Fifa 2012

Title: Fifa 2012
Release Date: 30 September 2011
Format: xbox 360, ps3, PC
RRP: £54.99
Rating: Pegi 3

Fifa 12 is one of those games that you are stuck to for a year. You can never get away from the amount of things you get to do. I have played this game for about 25 hours and I am not bored with it. I have still got a lot of things still to do though as several new things have been added to this year's edition.

New modes

One new mode that has been added this year is head to head seasons. This game mode allows you to compete in 10 divisions - one being the highest and 10 being the lowest. You start your season in division 10 and you have to rise through the divisions with targets being set for you along the way. This is an online feature so you will be playing other Fifa 12 players in that division trying to get promoted like you.

Another mode they have added to the game is scenarios. These scenarios are set from a game that happened during the weekends fixtures. Then they will pick a game and set out a challenge for you. If you succeed with this challenge, you will receive xp points; another new feature. These points are earned through playing the game and vary depending on how well you do in each match. Xp points are earned in all game modes and depending on how you have done you will receive points. Then you are able to compare your points with friends.

The final new feature is the news feed. After each game, black squares will appear telling you how a friend has done in a recent match. The news feed tells you which friend played, what game mode he played in, who the teams where and what the score was.

Graphics

This year, the graphics have taken another step forward as the players characteristics have improved. The players' faces are nearly identical to the real life players themselves. Also, players also have identical real life celebrations connected to them. I'd say the graphics are better on the PS3 version, compare to the Xbox, but the difference is only on certain little things. The stadium graphics are also a lot better as you can recognise little features on the stadium. They have gone into detail with the stadium, but the crowd needs to be improved.

Gameplay

The gameplay has improved dramatically from Fifa 11. The new game modes have enhanced the games length time a little more, which will keep people on the game longer. Also, they have added a new jockey defending system, making it harder for the opposing player to get past or to cross the ball.

The only downside I have found is if a defender is run jockeying he is slower than when he is just running, so faster players have the ability to just run past you and if you come out of jockeying and run this means that it is easier for the opposing player to get past you. This is one of the few disadvantages to the game. They have also put in a new system where a player puts in a last ditch tackle to stop the opposing player, e.g. the defender sticks a leg out to tackle.

Verdict

Overall Fifa 12 is a massive improvement compared to Fifa 11. The gameplay, the graphics and the game modes are all massive improvements and this is almost the perfect game, but unfortunately a couple of small little niggles have ruined its chances.

If they can fix the jockey defending this could be a very good game. The best Fifa yet by a mile and nearly a perfect one. Next year it could fill its full potential.

Rating: 4.8/5