Review: FIFA 12

For almost every nation on earth, football is almost a religion. The sport is incredibly popular, and with all things popular, there’s a gaming iteration. The FIFA brand has long been the most sought-after franchise and now in its nineteenth edition, the title has evolved to truly be one of the best football games.

Right from the start, players will notice that FIFA 12 has undergone a bit of a facelift. The menu system has been given a complete overhaul, something that hasn’t happened in quite some time. The new menu is a lot sleeker, but fans will have to poke around a bit in order to find all the right sections. But, in general, it looks amazing and the change is a welcome sight.

The title once again features all the modes from the previous games, including the Ultimate Team and the Be A Pro mode. The latter is the major attraction for the franchise, where players will be able to create their own character, and play through a rather lengthy career.

It’s a lot of fun to track the player’s progress through the ranks and the level at which he plays is entirely up to the player. Players will be expected to play well in every match and the in-game rating system has also been given a redesign.

There is one problem with it though, and that is that it’s not always clear on what the players are being scored on. Points are deducted for being in the wrong position, making a wrong call or passing to the wrong person, but while those are obvious, other might not be. It’s difficult to work out exactly where a player should be standing on the pitch, which often results in points being deducted. It’s not a major issue, as points can be made up scoring a goal, making a good pass or tackling, but it would be nice to know.

Another aspect of the game that has been given a major boost is the graphics. They seem a lot smoother than previous games, and the level of detail is incredible. The scar on Ribery’s face, for example, is clearly visible and the players have facial animations to match. It’s just the best graphics that we have seen from the FIFA brand, and it’s great.

The game’s dynamics have also been upgraded, and players will now be able to push and shove opponents while fighting for the ball. It lends a bit more realism to the beautiful game, something that other football games sorely lack.

Players are also given a bit more control over the ball when in its possession, and once perfected, dribbling past and through opponents should be a breeze. To put it in a weird comparison, it’s like controlling a football player on live television.

As mentioned, the be A Pro mode has once again been included, but player can jump straight into an exhibition match by selecting the Kick Off Mode. Here, players can chose from a large pool of teams, and they even include South Africa’s Kaiser Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. The teams all have the correct names, kits and even likenesses attached to them.

Naturally, the game also has online features, in the form of Ultimate Teams and online matches, where players will be able to test their football skills against other players from around the world. Speaking of online, Electronic Arts has once again implemented their Game Face functionality, so gamers will be able to make a virtual version of them and import it into the game.

FIFA 12 is definitely one of the best football games around, and it has no intention of backing down. The graphics have been given an awesome boost, the controls have been tweaked and the overall experience has been refined – making it the ultimate game for any football fan.

Charlie Fripp – Consumer Tech editor