Luciano is back reviewing FIFA 09. This time he tackles the online portion of the game. What do you think of online play in FIFA 09? Sound off in our forums and let us know what you think
FIFA 09 Online Review
Soccer is the beautiful game. Whether you call it football, futebol, or calcio, you should enjoy FIFA 09. I’ve detailed its’ qualities in my previous review of the offline portion of the game. You have the option of going online if you want to improve your game, meet new challenges, scout new gameplay tactics, or if you are simply tired of the CPU artificial intelligence. EA has made the online component of the game nearly as multifaceted as the offline.
As one can expect there are differences between the online and offline experience. The major issues that keep this from being perfect are lag, your opponent’s team choices, and disconnections. EA Sports can’t be held responsible for all of these faults. After all, they aren’t an ISP with lightning quick fiber optics linking you to some German gamer. Granted, one can blame a poor ping for ending a good game, but some choose to quit when they are behind. Lag creates choppy frame rate. In one glitchy move, a defender went straight backwards, with no movement of legs or feet, like a piece on a chessboard. With that kind of lag, how can one expect to get one-two passing to work, or skill moves to beat an opponent? Luckily, this degree of lag is rare, and the frame rate and graphic quality are good.
There is some trickery in the team selection screen. Players may scroll to a lesser league or a lesser team, wait for you to make your pick, then flip back and choose a big club like Manchester United. Barcelona was the second most popular opponent I faced. It was nice to play someone who chose FC Koln of the Bundesliga. Another broke up the monotony by choosing Olympiacos, a Greek team. Online rating takes a bigger jump if you take an inferior club, and an even bigger boost if you beat a better club with your underdog. My favorite choice was Boca Juniors, and had enough depth on the squad to keep up with the big boys, and make a couple of subs. Forming your own online leagues or tournaments is probably the best way to get more variety in the selection of teams.
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Gameplay is fast, and arcade style. Five minutes is the default length of matches. You can customize the length of matches; toggle on or off injuries, offsides, and bookings. You can also choose the stadium and match up your opponent’s wireless controller settings (manual, assisted, or no restrictions). Both create a session and session match search allow you to consider your desired opponent’s skill level and “Max DNF %.” Most people should opt to avoid those players with high DNF percentages, since they have either a poor internet connection or quit while losing.
Your online, as well as offline, matches are recorded in your profile. You can scroll through them one by one. DNFs will not be listed. Leaderboards online feature the records and ratings of players from thirty countries. You can look up their detailed stats, as well. The online lobby has multiple options to be explored. You can go into game modes, matchups, skill level, lounges, rooms broken down by geography, and a room for the FIFA Interactive World Cup. You can also talk trash or search for specific matchups in the chat room.
Ranked play now is generally the quickest way to get into a match. Be-A-Pro online team play goes up to 10 vs. 10 matchups. Being a part of a FIFA 09 club may be the best way to get into such a game. This figures to be the best way to find the best assortment of teams for league play. You may start a club of only Italian teams, or create your own World Cup.
Anyone who has played me online would tell you that I am a poor choice for advice. There are some warnings I can give you before you choose to use the wifi or Ethernet connection for a footy fix. Practice free kicks, corner kicks, and penalties before going online. Practice your shooting, especially in one-on-one situations with the keeper. You will blow scoring chances and put yourself at a disadvantage if you aren’t sharp at these. Don’t forget to use substitutes, change formations, and check fatigue. You get three pauses in an online match. While the matches do go quickly, there is still time for strategy. Get used to being called for offsides. The speed of the game, the tendency for using the through ball, or going over the top will trigger the linesman’s flag.
There are numerous threads on several different forums, from the official EA website, to the board on SportsGamer, where you can find more information about playing online. Take the advice of the experienced players, but also be humble and thick-skinned. I would advise anyone who owns or rents FIFA 09 to tackle online, but be prepared to face challenging gameplay and aggressive opposition.
