2010 FIFA World Cup – MMOMFG Demo Impressions

Yesterday, EA Sports released the much anticipated demo for 2010 FIFA World Cup relatively under the radar. No announcements had been made to let gamers know this was coming until the EA email come out yesterday letting us know it was available. Being one the biggest FIFA 10, soccer and World Cup fans, I was stoked to load up the 900+ MB demo on my Xbox 360 and get to work on the additions to the current FIFA engine. Quite a few updates are slated to appear in World Cup 2010, but will the demo, featuring only 2 minute halves and just Italy vs. Spain, be enough to get a solid taste of what’s to come on April 27? Read on if you’ve got footie fever.

Catch the fever, albeit in short increments – FIFA World Cup’s demo offers players the opportunity to play single player or multiplayer in 2 minute matches featuring Spain and Italy as mentioned above. You literally cannot change any settings other than difficulty, controls (including the new two-button control scheme for FIFA newbies) and lineups/tactics. Beyond the limited gameplay and team selection limitations, the final product will be delivering 199 teams, all viewable in the demo, with 32 qualifying spots for the ultimate goal, the World Cup.

Let the pandemonium begin in virtual form – New entrances featuring the amped up atmosphere of World Cup level footie, team-specific fans decked out in their best colors and celebration graffiti scattering the field all add to the experience in WC2010. The field and goal areas kept the confetti on the pitch throughout play. Each stadium will likely provide different experiences; however, the demo only features a single stadium. The fans in the game seem way more into the experience and excitement than FIFA 10 and this adds to the virtual re-creation of World Cup pageantry. Managers have additionally been added to the pitch and they aren’t just random dudes either. These are the real deal! Benches on the field are populated, close-up celebration cameras, streamers glide to the ground from the stands and fans hold up sear cards that form national flags and emblems during play. Keep your eye out for camera flashes, broadcast style graphics and improved commentary from Andy Gray, who will be calling the matches for ESPN this summer. Well played, EA!

Small tastes of what’s to come – After playing close to 15 matches yesterday switching teams each time, I was unable to get a real grip on exactly how different FWC10 stacks up against FIFA 10’s engine and offerings. I actively tried every scenario including random red cards, obvious penalties to test out the improved penalty shot and penalty defense controls, and the improved heading system. I can admit that penalties add a much higher level of interaction, as players can “load up” their saves early, PK takers can stutter-step to confuse the keeper and even the option/requirement to slot the ball over the keeper’s head. I’m still looking forward to utilizing more of the responsive updates slated for the World Cup edition like chest traps, over-the-shoulder balls, ball trapping, and added defensive clearances. FIFA 10’s developers were not entirely pleased with previous set pieces, passing and shooting, so improvements are all coming, which include more accurate shooting trajectory; more challenging chip shots; realistic through balls, chest and shoulder passes; smarter AI, player positioning and defensive marking.

Let’s see those new modes and perks, please! – As with recent EA demos, 2010 World Cup allows players to check out the menu system, highlighting the currently unavailable options. Damn! I’m excited to get my hands on the Captain Your Country mode where up to four friends are capable of creating their own pro, or importing their FIFA 10 Be-A-Pro, and leading a squad from being a B-team reserve to leading a team through qualifications and ultimately holding the Cup above your head in South Africa. I’ve logged countless hours and seasons on Be-A-Pro and am very excited to take this to the international level on a much larger scale.

If you can’t tell, I’ve got a lot of faith in 2010 FIFA World Cup to deliver a full game experience and have a feeling EA Sports can help squelch the calls that this should have been a purchasable add-on for FIFA 10. In my eyes, random games like Olympic titles, championship editions and Game of the Year editions appear all the time. If you don’t want to spend the money, don’t. But if you’re a FIFA addict similar to me, or prefer the international side of the game more than just club play, pick up this title on April 27, because the demo does it justice, despite providing limited game play. With a selection of 199 international squads, a plethora of new modes and the ability to relive and re-produce live results from the World Cup during June, there really is no excuse not to buy this game or at least download the demo. Oh, by the way, GO USA!!!

*2010 FIFA World Cup demo was played on the Xbox 360 console

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