Disney Football - I don't expect it from FIFA with there plastic shiny players.

   oh dear Thursday, 17 November 2005, 13:16:7

4. FIFAFAN u talk boll0c!*. "ooh plain coloured kit" - its about gameplay. FIFA is a game for children and yes its rubbish!

   Avinalarf Thursday, 17 November 2005, 16:26:51

5. fifa is way betta than pro evo5

   langer0588 Wednesday, 23 November 2005, 10:24:35

6. pro evo can't afford to get the real players names up its so unofficial

   langer0588 Wednesday, 23 November 2005, 10:26:56

7. The place where I feel FIFA 06 scores is it's official licensing of almost all the leagues/clubs in the world. Another plus is the manager mode where you can play a 15-season long career, taking charge of the realm of your favorite club, from team line-ups to transfers to loans to outright player selling, or maybe swing from one club to another. That aside, this year's commentary with Clive Tydsley and Andy Gray is quite decent as well, creating more atmosphere around the game. However, when it comes to game play, FIFA 06 concedes to PES 5 by a big margin. And that is the big plus point of the Pro Evolution Soccer series. So basically, to cut it short, if you want to play just for fun, playing as a real club, as a manager, guiding your team from one victory to another, FIFA 06 is for you. But if it's football you're looking for, a game that simulates the beautiful game with precision, a game that plays like REAL football, then PES 5 is the game you want. Personally, though, I feel that if Konami get the official licensing just as EA has managed to, if they throw in decent commentaries, throw in more stuff into their game like a managerial mode or something of the sort, they're going to send EA's sales data plummeting down the chart. And then it would be up to EA to dump their present gameplay, go back to the drawing board, and re-create a game that could rival Konami in each and every aspect. Unless, of course, they would want to shut down business when it comes to soccer gaming...

   Lycanthrope Wednesday, 23 November 2005, 12:57:2

8. i like pro and fifa but pro better!!

   katlmb Friday, 25 November 2005, 05:58:56

9. fifa jest ZAJEBISTA

   patric Tuesday, 29 November 2005, 21:02:57

10. huj cipa ahahahaha ohohohoh!!!!!!! JEBAC MI SIE CHCE

    jfkjdbgk Tuesday, 29 November 2005, 21:04:34

11. people who only care about kits are always armchair footballers. armchair football should be played the way konami do it im afraid. Is there a fifa fansite as popular as Pesfan for proevo? - I wonder why....

    anon Wednesday, 30 November 2005, 22:00:0

12. FIFA 06 THE BEST FOOTBOOL GAME EVER PRO EVO 5 GITING THERE

    CHARLIE Thursday, 1 December 2005, 08:07:29

13. fifa 06 is perfect. U asshole, to describe it like this, u must certainly have slept with pro evo

    ur dad Thursday, 1 December 2005, 12:31:29

14. i like this game

    sac Saturday, 10 December 2005, 10:24:33

16. How dare you call fifa 06 crap it,s mint the best football game out expecially for ps2.

    Daz Tuesday, 13 December 2005, 19:35:33

17. The dumbass that wrote this article probably doesn't play soccer, which means that he won't be able to tell what real football gameplay is suppoesed to be like.

    Anon Thursday, 15 December 2005, 13:37:51

18. hola soy hondureo una pregunta los narradores de fifa 2006 son en espaol gracias

    edwinpaz Thursday, 15 December 2005, 18:26:50

19. What a stupid review. Fifa 06 gameplay is excellent. With pes 5 you can get passed every player you want, because the defenders are so bad. If you want to tackle a player with pes 5 it's always a foul. With fifa 06 the defenders are a lot better and the ref won't blow his wistle that much. I would say that you don't have to read this review, because it sucks. Go the www.gamespot.com and look at their fifa 06 review.

    Greun Friday, 16 December 2005, 10:06:0

20. Nice review. I think it's clear to us all that Pro Evo is alot more fluid and diverse than FIFA, if EA decides to keep it's original game engine, will ever be. For a game that prides itself on better graphics I have to say that having seen various screenies round the web, that claim is utterly laughable.

    Jay_ Tuesday, 20 December 2005, 21:21:38

21. THE GRAPHIC IS NOT GOOD

    LANDAK Saturday, 7 January 2006, 04:39:21

22. Our friend , Steven Embling (Reviewer) , is clearly a PES 5 fan . Therefore, going into this review , he didn't give Fifa 06 even a chance of proving something to him. I have ordered Fifa 06 , and am looking forward to playing it , just as the real gaming site , Gamespot, enjoyed playing theirs. Having said that , if the PES series could get authenticity , and all the Fifa teams , EA could have a battle on their hands. But for now , their is only one REAL footballing game , and that , Steven , my friend , is FIFA 06.

    Cyclone Saturday, 7 January 2006, 16:24:42

23. wat a goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this game is sick

    will brothers Sunday, 15 January 2006, 20:05:39

24. igjblsolkmögbuokjlhmb

    lkhböhlk Friday, 3 February 2006, 12:20:5

25. bunlari nasil indiricez kardesim

    hunter Saturday, 4 February 2006, 17:04:40

26. carck fifa 2006

    ?????????

    ea iklh Friday, 24 February 2006, 18:38:39

27. PUTOS CABRONES HIJOS DE PUTAS

    EDUARDO ''EL PUTO'' Tuesday, 28 February 2006, 02:33:6

28. PUTOS CABRONES HIJOS DE PUTAS

    EDUARDO ''EL PUTO'' Tuesday, 28 February 2006, 02:33:18

29. PUTOS CABRONES HIJOS DE PUTAS

    EDUARDO ''EL PUTO'' Tuesday, 28 February 2006, 02:33:18

30. it is ok

    burrows Saturday, 18 March 2006, 22:32:10

32. de unde downloadez jocu`!?;-)

    andrei Sunday, 19 March 2006, 08:36:59

33. bajarlo

    jorge luis ruiz ruiz Tuesday, 21 March 2006, 20:11:40

34. isn't fifao6 awsome

    fifa2k6 Monday, 17 April 2006, 12:54:44

35. i have to say that i agree 100% with this reviewer. i myself play professional football (as some may know) and let me tell you that the PES series is the closest thing to real life football. the gameplay is so much more fluid and i think 'mr embling' has nailed that.

    so kudos to ferrago, and for all those fifa lovers, perhaps if you think about what makes football great (the gameplay not the money and sponsors) then Pro Evo comes up trumps in this decisive area.

    ian pearce Wednesday, 19 April 2006, 22:37:35

36. can i get free download of gta pls

    jatly Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 08:45:25

37. oi eu gostaria que paga pra abaixar o winning eleven 8 demo para o computador mais eu quero o winning eleven 8 demo que tem corinthins vc tem sim ou nao brigado gostei do seu jeito fala pra mim urgente ja manda o recado agora tchau tenha uma otima semana tchu tchau

    caioi Saturday, 20 May 2006, 16:27:37

38. este jogo e fodax para conas putalhadas

    luis godinhodo col marista Thursday, 25 May 2006, 16:32:17

39. este jogo e fodax para conas putalhadas

    luis godinhodo col marista Thursday, 25 May 2006, 16:32:24

40. pro evo 5 is a lot better

    Cleto_pimp Friday, 26 May 2006, 21:08:59

41. LABA DIENA KAIP ATSISIUSTI

    LIUZER Wednesday, 21 June 2006, 14:53:30

42. LABA DIENA KAIP ATSISIUSTI

    LIUZER Wednesday, 21 June 2006, 14:53:30

43. LABA DIENA KAIP ATSISIUSTI

    LIUZER Wednesday, 21 June 2006, 14:53:31

44. the new dribbling model where you can trick the defender just by changing direction at the right time is way better than any other soccer games

    a fan Saturday, 22 July 2006, 15:34:35

45. Yeah...always eat fish with a knife and fork

    Billy Smith Saturday, 29 July 2006, 07:19:6

46. fgb

    cvx Friday, 25 August 2006, 14:19:52

48. mi bum is cute

    sdffffsdfdsfsfsf Monday, 28 August 2006, 15:14:45

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    Dr. Szarfsztajn Saturday, 30 September 2006, 12:58:36

50. I have played fifa 2005 and it was just the best. I coldn't imagine anything better than it! I was looking forward to fifa 2006 but after this review and the commnets below. I think I will think again and may be play PES.

    BIsrat Wednesday, 4 October 2006, 11:25:19

51. I have played fifa 2005 and it was just the best. I coldn't imagine anything better than it! I was looking forward to fifa 2006 but after this review and the commnets below. I think I will think again and may be play PES.

    BIsrat Wednesday, 4 October 2006, 11:26:24

52. Ðây là m?t trò choi r?t hay !!

    Tuy nó hoi n?ng chút nhung em thích nó l?m...

    Thanks nhi?u.

    ILoveYou Wednesday, 11 October 2006, 13:17:29

53. hello

    game fifa 06

    marian Saturday, 1 September 2007, 13:54:56