FIFA Soccer 2003

"Updates, updates, updates and gues what? More updates!"

Every year EA sports or any other companies that supports the Sports Genre release an update on most games like basketball, football, soccer and at times would only do a little change the only thing you'll notice that had changed was the rosters and the gameplay'll probably be the same as the last year's game title. I've been a big fan of the sports genre and almost tried most of its big titles. Okay, so enough talk and let's get down to business.

I've been playing a lot of football games recently and I grew to love the sport. Fifa has been there ever since or maybe when I started loving it. The first Fifa game that I has was the 1999 edition of it and surely it's very addicting and fun. And annually I started buying Fifa games following the series of editions it had till the recent 2003. From there I noticed something (same as the PS one's NBA live games EA released starting from 2002 onwards), that EA mostly would update little things like fix some bugs, uncover and straighten some mistakes and the most important the current rosters update. I had the game and mostly I would compare it to the later version of it and in this case Fifa 2002. The game resembles much of it in most ways but what the heck. It's better than nothing right?

Okay, The game has a bigger improvement than the last one. If you try looking closely (or even if you don't) you'll surely notice that EA has turned their games to look very realistic as real as they can. Another change that I notice is when you try making long shots, If you could remember it right on the past versions you could have like let say a 65% chance to make a goal on long range this time I think they've made it even harder and that's a good thing that they've changed the AI that much that you can't make easy goals. Another thing is that the game do proves that no man is an Island or something like there's no such thing as a one-man team. The game has added a stamina bar on players that they would tend to get tired when you make them run from one end to another. And surely you'll love it (coz' I love it myself); you won't find your brother running from one end to another with Bergkamp alone.

Free kicks, corner kicks or a ground ball goalie's kick has been changed for quite a bit. You could make them kick banana kicks and is quite cool because I notice that this time the success rate relies on most on the weather as well as the skill of the kicker counts. Okay, the game is as good as it should be. The goalie's AI has been improved, now you'll have a hard time making a run at it. The Goalie most of the time would make smart decisions and would barely make mistakes (mistakes like they would crazily run after the ball handler even if the smartest decision at hand is to simply back out and get ready for any crosses) also, crossing to another player has been improved much all. Just past the ball to an open man in the field and take a clear shot just don't shot so hard like pressing the power bar till it reaches 100% the same old routine of having a simple 50 to 75% shot at the goal is enough but don't worry like in NBA live 2003(PC) the computer AI would automatically go for an alley-oop if the time the ball's passed to him is when he's wide open the same AI applies here.

The commentators have been changed a lot in here. They now have a lot of new and interesting commentary back there. The game also has a couple of good music’s and is as good as that of NBA live. The graphics has changed totally. You could clearly notice that who's who simply by looking at their faces, which is almost the same as the real thing.

The game has a very high replayability since you could bore yourself with this game till you're eyes gets white (No just kidding). You'll love the game like most Fifa games would be. You should go and get yourself a copy of this game and if you haven't got one then you're missing a big sport game title there is. Almost most games that EA released this year is a total make over like NFL and NBA games are made to be as realistic as possible though I'm not sure with the NHL game, I hadn't bought one yet though but surely I it'll be as good as EA 2003 games.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/03, Updated 01/03/03