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23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Depends what you want?, 17 Feb 2005
Currently there are 2 main football games in the market. Fifa and Pro Evo. Both have 'die hard' followings, who both feel their chosen game is superior. So who's right?
Well in my opinion it depends what 'you' want from 'your' football game. Fifa gives you the opportunity to start a career with a lower divison club and work your way up through the divisions, building your reputation, hoping a big club will snap you up as their Manager. Very similar to earlier managemnt sims, such as the classic Premier Manager for the PC. Signing players depends on your ability to win, accumulating transfer points and selling your own players to raise funds. Pro Evo on the other hand lets you chose the club you want to manage. Transfers are easier and gaining your desired team can be done quickly with little fuss. Fifa's career mode is over after 15 years! Pro Evo is unlimited. So, upto now which sounds more your thing?
Graphically, to be honest there isn't much difference. Fifa fans will claim that the cut scenes are superior and that the players look like their real life counter parts. Truth is...they don't. Beckham, Ronaldinho and a couple of others are recognisable. But if Posh caught Beckham looking like he does on Fifa, while shopping in Madrid, he'd get his ass kicked! Pro Evo is no better. During gameplay, both are similar. Cut scenes Fifa is better, but who really cares, does anybody actually watch them? There's nothing more annoying than your mate 'Kev' watching every single replay, twice! So not much to choose between the 2 regarding graphics. The players themselves and the attributes they carry should have a massive impact on theirs, and ultimately therefore your ability throughout a match. Pro Evo's players attributes are superbly done. Not only do you get a list of all the required attributes, colour coordinated for convenience, but you get a great 'shape-thing' that allows you to view the overall ability of your player at a glance. This allows you to do an inter player comparison incredibly easily. Team selection is therefore simple, quick and you know your best players are playing! Fifa on the other hand is slow and cumbersome. You have to click on an individual and then scroll this way and move up,down etc... in other words a pain in the you know what. Team selection is also deeply flawed, You get a set number of tactics and formations and if you can't find one to suit you....tough. Pro Evo allows you to choose a formation, sculpt it yourself by moving players and altering their runs. In this department Fifa is no match. Gameplay, the all important factor. If it's no fun to play...why pay? Thankfully both manufacturers have spent their money wisely in this area. Fifa allows unique features, such as the sublime first touch control, off the ball controls and detailed free kick taking. Pro Evo goes for the more subtle but uniquely free flowing feel. With Fifa you can control another players run while you wait to cross and add all kinds of spin to your set plays. While the first touch provides a superb use for the right analog and can allow you to humiliate your oponents! Pro Evo provides exactly what you would expect. As all the other reviews for Pro Evo 4 will tell you, gone are the infuriating handballs, gone are the days were long balls always go in touch when you play the ball down the line. In its place is a genius of football never seen before by any footballing game. When played as a single player it provides entertainment. When played with your mates it provides a battle arena. Best played as a multi-player with 4 or more it is unrivalled. The radar is sublime, the through balls spot on. Crossing is improved, passing is perfect and the pace is spot on. You will not put this game down, you will find yourself playing unto the early hours trying to beat your mates. You can play superb football and still lose by the 1 goal to nil. Not because it is rigged, but because it is real! Your striker might have an off game, your mates goalie a stormer! Fifa does not match this realism. Although Fifa's gameplay is good, it feels slow compared to Pro Evo and off the ball controls are deeply flawed.
Deep down I am a Pro Evo fan. But the purchase of my X Box at christmas and the fact that guys in the offic play Fifa, meant I gave it a shot. X Box Live is phenominal, and in my opinion Fifa's saving grace. When you can't be bothered leaving your room, you can still beat your mates from the comfort of your own surroundings. But there's nothing quite like getting a last minute winner over the guy sat next to you. You just turn round and say 'unlucky son'. That's what you miss! Fifa is great fun and the communicator headset allows you to still rub it in when you win, or be ridiculed when you don't. Pro Evo on the Playstation 2 though, well what can I say, it is genius. Everything about it feels like footballing heaven. It's like cadburys, whereas Fifa is Galaxy! Galaxy is nice every now and again, but Cadburys is real chocolate! It's the McCoys of the crisp world. The Mitsubishi Evo of the car world. Fifa is many things and a great purchase for around its current £25 price tag. But if you've got enough mates to play a multiplayer game, there's only one of these title's worth buying. Even Fifa's X Box Live feature has a down side...mostly when you are about to beat someone and earn ranknings points, and then the little get disconnects! I urge any Fifa fan to buy Pro Evo 4 and give it a go. You may still say you hate it to your mates, but deep down you will know the truth. Fifa is great, but Pro Evo is different class.
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