Firstly, if you didn't know already, the demo version of FIFA 12 is out.
Secondly I tried it out on my ps3. And finally I was very very disappointed.
FIFA 12 is the most awaited game of this year. I was excited with all the new features they had mixed. Precision dribbling along with tactical defending and player impact engine was too much to resist. It seemed very nice. Moreover I think the bits of info the Twitter account of EA sports were giving was indeed interesting. With such excitement I began the download of FIFA 12 demo from the PSN store yesterday.
As usual I left the download to complete through the night. I installed it, first thing in the morning. The game started, selected my favorite club as FC Barcelona (Manutd not available in demo) . It was FIFA time (-morning 7am, glad my mom didn't see me playing).
Not so fast EA wanted to teach me some defending skills. The new defending skills are confusing and the worst part of the game. It took me 10 minutes to finish the tutorial itself. According to me, the standing tackle concept is removed. They have replaced with a new 'tackle' concept using which the players keep their foot front regardless of where the ball is. Yes it sounds so idiotic that it makes the defending impossible. After the tutorial I started the exhibition match thinking that I could survive the 6min match.
Barcelona vs OM.
I had to take the first touch, my routine game began, set my styles as counter attack and team pressing, made the move which usually creates crossing chance early in the game. Missed the header. And the AI got the possession of the ball. And after that I just made three touches on the ball. All three of them by the goalie.
Yes it was shameful, but atleast I didn't concede any goals ibm the match. Needless to say the match was draw. The defending is tough in the sense that there is no clear move to recover the ball. You get it if the AI throws away the possession or if he shoots and your goalie holds on to it. Your defenders keep running behind the AI.
A couple of games in the evening made me understand I had to keep a little more possession. This is when I saw the bad effects of tactical defending. The AI defenders don't press your team very much. You can dribble past them by using the sprint button. This is worse than FIFA 11 defending. However if the game build up is slow the defenders indeed covered ground and gave some competition. But still the wings are unprotected (untouched).
Also another bad thing I saw was the buggy graphics. Players tend to mix too much.
The good thing you can take away from the demo is the fact that the game is a demo version and the full version will usually be bug free and complete. The game is so buggy that Fabregas plays for both Barcelona and Arsenal. Some of the transfers are not yet effected.
The defending has to be different else there will be total chaos, every dribble has a chance of becoming a goal.
Even with all the complains I have I would still buy the game. I just want to see what is there in this game that it won 20 awards at the E3.
