FIFA Soccer 2004

Rating:
Summary: Good graphics bad gameplay
Review: I bought this game yesterday i thought it was gonna be better but it really dissapoint me a lot. the graphigs are excellent the game modes too. But it dissapoint me, the game play. It is very terrible, it feels like you dont have the players controls. when you order your player to move in certain direction, it takes about 2 seconds(sometimes more) to move in that direction.This really dissapoint me.The game feels very slow. Thats really sucks.You can not create your own team.Those two stars are only for the graphics. I hope the ea do a better job next year. I think that winning eleven is better than this game..

Rating:
Summary: This is football
Review: I'm sure Ian has is reason for all is points in his review. I'm sure he's a football lover like all of us so and i totally agree with some of the points his is review and more over i respect is review. I gave this game 5 stars because its so massive.... They have almost every team in football world in this game and thats plus for me. Also the new franchise mode is a dream come through. I know the game play could have been a bit better and I hope that it will. I licenses are great, somethin of which winning 11 and world tour soccer did not have. I've been waiting for FIFA for a very long time, now its here and yes it has a few bugs but, I'd be a fool if i were to say that i didn't love playing this game. That why i gave it the last star because i absolutely love playing this game. The other games that i have will be lucky if i even stare in their direction for the next month or two with FIFA 2004 finally in my console...great job EA, tigthen up the game controls and this game would be out of this world.....

Rating:
Summary: Wish it was better
Review: You know you want the players to shoot like in a real soccer game. But here, it feels like its the gameplay and graphics of FIFA 1997. There is nothing great to the game unless you want to murder your hand while you try to press all the buttons. wasted too much time making the franchise soccer mode while forgetting that the game is waht we want

Rating:
Summary: Great step forward after FIFA 2003
Review: What can I say about FIFA Soccer 2004? If you like FIFA series from EA Sports, you will praise this game without doubt. If you like PES/ISS/WE series from Konami, you will blame this game. I agree with previous review - don't listen Ian. In comparison with FIFA 2003 EA made great job this year. Do not pay attention to some minor bugs, which exist in all FIFA Soccer games, and enjoy this game!

Rating:
Summary: Great step forward after plain FIFA 2003
Review: What can I say about FIFA 2004? If you are fan of FIFA series from EA Sports, you will praise this game without doubt. If you are fan of PES/WE/ISS series from Konami, you will blame this game. Thus don't worry about insignificant bugs, which always exist in FIFA Soccer, and enjoy this game! And do not forget to look at my rating of this game to know my real opinion about it.

Rating:
Summary: nothing better
Review: This game is unbelievable. dont listen to ian. he doesnt know what hes talking about. im a big fan of all soccer and also a very competetitive real player of the game. this is the closest you can get to real playing. everything about this game is perfect. the game play is real and accurate and there is nothing that brings it down. bottom line, better than winning 11 and probably the best football game ever. trust me, ian doesnt know what he is talking about.

Rating:
Summary: Fifa 2004 Demo Impressions
Review: There isn't much to speak about. Don't waste your money. EA Sports are cheating you. After spending hours and hours with the 35 MB demo -- which I downloaded the day it was released -- I can tell you that EA haven't fixed the frustrating problems seen in FIFA 2003. In fact, they've added even more.
So, I'm giving it one star for the official licence.
First of all let me tell you that I'm the kind of football gamer that doesn't care that much about graphics and fancy skill tricks. When I buy a football game, the thing I want first of all is great gameplay.
Now, first and foremost -- controls.
You can feel that the control scheme has been reworked. Players are now a bit "heavier" -- when you press the arrow keys, they prefer to walk instead of running. This forces you to keep the "run" button constantly pressed if you want your guys to do anything at all, which makes the players tired pretty quick. Not very good, but you get used to it quickly.
As for EA's "Off the Ball (TM)" system -- it doesn't work in the demo, but it's evident that the players, the ball and the pitch aren't all glued together, and that's nice.
The basics of the passing system basically remain unchanged.
The real problem is shooting. It doesn't feel like football at all. It's more like ice hockey. The ball travels at high speed almost in a straight line, and at 35-40 yards from goal, it hardly decelerates along its trajectory. So it's more like a puck. And the most complained about issue -- heading -- isn't solved. Headers are STILL terribly weak.
Another enormously frustrating issue is tackling. When you defend, a foul is given for the slightest touch with the attacker. If you slide, hit the ball and the opponent stumlbes even without falling -- a free kick is given! Also, when you steal the ball cleanly cleanly in your penalty area, but make contact with the opponent's feet -- the whistle goes and a penalty kick is awarded. Dear EA Sports researchers, THIS IS NOT BASKETBALL. Wrong game.
Speaking of fouls, we come to set pieces. Set pieces in Fifa 2004 are unmanageable. They include some of the "Off the Ball (TM)" mechanics, but they should have remained at least the same as last year. During free kicks or corners, you select the way you want to deliver the ball (near post, far post, center etc), then you select your field player, and start outmaneuvering your marker, trying to beat him for the ball. This offers you NO freedom of choice. You can't control the way you want to swing the ball, and you CAN'T PLAY A SHORT BALL from set pieces. WHY??
The free-kick shot meter is even more annoying than last year. Again, when the computer decides that I have to shoot from a certain distance, I can't make a pass or a cross -- unlike the previous version, when the cross-hair symbol could be moved from goal onto the pitch for passing. WHY?? set pieces become nothing more than an exercise in futility.
And the most atrocious fault that kills Fifa 2004 is GOALIE AI. There is NO goalie a.i. The Goalies are completely dumb. They never leave their line. Just as it was in Fifa '03 you can drive a 30-35 yard shot and they'll let it through in a half-hearted attempt to save it. You don't need to enter the penalty box -- hit the shoot button several yards outside the box and the ball will surely be in the back of the net, the goalie will miss it. Even if you aim for the near corner -- the one the keeper should be covering, just hit it hard enough and the goalie will fall on his backside or deflect it into his own net. Absolutely awful. And since they never leave their line unless the ball is closer than the penalty spot, one-on-ones are really one-on-zeros. Ugh!
And a bug that made its way from Fifa '03 is that when the goalies parry the ball, the ball accelerates. But that's a minor complaint compared to the fact that goalies are worthless at all, and can't save 25-30 yard shots. Although I have to give them credit for occasionally saving point-blank blasts. However, it makes goalie behavior even less realistic.
To sum up the demo experience, FIFA 2004 is nothing but a flashy candy wrapper with no substance. It can keep your attention for a few days, but the game itself is so shallow that all novelties will run out of their originality too soon. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE BASIC GAMEPLAY ASPECTS WORKING WELL, THE GAME IS WORTHLESS.
So stick with titles that offer depth. Besides, the inclusion of Korean, Norwegian and Swiss leagues can't be the sole reason to buy ANY game.
Waiting for FIFA 2005.
~ Ian Kharitonov

Rating:
Summary: We are truly blessed...
Review: This game must be a gift from the heavens above. It is by far the best FIFA yet from the best sports game label (EA Sports.) With so many teams and leagues to choose from, itll never loose the gameplay. Managing your team from every aspect of the game is my favorite part of the game, but whats not to like. This futbol game is 10 times better than Winning Eleven 6, unless you like having way less teams and unrealistic gameplay. This game is a MUST for every soccer fan. This game brings you the closest you will ever be to "Bending Like Beckham." Peace.

Rating:
Summary: disapointment
Review: My first Fifa game was FIFA 96, and, every 2 years, I buy another. After seeing FIFA 2003 at a friend's house, I was really looking forward to the 2004's issue. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!!

The game is really slow; you almost have to shout for them to run; it keeps crashing during the match; the menus are some of the most confusing and useless I've ever experienced... Well, I hope EA Sports learns a lesson and puts the level of excitment (which was present on the others) back on the game, especially during the match: too slow, too complicated, not worth it.

The only good point are the new leagues.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry EA, but get a clue!!!
Review: I was so excited to get this game for my b/day, but was heartbroken when it wouldnt load on my computer. I learnt that EA is one messed up company! I called 7 different EA customer support lines before i actually used a voice changer to make my voice sound like a big man, not a kid. But anyways, the gameplay is horrendous! The fouls are totally unrealistic, you can go head on and slide tackle from behind, with not so much as a comment by ally mccoist on the refs contacts. (more on the voices later). But if you do the normal tackle, 80% of the time, you get some cheap foul called on you. And when i watch the replay, i see that my player came nowhere close to touching the other player. This really bites in online play, which isnt all that great. The off the ball control is pointless, because if you move a player open, once you send a ball to him, he gets magically covered! As for all the new leagues, that is a piece of crap! The all new leagues are like the minor leagues for the FA and Mexican league. They have 3 english practice squads! There is no international tournament that i have found, and you cant use real madrid in the club championship, because there is no club championship. Now my last irratation is the announcers. not to be rude, but what happened to the randy hahn, and brandi chastain. Its really hard to understand Ally Mccoist during gameplay, his scottish accent is so thick, it just sounds like a blur. I think this could have been a decent game, but the gameplay, menus, and overall rushed feel of the game ruin it. Id check out Winning Eleven 7, Its worth the extra 10 bucks. The lesson here, you get what you pay for!