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| FIFA 2002 |
| .: By: Michael Walker :: Device used: iPAQ 3835 :: July 6, 2002 :. |
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| Introduction/TD>
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| After enjoying Hexacto's Soccer Addict so much, I was anxious to see what the competition had to offer. EA Sports, after Ziosoft's successful porting of games such as Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf, allowed Zio to work on a Pocket PC version of FIFA, it's popular series of soccer games. Though FIFA titles generally reek of quality, many of Ziosoft's latest offerings have been decreasing in quality. Does FIFA 2002 live up to the standards set by it's sister games? How does it compare to Hexacto's competing title? By the end of this review all that and more should be answered. |
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| Getting Started |
| FIFA installs via ActiveSync, just like almost every other quality Pocket PC game. Once you load up FIFA, you select your language by tapping on the appropriate. Strangely enough, none of the flags look like they represent the English language. After some trial and error, I discovered that the top flag in the left column is in fact English. Tapping on the white space outside of the flags also selects the English language. This possibly could have been made more clear by Zio, but it's only a minor problem. |
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| Interface |
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The menu system in FIFA 2002 is very clear-cut but visually pleasing. The smooth animations and graphics scheme of the menus seem to be console quality. Most of the items are pretty self-explanatory, the only possible confusion being caused by the back button in the lower-right corner (and you've got to be pretty thick to not understand what that does). Once you're in the game, the controls are a little less clear-cut. Tapping on the FIFA logo by the scores brings up a main menu where you can resume play, tweak a few options, substitute players, and go back to the main menu. Pressing the "R" button will call up a replay after scoring a goal. |
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| Controls |
| The controls in FIFA seem a bit odd at first, but after a game or two they'll be second nature. To move, you obviously tap and drag where you want to go. When you have possession of the ball, you can pass the ball to a teammate by facing them and pressing up or left on your d-pad (there are other ways, I've just found this to be the easiest). You can also shoot the ball by pressing down or right, and by tapping the screen to the left or right of the ball's destination you can make the ball curve. When you don't have the ball, you can change characters by tapping on another player's head. Sometimes it'll automatically change for you, which can be useful but often screws you up if you're not prepared. To perform a slide tackle, press down or right on your Pocket PC's control pad. The stylus/d-pad combination seems a bit odd and ill-fitting, but the controls seem to work anyway. |
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| Gameplay |
| FIFA 2002 is a soccer game viewed from a birds-eye view. Need I say more? But considering that this is a review, I guess I should elaborate. In case you don't know how to play soccer (and I'd suggest spending more time away from your computer if you don't), the point is to get a black-and-white ball into the opponent's goal by kicking it down the field and shooting the ball. FIFA 2002 perfectly captures the spirit of the sport, from the cheering crowds to the spectacular saves by the goalie. The game is played in portrait mode (the way the device is supposed to be, with the buttons below the screen), which can really help you if you're trying to play games in a meeting without attracting attention to yourself :). |
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You have three different game modes: Practice, Single Game, and FIFA World Cup Qualifying. Practice mode lets you practice your moves without any opponents. If you choose to play a Single Game, you play one match against a chosen team. The FIFA World Cup Qualifying is pretty much the World Cup. You pick a team and try to work your way up the ladder, hoping to eventually win the FIFA World Cup. My only regret about the World Cup mode is that if you exit from a game while you're playing, you automatically forfeit, therefore losing all chances of winning the coveted Cup. Other than that, though, I've found all 3 to be pretty much flawless. And if 3 different game modes isn't enough choice for you, there's lots of tweaking you can do in the options. If the game is too easy for you (the default CPU skill level is "Low"), you can set the computer's AI to be "Medium", "High", or "Super". The same goes for the skill level of the goalies, which are both computer-controlled. You can also choose if you want no wind, light winds (default), or strong winds. Normal, Hard, Wet, and Soggy are all choices for pitch types. Then there are other minor settings that can be tweaked, such as if the game will automatically play replays when a player scores, a radar, etc. This arsenal of options should be more than enough to satisfy any control freak in my opinion. |
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| Graphics and Sound |
| The graphics in FIFA 2002 are pretty good. The pseudo-3D players sometimes seem pixely, but everything else looks great. The game is very bright even on my iPAQ 3835. As for sound, the menus feature a techno beat which I found very nice. When you're actually playing, there will be lots of cheering from the crowd, and occasionally the referee will blow a whistle, but that's about all you will hear. You can choose to disable sound effects in the options menu. |
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| Final Thoughts |
| FIFA 2002 is a very nice game. Priced at $30, it isn't quite the cheapest game around, but if you like soccer you should at least try the demo. Though the controls will take a while to get used to, it's definitely worth learning how to play this great little game if you own a PocketPC with an ARM or MIPS processor . |
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| Pros |
Cons |
- Lots of options
- Bright graphics
- Up-to-date player stats
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- Awkward controls
- Expensive
- Leaving a game automatically forfeits it
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