Customer Reviews
A Terrible PS2 port for us to play on our PC's 
2007-10-19
This year's FIFA is a steaming pile. Hardly anything changed/improved from last year and there are even references to PS2 memory cards and the same old bugs from last year in Manager Mode. There are also some odd quirks in the game, like the announcers thinking the goalie saved the ball when it goes miles over the bar and he never gets near it.
I'm getting used to the new player switching, but I absolutely hate the way automatic switching works now. It is just way too slow and it will switch on you when you absolutely don't want it to. The ability to take over your goalie seems like a good one, but I honestly haven't had the chance to try it out. Honestly, the computer does a fine job on breakaways for the most part and I don't trust myself to really do any better.
The setting of training dates in Manager Mode is a nice addition, as well as scheduling friendlies, but I would have rather they fixed the bug with losing the info on your loaned players that was around last year. I also somehow ended up in the EFA as an MLS team. Which was nice actually, since they didn't bother to add Superliga or some other tournaments in the Western Hemisphere.
FIFA 07 was good, although again it was a PS2 port, it at least seemed polished a bit for the PC and the Manager Mode had wonderful improvements. This seems like a last second hack job. Why they don't offer us the enhanced version they make for the next gen consoles is beyond me. Why isn't there wide screen support? How many years mor are they going to try to keep the hardware requirements down on the PC version by releasing this garbage?
Anyway, with all that said, if you don't have FIFA07, this is a good game. It just has zero improvements that are worth the while from '07 (unless the updated rosters are important to you, but you can get that from fan mods anyway that are more comprehensive than EA).
not really better than fifa 07 
2007-10-16
Do not buy this game. It's basically the same game as FIFA 07 with a few very minor changes. Most of the things that I hated about FIFA 07 are still there, except that, to make sure that the game is even less fun, it is now harder to score from outside the penalty area. Otherwise, it's really the same game, they're obviously reusing the same engine. As you play it you realize that it feels exactly the same way. The few minor new features are not worth buying a new version of the game, in fact, some of them are practically useless. Overall, a huge disappointment. I was so looking forward to that game. I guess I'm going to wait for the new version of Winning Eleven and give that a try when it comes out.
FIFA 08 - going backwards from FIFA 07 
2007-10-13
FIFA 07 PC was a great game and FIFA 08 is almost the same, but takes a step backwards. The graphics are not as good (I don't know why they altered the graphics - the players look like they're wearing phony toupees, and they don't move with the fluidity and realism of FIFA 07). If you want to just watch a game, there is absolutely no scoring - you could watch a fairly realistic game in FIFA 07.
The manager mode is basically the same, and the press asks you the same managerial questions you've answered a thousand times in FIFA 07 - enough already! How could they not change these questions?
There seem to be more errors in the gameplay and announcing, and they haven't fixed some of the old ones. In the manager mode, for example - players you loan out to other teams can play against you (they can't do this in the real world).
When you control a team, the gameplay might be a little better - you probably can't run down the sidelines as much as FIFA 07 (in world class mode), and it's a little tougher to take the ball away from the offense. The "be a pro" technique is fun.
Overall, it's basically FIFA 07 with lesser graphics and less realistic player motions. At least you get the updated teams and ratings and a few more announcing tidbits from Clive Tyldesley. If you don't want the updated teams, you can probably just stick with FIFA 07, or wait and see if the price goes down on FIFA 08.
Hmmm. A let-down. 2008-06-28
Not as good even as 2007. Hard to figure out how to just have a career (i.e. play for Liverpool consecutive years). Can't figure out how to upgrade players (It adds XP experience points but doesn't let me spend them). Too many horns in the crowd, and everyone knows that horns at sporting events are obnoxious. Defense is worse then previous years since an attacker can virtually waltz through your defense since the tackling is so horrid and the automatic switching makes you take a player you may not have wanted and even if you take the right player he almost always starts out running the wrong direction you want him to. I wish that smart, quality players of real football/soccer would test these games out and sort out a lot of the goofy little problems there are. Also, incredibly difficult to figure out how to shoot! I.e. I still have no clue how to diliberately aim low. Anyone have some help???
Awesome game - best Fifa game so far! 
2008-06-15
Fifa 08 is definitely better than its predecessors and very different than Fifa 07. The gameplay has been made more realistic by the addition of new moves like directed through ball and directed crossing. Is it hard to score from outside the penalty area? Yes, but not impossible. You just have to train yourself to shoot, adding the right amount of topspin, backspin etc to be more effective. Everything comes with practice and experience! And if you are playing this game on PC, a keyboard is hopeless: you really need a USB gamepad (like the logitech Rumblepad) in order to benefit fully from all the available controls.
Admittedly, there are some bugs in FIFA 08, like when the commentator states that the keeper made a wonderful save when the ball clearly went out for a goal kick. My hope is that these will be corrected for in FIFA 09. Compared to FIFA 07, the artificial intelligence in FIFA 08 is improved, CPU team players seemed to have increased awareness to defend or press on, depending on the score, as you play in increasingly higher difficulty levels. I have to say FIFA 08 at some point became too easy for me, even at the world class difficulty level.
Playing FIFA 08 online is also a great experience, as long as your internet speed is ok.
Yep, you have to hit the training ground in order to survive FIFA 08, there is no denying that! It is the hardest FIFA game produced so far.
Since you are currently getting a new game for less than $[...], there is no reason why you shouldn't give it a try.
Not at all great! 2007-11-14
When compare to Evo Pro by Konami, Fifa 08 is not that great. One of the changes I observed is that it is possible to control a goalkeeper as you wish. It's hard to score a goal, though, this makes the game interesting. oh! just one more thing...the comments sucks man!! Even when one did not shoot on the goal and the goalkeeper did not even touch the ball, commentator said "Great Save" LOL.
Not what I expected 2007-11-09
The music sucks.
Great improvement in goalkeeping. Scoring was still a little too easy in '07, but this one makes scoring harder, and therefore, the game is more competitive. Commentary is questionable at times such as "Great save!" when the goalkeeper hasn't even seen the ball!
Graphics have taken a plunge. The players all look blurry during gameplay. Unlike '07, you can not tell exactly WHO the player is during gameplay. Replays look less realistic, and watching it in slow motion exposes just how awkward was that "great play" you just made. Fouls (yellow and red cards) do look well deserved in replays although you wouldn't think your foul was so bad during actual gameplay.
Overall, it's the same entertainment as '07, but LESS realistic. Scoring (when you do score) is usually a well placed shot, a good attempt by the goalkeeper, or just pure skill and foolishness on the opponent's part that looks well put together.
Much better... 2007-11-09
I don't know what the other guys were talking about FIFA 07 being better, 08 improves on a lot of stuff. The gameplay is NOT the same, defending is much better in this game. Computer aren't that dumb any more and the goalies are a lot better too. The new player switching and goal keeper controls also help out when you learn how to use them. There's also quick free kicks, you can actually push up your goal keepers on corners when you're down a goal. There is widescreen support for this game, I run it at 1440x990. For the person who said he feels auto switching is too slow, you can change the speed in options. FIFA 07 was full of bugs too and it was way too easy to score even on the hardest difficulty.
Now on to the cons, the game difficulty has been turned up a notch, and it is a lot harder to score, it took me a while to learn how to score on a consistent basis... and there is that bug of when you shoot and miss the commentators think the goalkeeper saved it... but they're minor bugs
Graphics aren't much improved though
Overall I feel it is a much more realistic game... soccer usually isn't a high scoring game, and in FIFA 07 goals were way too easy to score
