EA’s FIFA Soccer series has been one of their longest running sports franchises.  Over the years, the series has seen quite a few changes and new additions.  While this year’s version isn’t exactly a huge departure from the most recent additions to the game series, it does feature some great new tweaks, in terms of both graphics and gameplay.  As it stands, FIFA 2005 makes enough gameplay adjustments to qualify it as the best entry to the FIFA series yet.

In line with the other entries in the FIFA series, FIFA 2005 gives you control of dozens of different teams from all around the world.  Most of the soccer clubs in the game are divided by country into different leagues like the MLS (US), FA Premier League (England), and the Brazilian League (Brazil).  There are a great number of teams, with familiar favorites like Manchester United, Real Madrid and Arsenal making a return and newcomers like the teams of Mexican League making an appearance.  The rosters are also up to date, with well-known players like David Beckham and Ronaldo appearing like their real life counterparts in terms of abilities and skills as well as look.

FIFA 2005 gives the player a lot of choices in terms of gameplay modes.  For example, you can enter the tournament mode and take a team through their particular league in order to win the championship cup.  This mode is particularly cool given the sheer number of leagues that you can play through, giving you no shortage of tournaments.

The career mode is also a great feature, starting you out as a small-time manager for a lower ranked ball club as you work your way up to something of the caliber of Manchester United.  In this mode, you manage your team’s financial situation, including your roster dynamics and other factors.  You gain respect as your team improves and wins matches, giving you the means to move up to a larger and more established team.  Plus, the career mode will sync with Total Club Manager 2005, allowing you to use both of them at the same time to enhance your experience.

The controls handle quite well, assuming that you have a good dual stick gamepad, of course.  Ball physics have been slightly improved from last year’s version, acting more realistically and accurately.  There is also a new targeting system involving free kicks, requiring you to aim with an onscreen reticule and then line up the shot on the accuracy bar at the bottom of the screen.
 

However, the coolest new feature is the inclusion of First Touch control.  This innovative new feature allows you to use the right thumbstick on your gamepad to move the ball before it arrives to the player to which it was passed; very cool and very handy.  You can also perform skill moves using the right thumbstick in order to get the slip on opponents trying to make a tackle and steal away your ball.

FIFA 2005 does feature the same variety of online gameplay found on the console versions, meaning two-player matches over the Internet.  There is also offline multiplayer gameplay, where you and a friend can play against each other or co-operatively.

The graphics in FIFA 2005 look great.  The character models are more detailed than ever, looking very lifelike and a lot like their real world counterparts.  The animations are also very fluid and realistic.  The camera is interchangeable, and while it may feel a little too removed from the action sometimes, it gives you a good view of the play field.  With some great graphical tweaks, FIFA 2005 is a smooth-looking game of soccer.

The sound effects in FIFA 2005 are also quite good, thanks to a diverse soundtrack and some nice commentary.  The soundtrack is an eclectic mix of international music, with European artists like Franz Ferdinand, The Soundtrack of Our Lives and Morrissey making up much of the game’s music.  The commentary is also well done, provided by John Motson and Ally McCoist of the BBC.  While they do say a few out of place things, for the most part the commentary works.

FIFA 2005 does what any game in an annual sports franchise should do; it offers up-to-date team rosters, better graphics and nice new gameplay and control features.  All things considered, this entry is the best one in the FIFA series.

Gameplay: 9.0
FIFA 2005 offers some cool new gameplay features, including the expanded career mode (which tests your business savvy) and improved ball physics and handling.  The First Touch system works extremely well and gives you an unprecedented amount of control over your players and the ball.

Graphics: 9.0 
The character models look fantastic and very much like the players on which they are based, and their animations are fluid and natural, giving the game a great level of realism.

Sound: 8.9
The soundtrack is a varied mix of artists from around the world, with all kinds of genres, from rock to samba to techno, being encompassed.  The commentary is also quite good, aside from the occasional weird call.

Difficulty: Medium  

Concept: 9.0 
FIFA 2005 controls better than any of its predecessors, with new implementations like the First Touch system giving you a better level of control over the ball.  The career mode is also quite innovative, giving you full run over all aspects of your ball club.

Multiplayer: 9.0 
The game offers one-on-one matches, online and off, with the ability to play co-operatively with a friend offline.

Overall: 9.0

FIFA 2005 has the right kind of graphical and gameplay tweaks to make it a nice upgrade from last year’s game.  The 2005 edition provides very smooth controls and some nice gameplay modes, making it stand as the best game in the long-running FIFA Soccer series.