Altidore Montage (No Audio)

Found a NEW Video. Well actually it’s from Aug 8th. But just wanted to post because it is like Close up camera and you can enjoy more. SUBSCRIBE TO ME ON YOUTUBE!!!

www.youtube.com/fifa08fan

Fans Submit 5,000 Ideas for FIFA 08.

EA Sports FIFA Football fans have submitted more than 5,000 ideas and comments about the upcoming FIFA 08 at FIFPlay.com.FIFPlay’s “Your ideas for the next FIFA” section has received a mass number of comments regarding FIFA 08 from the fans. The suggestions submitted are mostly about new leagues and teams, better gameplay and new features in the game.

The ideas came from the fans around the world (from Chile to China) and ask EA Sports to put some attractive features such as stadium creator, 3D crowds, legend players/leagues, customized motions, Futsal, women’s Football, new official tournaments, in forthcoming video game of FIFA 08.

FIFA fans also voted more than 200,000 times over the voting polls which were about the new leagues, new cover-star and EA Trax in FIFA 08.

Interview with/about Jozy Altidore.

IGN INTERVIEW WITH JOZY ALTIDORE

There’s one name on everyone’s lips right now. One name that American soccer fans just can’t stop talking about. He’s a fan favorite, appears in ADIDAS ad campaigns, and happens to be one of the most exciting talents to come to MLS in years, if not in the league’s history. No, it’s not David Beckham – it’s Jozy Altidore.IGN: First off, congratulations on the U-20 World Cup.

Jozy Altidore: Thank you, thank you.

IGN: The team made it to the final eight and you scored 4 goals in 5 games, that’s a great tournament.

Altidore: Thanks a lot man.

IGN: You made your professional debut with the NY Red Bulls last August, and now in less than a year you’re on the cover of FIFA 08 next to Ronaldinho. Things are moving fast for you, huh?

Altidore: Definitely. It’s come by complete shock, but I’m just thankful to be a part of something like this. The FIFA game, and the franchise, has been around for so long that to be a part of it in any way is fantastic.

IGN: You’ve actually had a chance to play FIFA 08 already. How’s it look?

Altidore: Yeah, I got to play an early version of it and it looks great. It’s very realistic. The skills they’ve added this year are cool and the new Be A Pro mode I think, is really gonna take FIFA gamers all over the world by storm.

IGN: What’s Be A Pro mode all about?

Altidore: It allows you to play as one character during a match and play as if you were actually on the pitch in that position, whether you prefer being a left back or a right forward, you can play an entire season only in that position, just like real life. It’s pretty exciting and a lot of fun.

IGN: Did you actually get to see your character model in the game?

Altidore: Totally. I got to look at him, see how he moves and it’s pretty spot on. About as close as you can get, really, with my facial expressions and celebrations. It’s just great.

IGN: If there was one trait you wanted EA to capture of you what would it be, and did they get it?

Altidore: Um… (pauses). Probably my goal celebration. They used my celebration from my goal against DC United, which was the most memorable one for me, and I’m glad they used that one.

IGN: If you couldn’t play in Be A Pro mode as yourself, who would you play as?Altidore: Theirry Henry, definitely. He’s my player.IGN: Nice. I’m excited to see how he does for Barcelona this year. Altidore: Yeah, we all are.IGN: Are there any other gamers on the Red Bulls squad? Any FIFA playing on the road between matches? Altidore: There’s a couple. There are a few guys who I play with on the road and we get a couple of games in here and there to pass the time before a match.

IGN: What do you think about David Beckham coming to MLS?

Altidore: Becks? Aw, it’s great, man. Beckham I think is going to do a lot marketing and exposure-wise for MLS and he’s also gonna be good for the Galaxy. He’s a great player and you know he’ll provide those crosses and free kicks for them, but overall he’s going to do nothing but help the league.

IGN: Apart from FIFA, are there any other games you’re into now?

Altidore: I play Halo. Everybody plays Halo here in the states. I think it’s a great game and I know I’m not the only one who thinks that. I gotta jump on Halo 3 when it comes out.

IGN: It’s a dream for many athletes to land the cover of a videogame. You’re still a teenager and you’ve already done it, so what are you other future goals in professional soccer or anything else?

Altidore: Like any player, I want to play for the full National team. I also want to play on the Olympic team and try to win a medal, and of course one day to play in a World Cup on the world’s biggest stage is a dream of mine of course. Plus playing abroad or in Europe in one of the top leagues in the world. Those really are the three main goals for me. It’s just important for me to always be patient and take the time needed to achieve any goals I set for myself.

IGN: Speaking of playing in Europe, I heard Freddy Adu (your teammate on the U-20 National Team just signed with Benfica in Portugal. If you get the chance to go play for a club in Europe who would you hope to play for?

Altidore: Maybe Barcelona. It would be great to play alongside a guy like Henry. He’s a great player. As for Freddy, I’m couldn’t be happier for him. I think it’s a perfect opportunity to show the world what he can do, and I think he’s gonna do really well there.

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TEAM XBOX INTERVIEW WITH JOE BOOTH

Imagine being soccer superstar and barely being old enough to drive. That’s the life of U.S. phenom Jozy Altidore, who also happens to be FIFA 08’s cover athlete. Just like Jozy, FIFA 08 is brimming with fresh moves and youthful vibrancy, thanks to features like online, persistent leagues, a new ball-striking engine and offline training.

To help us learn more about FIFA 08, we called upon the game’s lead producer Joe Booth. Joe talks about everything from the reasoning behind their cover athlete choice to the gist of “building block” playmaking, and everything in between.

So without further ado, let’s see what Electronic Arts has up their kit for FIFA 08…

Why did you choose Jozy Altidore for the cover of FIFA 08?

Joe Booth: Jozy Altidore is an emerging young talent in the United States and we like to work with young up-and-coming athletes. We believe he is one of the next great American stars. Last season he burst onto the scene with the Red Bulls and instantly became a fan favorite. We looked at his enormous potential, his incredible skills and his fan appeal and thought he would be perfect for our cover alongside Ronaldinho and young Mexican national team goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa of Club America of the Mexican Primera Division.

Taking control of the ball.

It’s exciting to see that online leagues will be included in FIFA 08. Can you tell us a little more about them?

Joe Booth: Yes, there are persistent online leagues for up to 32 players. The league organizer is able to set up the league the way he wants to, choose the number of teams, how many times they will play each other, if its an open or private league, etc. Then each player who joins selects their team. Players work out between themselves when they want to play and they can play the games in any order at any time. There is even a message board so you can trash talk the other players in your league.

What about user-created videos? Will players be able to show off their personal highlight reel online?

Joe Booth: You can now upload your videos from instant replay, it’s as easy as marking the start and end position of your highlight, choosing your camera and clicking upload. The video is then compressed and uploaded to your own space on our website where you can share it, download it or even enter it for goal of the month competitions, etc.

It seems as though the defensive system in FIFA 08 is more intuitive and analog-based. Can you go over player switching and the general defensive controls?

Joe Booth: You can use the right stick to quickly move between the defensive players. You still have the auto-switching or quick change player, but this advance control allows you quickly move to any player on the pitch.

How has the opponent A.I. system been reworked for ’08?

Joe Booth: Our goal with the gameplay engine rewrite was to unlock the power of the Xbox 360 for gameplay, so now each AI player views the pitch through a new threat map system, analyzing and reviewing over a 1,000 options per second. So now, rather than just marking players, or keeping zone positions, they will defend space, pushing attackers into a safer position before going in for the tackle.

You guys began dabbling in random ball striking and passing last year. How far will you be taking that concept this year?

Joe Booth: We rewrote the ball striking engine. When a player goes to strike the ball, everything from the player’s attributes, the ball height and spin, if the player is off balance, if he is under pressure, etc., is taken into account. These factors then apply the error between the foot and the ball to create spin or swerve.

How “signature” will stars’ moves be this time around?

Joe Booth: Because of the new organic skill move system, you can re-create the moves of your favorite stars in real time. If you see Ronaldinho pull a new move in the game on the weekend, you can work out how to re-create it and practice it in the arena, and then try to pull off the move against your friends in the game.

Elaborate on the “building block” mentality of playmaking that is going into FIFA 08.

Joe Booth: Our approach to skill moves was to break them down into organic building blocks and with our animation system it now allows you to interrupt an animation at any time to transition into your next move. So if feels very responsive and you can really express yourself. So you start with simple step over’s, then you can combine these with touches and roles and exits and fakes. Then there are more complex moves such as the rainbow where first you have to flick the ball up, then hook it over your head and if you’re really good, volley it into the net!

Eying up the field…

Any insight on what the Game Achievements may be, or what types of Marketplace DLC will be in the works?

Joe Booth: We haven’t announced our DLC yet. For the achievements we have overhauled our system so there is a lot more depth.

What kind of work has been done to improve the overall look of FIFA 08?

Joe Booth: I really challenged our art team as I kept taking their CPU and memory budget for gameplay so they had to do more with less – but these guys are the best in the industry and the game looks amazing.

Word on the street is that there’s an offline training mode featured this year. True?

Joe Booth: We have Be A Pro: Offline Training – its our first step in our vision to create a virtual 2010 world cup with the best 11 players in each country taking part in 11v11 online team-based play with each player responsible for one position. Offline training is the first step; it trains you to understand your role in each position giving you live feedback and an overall rating at the end of the game. There is also a unique camera (pro camera) which dynamically frames you, the ball and the goal. If you are off the ball, it will frame a lot of the pitch, but when you are sprinting in on goal it will zoom close in to make you feel the emotion of being on the pitch.

The Hoosiers, on FIFA 08 Soundtrack.

Wayne Rooney has teamed up with Worried About Ray rockers “The Hoosiers” for new computer football videogame FIFA 08.

The Hoosiers’ new single “Goodbye Mr A” will be featured in the game, released in September by EA Sports.

And band members Irwin Sparkes, Alfonso Sharlando and Marting Skarendahl were thrilled when they travelled to Manchester to meet their Red Devils hero Rooney.

Irwin and Alfonso once fancied themselves as footballers and even went to America on a soccer scholarship.

But Wazza gave them a few tips on their ball skills. Irwin said: “He’s a man of very few words. I’m a Reading fan but it was amazing to meet him. I mean, it is Rooney.”

The single, from debut album The Trick To Life, is out in October. You can listen/download the song clicking here: The Hoosiers – Mr A.

FIFA08 Covers(3)

The polish FIFA 08’s cover has been released, with Euzebiusz “Ebi” Smolarek sharing the leading role with Ronaldinho.

Also, the star for the mexican version was confirmed. He’ll be Guillermo Ochoa (a.k.a Memo), mexican goalkeeper from Club America and the mexican national team:

FIFA 08 PS2/PC – Preview

EA’s FIFA games have always sold incredibly well. The series has been around since 1993 and every year has had commercial success. Critical acclaim has varied, on the other hand. For example, 1998 was a vintage year: the Road To World Cup edition in particular received high praise. The receptions of 21st century FIFAs, however, have been varied to say the least.What’s more, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer series has grown over the last five years from a cult-classic, to a top of the charts contender. Presumably feeling the heat from their Japanese rivals, EA Canada took the series through some drastic changes last year and this appeared to do the trick. Sales were, as always, impressive; but the reaction of the press towards FIFA 07 was more positive than it had been in quite a while – FIFA was back. Having had a first look at a current-gen build of FIFA 08 (available on the PS2 and PC) earlier this week, I can safely say that not only have EA Canada cemented the series’ return to form, they’ve also given the people at Konami a lot to think about.

The improvements in last year’s game included the following: improved ball physics, better AI, the interesting inclusion of Interactive Leagues and a more organic feel to the gameplay all-round. FIFA 08 continues this more organic style with gameplay that feels freer than it ever has before. Both crosses and through balls have had all traces of automation removed from them. Players now have complete control of both power (via the pressure sensitive buttons) and direction. As a result, threading a perfectly weighted through ball to your striker releases a feeling of achievement more potent than completing a quadratic equation.

Other football titles have allowed gamers to opt for a manual pass, but it’s never felt so natural and the fact that you’re forced to pass manually means that it won’t only be the fanboys who use it. Just imagine those P.E. teachers we all had at school who’d shout ‘You passed the ball where he was, not where he was going!’ The learning curve is a little bit like that and it’s well worth the reward once you’ve had a couple of games to get used to it.

Goalkeepers can also be controlled manually. Clicking the R3 button allows you to control your keeper in open play and prior to set-pieces, while triangle initiates a save. This is particularly helpful for placing your keeper on a corner or free-kick, as they needn’t stand uselessly in the middle of the goal any longer. Also, you can call up your goalkeeper for a corner in the last couple of minutes of a game if you’re in dire need of an equaliser.

In recent years, the FIFA series has made a marked effort to rid itself of the over-complicated swerve, power and accuracy meters of yesteryear for free-kicks and corners. Noticing the continued success of Pro Evo in this area, it appears that the EA Canada team has made a deliberate move towards a more organic feel throughout the game, and particularly with set-pieces. Free-kicks and corners now feel a lot better, with the same easy to pick-up but hard to master Pro Evo feel, but with their own unique FIFA touches.

One particularly original idea for FIFA 08 is to have a freezable camera for free-kicks, which works in the following way: you can pan over to the right hand side of the wall (and your opponent may move their keeper accordingly). Then, you have the option to freeze the camera angle (making your opponent think you’re shooting from that angle) and change where your going to shoot by panning back over to left (the DualShock rumbles if you pass across either post). I scored an absolute screamer with Wesley Sneijder by using this technique and the resulting “Get in!” that resonated throughout the EA press room was less than welcomed, and understandably so.

As usual, there are elements to the game that seem a little bit “Mickey Mouse”. One example of this is the ‘Be a Pro Co-op Season’. This basically allows you to take control of a single player, which can either be selected or created, and play only as them for a club. This mode is also available in multiplayer, so a few of you can be glued to one player each on a team. Your player then improves throughout the season, although they don’t drop stats if you perform badly. Additionally, you can earn more points to improve your player by completing certain tasks, and here is where it becomes a bit Yankee-doodle-dandy.

The tasks you’re asked to complete don’t seem to have much of a bearing on playing good football or helping the team win. So, one challenge called ‘ball-hog’ might require you to hold onto the ball for a certain amount of time throughout a game. Another will ask you to avoid going offside (note: that’s not being caught offside, it’s simply advancing beyond the last defender) a certain amount of times in a game, which is a bit weird as straying on and offside is something strikers do on purpose to trick defenders.

Having said this, the player-locking system in the ‘Be a Pro Co-op Season’ (if I have to say that again, I think It might induce a cerebral embolism), is simply inspired. Being able to lock to a player for a whole game has obviously been done before, but in the past it was always quite a dull experience. The key feature which makes the gameplay so original in FIFA 08, is that you can actually call for a pass, long ball, through ball or cross. In addition to the sheer brilliance of this, the AI behind it is so good that it really is an entirely new way of playing a football game.

Basically, you won’t get passed to when you call for it unless you’re making a good run or you’re in space. If you find acres of space out on the touchline and call for a long ball, you’ll receive a beautifully arched pass to your feet. But, if you keep calling for passes with a defender shadowing your every move, then you’ll see as much of the ball as a Brazilian goalkeeper playing against San Marino. Given that the feature is new this year, it really is a stunning achievement that EA Canada have managed to develop such convincing AI for it.

Introducing the [grimace] ‘Be a Pro Co-op Season’ is a tactical move by the FIFA team. Their policy regarding Interactive Leagues leading up to the next World Cup in 2010 is to have 11 players on 11 playing online at once. This can then be extended to the central idea behind Interactive Leagues, which is getting thousands of gamers playing matches online which correspond directly to those being played in real life. By introducing the [sound of teeth grinding] ‘Be a Pro Co-op Season’ this year, EA are acclimatising FIFA players to the concept of playing a single role on a team of 11 other players in preparation for 2010. I’ve got to say, that’s some pretty impressive forward thinking from EA and nice work all round – let’s hope it pans out.

Building on the general improvements in AI from lasts year’s game, EA Canada have done further work to improve the “Defensive Intelligence” in FIFA 08. They have focused on the defensive AI in-game by getting players to track-back convincingly and be aware of attacking players making darting forward runs etc. For the most part, this feature does seem to be an improvement on the successes of last year, although I did experience some defensive bunching and a distinct lack of a flat back four at times. Let’s hope EA Canada can iron-out these slight kinks prior to distribution but, even as it plays at the moment, FIFA 08 is a convincing recreation of the beautiful game.

Further to this “Defensive Intelligence”, another improvement is that goals are harder to come by. From the limited hands-on play I experienced, this hasn’t simply been done by improving goalkeepers or making it harder to get shots on target. Instead, EA Canada have made it harder to create goal scoring opportunities, which is much more engrossing and requires a more realistic footie game to make it possible – FIFA 08 is ticking all the right boxes, then.

Also, in another defence related change, EA Canada has widened the options when it comes to changing players. With the new controls, a swift flick of the right analogue stick in the direction of the player you want will swiftly highlight them. This opens up more tactical options and allows you to get hold of that distant player who’s not fulfilling their marking responsibilities properly.

Finally, FIFA 08 also adds greater depth and realism to the series with the new player traits. In recent years, FIFA players have featured less stats than their Pro Evo counterparts. The argument for FIFA is that the limited stats determine multiple characteristics of a player’s overall ability (less is more, basically). This year, the addition of player traits will hopefully bring FIFA closer to the sort of accurate player rendition that it’s been crying out for. These traits, which will be hidden abilities, will add tendencies to specific player’s performances. So, for example, Stevey G has a trait to take long shots and so he will shoot from range more frequently and successfully. Only more play time will determine how much of a difference this makes, but we’ll have our fingers crossed in the meantime.

More so than ever before, it looks like Konami simply doesn’t have the time to rest on its laurels. From our recent experience it seems like the FIFA series will be hot on their heels come the autumn.

FIFA 08 Video and Full-Res Screens.

Electronic Arts has released a video (1:08 of in-game footage) and a batch of screenshots from FIFA 08, showcasing the PS2 version of this game scheduled to hit the store shelves this autumn.

This video was already showed on a previous Interview with Paul Hossack ( as seen in http://fifa2008.wordpress.com/2007/07/31/interview-with-paul-hossack/ ), but now it’s a downloadable full-resolution quicktime video.

Developed by EA Canada in Vancouver, FIFA 08 features a Be A Pro mode where you will have to master the same disciplines as a real football player, 620 licensed teams, 30 leagues and more than 15,000 players.

- Trailer: FIFA 08 Trailer (28.41MB), Quicktime MOV file format.

- Screenshots (PS2, Full-Res):

  
  
  

Official Fact-Sheet (English, X360/PS3)

FIFA 08 challenges players to master the skills required to play like a professional player. Fans around the world can experience the same highs and lows of real-world players and tackle the challenges they face on a daily basis.

The FIFA 08 next-gen gameplay engine, built to maximize the power of the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer and entertainment system, delivers animations and ball control that is so responsive you feel like you are actually on the pitch. Players are now aware of their surroundings, reacting authentically to threats and opportunities to make intelligent decisions.

Now with the FIFA 08 shooting system you can enjoy even more control and precision in front of the goal to become a true marksman.

For the first time ever, fans playing FIFA 08 will face the pressure to improve their game that real-world players endure every day. A new play mode called Be A Pro locks you in the role of a single player and challenges you to master the same disciplines as a real professional player—from positioning and tackling to reading the field and passing.

FIFA 08 now gives every football fan the chance to perform pro skills with a true next-generation organic ‘building-block’ system. You can combine tricks and skill moves together to recreate signature moves from the real-world superstars or define your own style of play. You can even capture video of your best moves and goals in-game and upload to the FIFA 08 website to show off your style and celebrate your glory with friends across the globe.

The award-winning Interactive Leagues debuts on the Xbox 360 and the PLAYSTATION 3 as part of the deepest online feature set to date. Represent your club online* against your rivals throughout the season in the F.A. Premier League, Bundesliga, French League or Mexican 1st Division. When they play, you play. Plus, create and organize your own multiplayer Friends Leagues and tournaments with all the tools in-game.

In addition, FIFA 08 is dramatically more real and exhilarating with the inclusion of 620 licensed teams, 30 official leagues, and more than 15,000 players.

Clinical Finishing – A true next-generation ball-striking engine calculates shot success by combining an almost infinite number of different contexts, including ball spin, pressure from defenders, player attributes, and even air pressure to recreate the drama and unpredictable nature of shooting.

Intelligent - Now featuring AI with a 35-point decision engine which enables players to process 1,000 potential options and reactions every second in real time — more than 60,000 options every minute — via a dynamic ‘Threat Map’ system to capture the excitement and realism of.

Be a Pro: Offline Training – Think and react like a real professional player. Play the entire game as a fixed player while getting real time feedback and analysis on the fly. A unique camera angle keeps both player and action in focus, zooming in when you’re on attack.

Pro Skills – A new, organic building-block system enables you to combine tricks and skill moves together to recreate signature moves from the real-world superstars or define your own style of play. Animations can be interrupted at any time to transition into a new move, just like real life.

Manual Controls – Dictate the play with new manual controls for through-passing and crossing. Now use the right-stick to quickly switch defenders and choose exactly who you want defending, when you want him.

Online Leagues – Create and organize your own multiplayer Friends Leagues and tournaments with all the tools in-game.

EA SPORTS Interactive Leagues: - Represent your club online against your rivals throughout the season in the F.A. Premier League, Bundesliga, French League or Mexican 1st Division. Features weekly in-game pod casts by the development team.

Video Upload: Capture your best goals and highlights in-game and bring them online for the world to see. Upload your highlights to the FIFA 08 website to create the ultimate highlight reel to prove the stories you are telling your friends are all true. Because without the footage, it’s fiction.

Real World News – Receive up-to-the-minute news and podcasts from media outlets, including ESPN Net.

Complete Authenticity - Dramatically more authentic and exhilarating with 620 licensed teams, 30 official leagues, and more than 15,000 players.

Tournament Mode – Play 60 tournaments, including 35 officially licensed ones, or create one of your own.

*INTERNET CONNECTION required for online play

FIFA08 American Cover and new Screenshots.

Though the British cover athlete for the game is yet to be announced, today EA announced who will grace the North American packaging of FIFA 08 when it arrives later this year. New York Red Bulls striker Josmer “Jozy” Altidore and Mexican-born Club América goalie Guillermo Ochoa will flank Ronaldinho on the game’s cover in all territories north of the Panama Canal. The move makes the 17-year-old Altidore the second-youngest athlete ever to appear an EA Sports game cover, after the then-16-year-old DC United midfielder Freddy Adu was chosen to be on FIFA 06’s box.

EA Released some new next-gen screenshots:

  

Fact-Sheet Review (PS2)

EA released information about the new features of FIFA Soccer 08 on the PS2.  Here’s what they revealed:

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Step into the boots of a professional player through a new mode called “Be A Pro: Co-op Season” that challenges you to master the same disciplines as a real professional soccer player—from positioning and tackling to reading the field and passing. Step onto the field with your created player to play an entire game as that footballer, and develop him into an elite player over the course of the season. Never before have you been able to approach the game this way, improving your abilities one skill at a time just as if you were a pro.  Play with up to three friends playing all fixed to their players on your favorite club, complete individual challenges to develop your player attributes and win glory for the squad, while competing with your friends to develop the best player by season’s end.SportsGamer: Seems like a similar player-lock feature is finding its ways into all of EA’s titles.  It adds one more game mode to mess around with but I’m not sure how popular this will actually be.  It works well in basketball games and would probably work in hockey as well because both feature fewer players and a smaller overall area.  It just seems like you could find yourself in the opposite end of the field from the action.

Once this is fully integrated online it will be a totally different story.  The prospect of playing 4-person co-op online leagues or even 11v11’s sound great.  Even EA admits this is only a first step toward that goal in the future.

From the moment you step on the pitch, FIFA Soccer 08 challenges you to think and react like a real soccer player by giving you complete control over all of the action. New manual controls enable you to dictate the play with control over through-passing and crossing. Control the goalkeeper in one-on-one situations to deny the striker yourself. Take ultimate control over your defenders with new manual controls that enable you to use the right-stick to quickly switch defenders and choose exactly who you want to control when defending. Plus, now it is more strategic to break down the opposition than ever before with new defensive and positioning logic that ensures players are in the right place at the right time, constantly considering all threats and opportunities.

SportsGamer:  Thank god they finally addressed this!  The inability to choose the specific defender you wanted has been my single biggest gripe with this series in the past years.  I still recall instances where I would be given control of a trailing defender and I would have to intentionally run him out of the play in order to be assigned a better one.

It is unclear what the impact of better AI positioning for defenders will be because usually I was controlling the defender that would finally make the play.  Because tackling has been easy in the recent past, I never really noticed any problem here.

Intelligently manage your club by preparing for each specific opponent using new custom formations. Design your own unique strategy to create the perfect formation and tactics. Assign roles and move players to the exact position in relation to teammates to undermine the opposition.

SportsGamer:  Sounds alright but I’m not sure how much this feature will actually be used.  This would be better if it worked in the same way that Create-A-Play works in NHL 08.  The AI would automatically recognize plays based on designated player movements.

FIFA Soccer 08 on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system introduces Online Football Clubs that enable you to form your own group of like-minded soccer fans to take on all challengers online. Gain status among the online community by helping your Football Club climb the rankings. Win more points based on the importance of the match when playing Interactive Leagues or challenging other Football Clubs to a grudge-match tournament.

SportsGamer: Sounds like EA’s representation of a clan. It is unclear how cool this will be until we get a chance to try it out but it is encouraging that more online features are being added.

Key Features

Manual Controls — Dictate the play with new manual controls for through-passing and crossing. Control the goalkeeper in one-on-one situations to deny the striker yourself.  Use the right-stick to quickly switch to the exact player you want to control when defending. 

Be A Pro: Co-op Season — Take on the role of a professional footballer, create your own player and test yourself in one position for an entire season. Master positioning, improve your attributes and develop into an elite player. Co-operate with up to three friends fixed to their player on the same team, but compete with those same friends on individual challenges. All performances are tracked through detailed statistics to determine who really is a pro.

Custom Formations — Design your own unique strategy to create the perfect formation and tactics. Set each player’s exact position in the formation, and assign specific attacking and defensive runs to unlock the opposition.

Enhanced AI — New defensive and positioning logic requires greater tactical expertise to break down the opposition  New AI ensures players are in the right place at the right time. Player and team traits differentiate the stars.

Manager Mode Improvements – New features include pre-season friendlies to test your team before a campaign, new training options to hone your squad of players and dynamic board expectations that change depending on your successes … or failures.

Online Football Clubs (PlayStation 2) — Form your own group of like-minded soccer fans to take on all challengers online and create a Football Club. Gain status among the online community by helping your Football Club climb the rankings. Win more points based on the importance of the match, like playing Interactive Leagues or challenging other Football Clubs to a grudge-match tournament.

Share Replays (PC) – Now you can save and show-off your best games or just the highlights! It is easy to capture a game or key moments and export as a video file to share with your friends and foes. Brag about match-winning plays and goals or even capture the entire ninety minutes to relive your favorite games.

Complete Authenticity  – Featuring 30 leagues, 30 real stadiums and more than 12,500 players all accurately recreated.