Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Overrated"

After we've all stopped sucking the proverbial sperm from EA's proverbial sack, I was wondering if anyone was going to write a decent review. One that actually gives a truthful account of the Game's game-play mechanics during Online Versus or Co-operative play. Sure the game is great and has made leaps and bounds, yadi-yada... however we've come to expect this from EA, considering the financial weight they have behind them - I think practically every newspaper and website has given FIFA 12 a 9+ rating (that's some payroll!).

Anyway, why hasn't anyone scrutinized the game play? It needs it - I think the biggest negative point I have read so far has been "...one Player is largely unchanged...". Who are the people reviewing the new releases these days parents of Pop stars? Simon Cowell?

Sure EA is pretty, sure its smooth and sure there are some changes to ball control and bla bla ...however, at the end of the day (gotta love that quote) game mechanics are what count.
Let's talk about my bad points with the game(play). Strictly in 2 player versus mode (or co-operative team play online)

1). Ok, there is a new "Jockey/contain/tackle" system which apparently "adds a new unsurpassed method of tackling" (really!?!). The contain button (when it works) brings your player (when it works) closer toward the opposing player carrying the ball now (when it works) you should get close to him, and on occasion that happens. The downside is that you tend to get close but then stay about 3 feet away and don't actually get close enough to take the ball. So more often than not, in you press and hold the contain button your player will run right up to the opposing and then stay out of tackling range - makes the exercise pointless because you can't actually get the ball. To make a "Pressing tackle" you need to take your finger off the Contain button and then quickly press the same button (which is also Pressing Tackle). Time after time my player runs up then briefly loses position as I quickly re-tap the button. The result, your player stops momentarily and the opposing player gains another 2 yards. Ohh and let me clarify, that's when it actually works.

2). Then there is 'Bring another player in to help' Button (R2)...I'm already at this point holding down 4 buttons, but why not another, I mean after all I've 10 fingers, ok then 8 - you get my point. So, a player makes a run down the line and you decide you can't catch him so you press the R2 button, but alas! He passes the ball to another team mate, so you have to adapt and press again, but this time the computer assistance has decided that the two players you hope would intervene (still holding that R2 button) have in fact fallen in love and decided to go tell the goalkeeper. Hey, who am I to get in the way of true love? Ok, so that ability has its problems - and that was only one scenario - there are plenty more trust me.

3). Ok, this is my favorite - the inconsistency in game play. You start a versus match with a friend, he picks Barcelona (naturally like most glory hunting robots) but you won't be undone and reach for Real Madrid. So, the game starts and his players zip about the field and you think "hold one a minute! Why are my players moving slower than his?" Ahh but my good friend, this is ancient technology far beyond your comprehension. The game continues and you try to wrestle with the sluggishness of your players, not to mention that no matter how many times when chasing the ball you try to change player so that it selects the one closest to the (opposing) player with the ball you find that your efforts are hampered and the Cursor always seems to land on the player you need 1-2 seconds after you wanted which allows the other player to continue toward your goal - that feeling of helplessness is creeping in so you call for backup and press R2 but those guys want to get married and you realize it's all down to the keeper, 1-0.
Kickoff resumes and wow your men now feel energized, no longer held back by the restraints of high wages and the glory of having a decent agent. Suddenly those 3 glamour models sitting at home in your Jacuzzi pale in comparison to the sensation of evening the score. Moving with great fervor your team zip the ball about neatly and precisely, perhaps your opponent is having the same problem (sod him this is your moment) and you proceed toward goal as his men clatter into one another through some kind of homogenous fixation, suddenly it's his keeper who is now the only one in the way, 1-1.
There is an alternative to the latter half of that game which is that from kicking off after the initial 1-0 your men can still play like crap and that form may and often does continue throughout the match.

That ancient technology I was talking about earlier, well that's just called "Catch-up", it's a part of AI that has existed for many, many years, initially in Arcade games namely racing games, also known as elastic band physics. To explain briefly, in racing games if your gained pole position and took the lead, that lead would never grow and in fact once you took the lead your car would slow down (not according to the speed-o-meter - those crafty devs), this enabled the drone cars to catch you or "catch-up". It's why my 9 year old son, who can't play games very well, is able to compete with a friend of mine in FIFA 12 even though he's been playing for around 5 years. This technology is embedded in most games so not just unique to FIFA. The method by which employ the "Catch-up" isn't as straightforward and in football games it becomes more of "timed advantage", and this is why for a period of time your players will not respond properly or do rather silly things. Once that period is over (sometimes it doesn't end in a match) the 'advantage' will be handed to the opposing team. I could talk more about this but money talks and I have a coffee to make.

On the whole, I could have gone into greater detail and explained exactly what problems happen and I will happily do that once someone begins to pay me to write reviews. However, given my honesty I'm not sure that's ever going to happen.

FIFA is a decent game no doubt, but there are some serious problems with it. When it's good it's great but when it's bad it's infuriating and not in a nice way, why? Because, for the most part that 4-0 hammering could have been averted had the controls actually responded in the manner that they are supposed to, all of the time.