2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Review

At first glance, a title like 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa appears to be an effortless way for Electronic Arts to pad their coffers. Released just seven months after FIFA Soccer 10 and into an approaching tidal wave of global excitement, the publisher could have made a handful of diminutive changes, thrown the game in a new box, and it would have inevitably sold millions. Luckily, EA Canada refused to rest of their laurels, and has crafted a commendable title which is certain to thrill any footy fan.

It’s immediately clear that the title’s “everyone can play in the 2010 FIFA World Cup” boast in more than a mere box quote. The first time players load the game, the disk will scour the console’s hard drive for previous FIFA games, suggesting a difficultly level based on previous experience. Additionally, novices may opt for the title’s two-button control scheme, which offers a simplified control scheme.  Nearly every menu screen also offers supplemental verbal assistance, making 2010 FWC one of the most user-friendly sports games in recent memory.

Veterans who have spent hours on the virtual pitch should immediately appreciate the title’s two signature modes: the World Cup qualification tournament and the Captain Your Country diversions. The former, allows players to helm one of the globe’s 199 teams from preliminary matches right down to the finals in South Africa. Although the mode seems obligatory for a World Cup title, being able to play the entire tournament online is a definite coup. Taking 2010 FWC online, I was able to garner a few victories in the group stages, and felt a swill of enthusiasm as I entered the single-elimination knock-out stage. In my first match, I was down two goals by the half- a deficit which tainted my momentum, but forged one of the most intense online matches I have ever played.  Each tournament triumph skillfully ratchets up the energy for the larger contest, in a way only hinted at by Street Fighter IV’s swift competitions. 2010  FWC’s other core component tasks gamers with creating their own profession athlete (or importing a FIFA Soccer 10 player) and following their career trajectory on the road to the cup. With the addition of up to three cooperative teammates, Captain Your Country requires each player to play a specific position, adding a nice variant to FWC’s gameplay arsenal.

One the most radical changes to EA’s ground game was the complete overhaul of the penalty system. Previously, players took aim for a section of the net, adding just the right amount of power behind their kick. The revamped system adds a layer a level of strategy, as players can stutter kick or change direction at the last moment. Additionally, a composure rating and an analog directional method ensure that the penalty system mirrors the complexity of a real-world shootout. Another major change includes variable home and away tactics for teams, which means that players can capitalize on a home-field advantage, or play defensibly on the road. Less noticeable was the inclusion of an altitude variable, which can affect both player stamina and air resistance, based on a stadium’s elevation.

Visually and aurally, 2010 FWC does a commendable job at recreating the excitement and energy of a World Cup tournament. Finals are a spectacle to behold, as the processing power of now-gen systems are pushed to render voluminous confetti storms and stadiums busy with cheering fans. Player animation is amazingly life-like; from watching an athlete perform a chest trap to the exuberant goal celebrations, the amount of animation in astounding.  Stadium recreations are one of the title’s pinnacles- hopefully, South Africa’s venues are as picturesque as the game suggests. The title’s one graphical flaw occurs when the camera cut to audience close-ups. Wild wigs, hats, and face paint are unrealistically and universally shown on fans. The FIFA series’ commentary has always consistently commendable and Word Cup prolongs that legacy, offering Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend’s informative banter.

With a purported list of over hundred improvements from FIFA Soccer 10, 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa stands unrivaled as the best soccer title on the market. Most of the improvements- from a fully realized online Cup tournament to revamped penalty shooting, will push the title into the ‘must buy category for footy fans. Hopefully, EA Canada will perpetuate the progress for FIFA 11’s inevitable appearance.