Euro 08

EURO 2008 REVIEW

Now I don’t usually play too many soccer games, but I do enjoy them now and again, especially when I find a good one. UEFA Euro 2008 initially was very frustrating; not having played many soccer games recently many of the changes came as somewhat of a shock. Numerous control options and different button combinations that can be/need to be mastered and a lack of any sort of tutorial or a decent manual did not help to reduce my initial shock. Several times now I have felt the urge to throw my controller in frustration over my inability to fully understand the ins and outs of the game.

However after losing several matches terribly, suddenly I started to win. The thrill that you feel when you score in UEFA Euro 2008 is second to none, because this time you really do work for your points. There are so many varying factors that influence the players ability to actually shoot a goal that setting everything up right is a big part of scoring. Very noticeable is the ball physics and handling, which seems far more realistic than previous titles in the series. The difficulty levels are probably on par with previous EA soccer titles, however due to the new level of depth being implemented I am finding it harder to play.

My initial shock was not totally unfounded, but it really is merely a matter of sticking at it for a few games to get a feel for it. The players truly are alive on the field with incredible motion capture work making movements that fluidly tie together. The game is also fast paced and has lost the slowness of some past EA soccer titles. Passes are fast and fluid, although occasionally they do seem to be a bit moronic, and you will find yourself cursing the player, as his pathetic pass went straight to the opposition.

Most of the time however the game is intelligent about where the ball goes, and this in combination with some common sense on the player's side helps the game to flow. Scoring is also not overly difficult if you set up the shots correctly, although it is by no means a breeze and the goalies are more than competent.

Being the official game of the UEFA Euro 2008 Austria-Switzerland tournament it is authentic to a T. You have all the teams, stadiums and players of this year's tournament with the ability to download roster updates. This does create a level of realism that can’t be found in some other titles. The game modes are built around this as well, with you being able to play quick matches; the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament from beginning to end; Captain Your Country which allows you to play a pro footballer (in EA’s Be A Pro mode); Story of Qualifying which allows you to play through scenarios from the real UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying; Euro Online Knockout Cup; Battle of the Nations which allows you to clock up points for your selected country which is then added to an overall score online; and of course the Xbox Live modes.

The official license means that players just look amazing. Never have the models looked so accurate, and nearly always does it look good.

The only time you might feel slightly put off by the models is when they are yelling or grinning which makes their faces look slightly disjointed. The other irritating aspect about the graphics is that there is substantial pop-up when the game switches between the ‘cut-scene’ style parts of your team celebrating or of the manager yelling from the side line. Here the backgrounds will pop-in and out which is rather off-putting, especially as this problem has persisted throughout the entire next-gen EA soccer series. That said the players look realistically sweat drenched and their skin has lost the unnatural appearance of several previous iterations.

EA has now fully embraced online connectivity in UEFA Euro 2008 and this means you can join online clans, play in tournaments, ranked single matches, or unranked matches. The online mode requires you to register with EA which is done through the game. Considering you already have an Xbox Live gamertag this seems slightly unnecessary, however the process only took a few minutes. The upside to this is a number of statistics are stored on your profile for friends and the like to view. A number of lobbies in the online mode allow you to meet up with people in your skill category or your country, which is a nice feature, but it doesn’t seem to be used enough. The quick match works well and attempts to match you up with another player of your skill level. This works quickly and if no-one is found immediately you can put it on hold which means the game will alert you when it finds someone to play, leaving you free to browse the menus (not very entertaining, unfortunately).

My foray into the online mode resulted in great frustration however when I was matched up with players of vastly greater skill levels. This combined with a small amount of lag made for a depressing match, where I conceded goal after goal without scoring once. The worst part about this, is thanks to the lack of a tutorial, it's impossible to truly figure out where you are making mistakes and what it is that the other player is doing that your not. However practice does make perfect, and bit by bit the game makes more and more sense.

What does help to ease the initial frustrations however, is the incredible sound track that EA has lined up for UEFA Euro 2008. There is a mix of music from a range of nations and its a real pleasure to have it playing in the background. Another nice touch is the addition of a national anthem when you win a game, which, if playing for your favourite team, really helps give you pleasure from a win. Overall the sound effects are some of the best so far, with stadium announcers in the language of the home team, and the inclusion of chants from the crowd, as well as jeering and urging on. The commentators are also good and their comments usually accurately reflect the action on the field, with little repetition. This is an area that EA has traditionally excelled at, and UEFA Euro 2008 is no exception.

UEFA Euro 2008 is all in all a slick well presented football (soccer) package. Well presented and with beautiful graphics it is a pleasure to look at. The high learning curve is frustrating at times, considering the lack of a tutorial or any real explanation of the different controls and what they do or how to pull them off. This means it's very much a trial and error experience, however the fast paced gameplay gives you little time to really have a play around with the ball. This is a game that will appeal most to veterans of previous EA soccer titles who will find the controls easier to manage. The inclusion of an in-depth online mode also means you can take on other people around the world which should keep UEFA Euro 2008 challenging for much longer. Overall a good effort which has built on strengths. EA are definitely going in the right direction, but they’re not quite there yet.