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Just when we had all but written off EA’s long running FIFA series as nothing more than a nice looking arcade title that just happens to have all the licenses of the real teams and nothing more, FIFA ’08 burst into the scene to impress one and all. With its innovative Be A Pro mode and the 5 vs. 5 mode, we were pretty amazed at the turn-around that the series was showing. As much as we wanted not to, there was still this little shred of a doubt that with the next FIFA game, EA will again settle down in the rut. How wrong we were!
In a time when games are being hyped through the roof, it indeed comes as a welcome surprise when some of them do manage to live up to all the hype that they have generated. That’s the case here with EA Canada when it comes to the latest game in their long running FIFA series. EA was quick to announce that this iteration has more than 250 tweaks to it that will change the look and the feel of the game. True to their word, EA Canada has managed to pull of this impressive feat and this year’s FIFA does look and feel like a new game all together. The beautiful game has never been this beautiful before.
People must really love playing with little virtual lives that go about their digital existence without suspecting something bigger (and in my case, meaner) watching over them. Me, I just love spooking hapless Sims or creating funny ways for them to die. For the rest of them who want to see what happens when you stick a couple of them in an apartment, there’s always the new Sims 2 Apartment Life expansion pack. We’re just going to let the press release speak for itself – what more can we say? Except that we’re a little concerned, especially the box art seems to feature some sort of Sim voyeur peeping through someone’s window through a telescope.
With two racers just a few feet ahead of me, the race is about to end. I plan to make a dash for the finish line on the penultimate corner. Maybe I’ll manage to squeeze in and beat them to first place. The second-last corner is looming ahead; now’s my chance. But before I can even understand what’s happening, the driver in the second position suddenly spins out of control and crashes into the side wall. As I whiz past, I look back to see him still spinning and crashing into the trailing pack of cars, leading to a satisfying pile up. I grin in amazement at how the AI racers are more realistic than the previous racing games I’ve played. No more rubber band AI. Nice touch there – AI racers that don’t always follow the perfect driving line.
With just one driver separating me from the finish line, it’s time to concentrate. In the excitement of the previous crash I failed to overtake him. The last corner is my only chance to overtake him. As I approach it with just a few feet separating us, I try to overtake him from the inside line. Much to my disappointment, I completely misjudge the turn and crash to my left. The screen goes crimson red. Front bumper crumpling in, windshield glass shattering – the car is wrecked beyond repair. It’s the end of the race for me…or is it? This is where the Flashback Feature comes to my rescue, which allows me to rewind up to the last ten seconds before my fatal crash. I can select any point from those ten seconds from which I can restart the race! I roll back to the point just before the crash, adjust my turn and shoot past my rival towards the finishing line and a thrilling victory.
All of this happened in the last twenty seconds of the race. That’s how exciting and adrenaline pumping this game can get.
2007 was a good year for racing games. Fans weren’t exactly spoilt for choice, but it was more a case of quality over quantity. There was something for everyone; Forza Motorsport 2 for the purists and car enthusiasts, DiRT for some off-road escapades and the best car damage ever, and the highly underrated and overlooked PGR4 with its addictive pick-up-and-play approach.
Like in most other genres in 2007, the Xbox 360 came out on top here was well. Forza 2 and PGR4 were exclusive to Microsoft’s console, while DiRT came to the PlayStation 3 months after it did on the Xbox 360.
But 2008 is a new year, and it’s already off to a smashing start – literally. Here’s a look at what racing fans can look forward to in 2008. Once again, there’s something for everyone – simulation, arcade and even some combat racing. And Sony fanboys can finally stop sulking now, because from the looks like it, the PS3 has got some heavy-hitters lining up on the grid.
If reincarnation were ever an option (I’m not much of a holy person), I wouldn’t mind coming back as a wolf. A real wolf, that is! Not like the ones that give me the power to grant miracles through my magical celestial brush strokes, mind you, although that would be kinda bitchin’ now that I think about it. No, wait! A real wolf sounds far less selfish and hackneyed. Yes, indeed.
So, check this out. The Minnesota Zoo and eduweb are teaming up to create a realistic multiplayer role-playing game for the PC and MAC, called WolfQuest. From there you take the role of a wolf and are assigned to form a pack in order to survive in the great unknown wilderness. For the amazingly entry price of free, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with your online “kindred” and take on many common everyday tasks – like hunting for meat, defending yourself against other predators (wolf or not), mating, raising your own cub family, howling, peeing and so much more! Check out the exciting video from the official site.
Okay, so it won’t topple the massive multiplayer juggernaut collectively known as WoW, but then it’s not supposed to. Minnesota Zoo’s focus here is to bring “the immersive, compelling drama and action of video games to informal science learning while creating a model for nationwide distribution.” Think Animal Planet audience here, people. Digital vindication, at last? For its admission ticket (Free!), I’m willing to take a closer look before I decide that.