FIFA 2002 WORLD CUP

Fans of soccer will find that this latest FIFA game is the most challenging, most realistic, and also the greatest yet.

The FIFA series of soccer games has undergone a transition in its latest entry, FIFA 2002. Previous entries in the internationally popular franchise favored arcadelike gameplay and encouraged button-mashing contests, but with 2002, the days when your team of choice scores a dozen goals a period are gone. Instead, EA has decided to convert its popular franchise into a more simulation-oriented game, and the results are definitely pleasing. With the addition of enhanced graphics, as well as an all-new passing system, fans of soccer will find that this latest FIFA game is the most challenging, most realistic, and also the greatest yet.

Graphically, FIFA 2002 is a notch above last year's formidable title. The player models and detailed faces look extremely good this time around, especially during the replays, and they're accompanied by equally impressive player animation. The uniforms are nicely done, and the players' facial expressions throughout each game are entertaining to witness, if a bit overexaggerated. If you can keep your eyes off the players for a moment, you can take in a great-looking pitch surrounded by delicately detailed grass and overenthusiastic crowds waving flags and lighting fires in the stands. Traveling between stadiums doesn't feel repetitive, as there are enough subtle differences between locales to keep the game looking fresh each time around. Several camera angles are available, some more functional than the other more attractive ones that showcase the graphics, but the choices available are satisfying. Even outside the game, the menus are slick, and the interface is easy to navigate.

Perhaps the most noticeable change made to the way one plays FIFA is the more realistic gameplay. In this newly renovated passing scheme, instead of simply using directional passing, players must now deal with the strength of passes, as well as the trajectory, by using pressure-sensitive control. Mastering this type of control is essential to success because the passes lead the players they're intended for rather than heading toward the players' current location. Therefore, accurate passers will be able to gauge which teammates will be able to make a through run and send the ball ahead of them properly enough to get it in their control. This change to the gameplay takes last year's shot power gauge one step further and forces you to pay attention to every ball movement. In addition, one-two passes, or swift exchanges between players, can be performed by pressing the right analog stick in the secondary teammate's direction. While this move isn't inherently easy to perform, it adds another option for players to use against pesky goalkeepers in this more challenging offensive scheme. Slide tackles are a much riskier endeavor now than ever before, but properly completing them has also become much more satisfying. They are less effective than in last year's game, and the refs will not flinch when handing out the penalty cards. Ball control is just as important as positioning now, as players are more limited by fatigue and well-duplicated human error. The AI will second-guess a scoring attempt if your defense is set up properly, and the wise player will do the same conversely. The AI steps up and usually plays a very good match, so there's a true sense of reward for every goal scored. What these gameplay changes amount to is a slightly lower-scoring game, but also a much more satisfying simulation of real-life soccer.