EA Sports’ FIFA series has enjoyed incredible success, especially in the recent years. EA has also put out FIFA World Cup games to commemorate the championship itself, and this year we get 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. While I’m not a veteran of the FIFA series, I have played one every now and again, and consider it to be the best around when it comes to soccer video games. However, many people criticized the last World Cup game. Does this title redeem the FIFA World Cup name?
The presentation, as expected, is top notch. The player models all are great, the crowds are incredibly realistic, and the stadiums themselves look incredible. The crowd will react depending on how well the team they are rooting for is doing, and it is clear there was a lot of attention to detail when it comes to these little tweaks. The player animation is very solid as well, and the commentary is well done. EA has done another fine job in the graphics and sound department and delivered a very realistic looking and sounding soccer game.
The first thing you will notice when you start up the game is the ability to choose options that will cater to you depending on how much of a FIFA Soccer veteran you are. You can choose the beginning difficulty level, and change your control scheme to suit your needs. There is even a two button control scheme that allows you to pull off all of the basics very easily. Sure, this control scheme does not allow for the precision that veterans are used to, but it allows for all players to get into this game. The controls, no matter which scheme you select, are as responsive as you can get.
There are many different modes and options to choose from. You can jump straight into a match if you would like with the “kick off” option, which is easy if you are just looking for a quick match to play by yourself or with friends. You can start a random match by either pressing the start button, or you could select a match using the right analog stick right from the main menu to pick two teams straight away. This game definitely gives you plenty of ways to jump straight into the action. And of course, you can actually play through FIFA World Cup itself as any team you’ve selected.
Captain Your Country is a new mode, although it’s basically the World Cup version of FIFA Soccer’s “Be a Pro” mode. You either play one to four different players on specific teams (you can basically pick four different teams), and you can select a specific player from the team(s) or create your own. The character creation is pretty good, and has plenty of options for crafting your own soccer captain.
From there, you see your captain’s own personal website where you can check your stats, your ranking among other captains, manage your team, train your captain, and eventually go on to play different matches. And you are scored based on how well you play in different matches. Overall, this mode is full of plenty to do, with lots of depth for true soccer fanatics, and it probably will last you quite a long time.
The online play is where the game is really lacking. The online options seem very limited, and although you can play through the World Cup with friends, either competitively or cooperatively, the lack of online support with Captain Your Country is very disappointing. Also, I had problems connecting to matches on many different occasions and a lot of them I did connect to seem to be very laggy. Let’s hope that these small issues are ironed out soon, because they really hamper the online experience.
When it comes down to it, 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa plays a great game of soccer, and has plenty of new modes and improved features that will keep you coming back for more. If you’re a FIFA Soccer fan or just a soccer fan in general, this is definitely one game that is worth adding to your collection.
Pros: Amazing presentation and player animation; solid controls; Captain Your Country is a great addition that will keep you busy; easy for all players to get into; plenty of modes and options to choose from
Cons: Online options are lacking, and online can be laggy at times
