UEFA Euro 2008

UEFA Euro 2008

With last year’s polished and assured FIFA ’08, the perceived gap between EA’s best-selling soccer franchise and Konami’s fan favourite, Pro Evo Soccer, closed once again. It’s a trajectory of success that continues in UEFA Euro 2008, the next iteration for EA’s sturdy engine that focuses on this summer’s European championship with grace and style.

This isn’t hyperbole, we’ve genuinely been blown away by the presentation, the in-game close-ups, the astoundingly believable commentary, the new modes and features which are more than just pointless add-ons and the way in which almost everything you do in the game plugs into an online leaderboard, integrating your bid for the European cup with those of the real life teams.

This last point warrants some deeper explanation. Dubbed ‘Battle of the Nations’, it’s the game’s core mode and is explained at length the first time you switch the machine on. The mode plays on player patriotism by having you choose the European nation you want to win the cup. Then, all of your performances both offline and online contribute towards an overall daily leaderboard specific to your chosen country. Points go into your country’s pot even if you’re playing for other teams, something the game actively encourages by offering more points to players who beat better sides than theirs in any game mode.

There are 52 squads to choose between, each and every player therein meticulously and realistically recreated in polygons. The effect on the pitch is striking, the lifelike camera cutaways working with the commentary to fool onlookers they are watching a real live match. All 8 official stadiums from the tournament are included in the game and, with dynamic rain and mud effects this is a graphical tour de force that leaves the competition howling on the ground.

Of course, EA have always done presentation well but fallen down more on gameplay. In this respect the game is still arguably less fluid than its rival Pro Evo. Players move just slightly more slowly (which could be seen as a positive to some players) and the flow of stringing manoeuvre together to create good plays still comes less naturally.

That said there’s not much in it and the exquisite audiovisual wrapper that envelops the gameplay adds immeasurably to the experience. You have more control over the little things as well, such as the victory poses your players make when they score or, of course, the various tricks that can be employed to wrong foot the opposition.

In addition to the standard modes the game expands upon FIFA ‘08’s ‘Be a Pro’ mode in which you choose just one player to control during a match. ‘Captain Your Country’ now allows players to play a full season as that one player, taking on an international career in a game mode that’s both fresh and exciting.

The big question for most people will be whether it’s worth paying out for what is essentially a mid-point game between FIFA ’08 and ’09. If you missed the previous title then it’s absolutely worth a buy. But for those who are already knee deep in FIFA ’08, and who aren’t that interested in the forthcoming championship, it might be worth waiting it out.

4 out of 5