UEFA Champions League 2004-2005 (PC) Review
Posted by Covfan
Okay, this is my first review in this forum, so here's hoping it's popular:
It's amazing that nobody has even bothered to use the UEFA Champions League Licence untill now (Forget about the God awful attempts by Eidos back in the late 90s). The Champions League is a name synonomus with the highest class of European Football available. Typically the World's best players grace European pitches for some of the World's biggest clubs. Now EA Sports has got the License to this major sporting event and want to whole world to be playing it (Selling it in the US may help with World Domination). Does the game have the grace of a World Class Defender or does it fall over like a Sunday League Donkey?
Graphics - 8/10
Yet Again, EA Sports impress with the Graphics. The match screen now has Black Borders to seperate the scoreboard from the match. This is to create the illusion of actually seeing the match on TV and it works extremely well (Some other game uses black borders, some racing game
) The animations are crisp and what we expect to see from EA Sports and their motion capture department have done their jobs so the animation is crisp. Now, player faces are the only bad thing about the UEFA experience. Most of the players are good, but some are very inaccurate and considering the time EA Sports had to improve likeness from FIFA 2005 to this game that is slightly disappointing.
Sound - 8/10
Now this is where EA Sports have a huge advantage. The Commentary in UEFACL is provided by Clive Tyldesley and Andy Gray. It is an excellent addition to the game. The commentary flows very well and at times you'd be hard pushed to think that it was scripted. Match sounds are another good part of the match experience. Manager shouts, real football chants and even players shouting have the user feeling ever more immersed in the experience. The menu music is good, EA have decided to go down the route of using fairly obscure artists, but there is a selection of Artists that all will enjoy.
Gameplay - 6/10
It's all well and good having the Sound and Graphics, but does the game flow well? I'm sad to say it doesn't. EA Sports just haven't got the hang of creating a gaming engine. The match doesn't flow at all with each tackle and pass just feeling like a seperate event. Pro Evolution Soccer 4 control system helps the game flow, EA Sports doesn't. Despite this, the AI of the CPU is very good. If the match is CPU Vs CPU then the game flows like a proper game of football. If one team has the advantage then they will strieve to keep the ball in their opponents half. During the match the game will show replays of previous important parts of play, this is helpful to create the Football on TV Atmosphere.
Lifespan - 7/10
The game has typical EA "Play Now" and Network functions. The main part of the game is Season Mode. You take up the mantel of one of Europe's elite (and Coventry) and try to get them to become European Club Champions. You can create your likeness in the game as manager and you appear at the sidelines during your teams matches. Also an addition is EA Sports Talk Radio, this appears to mimick the Radio Phone Ins. It works to some extent, but the calls are way too repetitive.
Overall 6/10
It's a good game, but it suffers from a poor match engine. If you have Pro Evolution Soccer 4, this game would be a good companion. If you have FIFA 2005 this game is not an advance so don't buy it.
It's amazing that nobody has even bothered to use the UEFA Champions League Licence untill now (Forget about the God awful attempts by Eidos back in the late 90s). The Champions League is a name synonomus with the highest class of European Football available. Typically the World's best players grace European pitches for some of the World's biggest clubs. Now EA Sports has got the License to this major sporting event and want to whole world to be playing it (Selling it in the US may help with World Domination). Does the game have the grace of a World Class Defender or does it fall over like a Sunday League Donkey?
Graphics - 8/10
Yet Again, EA Sports impress with the Graphics. The match screen now has Black Borders to seperate the scoreboard from the match. This is to create the illusion of actually seeing the match on TV and it works extremely well (Some other game uses black borders, some racing game
) The animations are crisp and what we expect to see from EA Sports and their motion capture department have done their jobs so the animation is crisp. Now, player faces are the only bad thing about the UEFA experience. Most of the players are good, but some are very inaccurate and considering the time EA Sports had to improve likeness from FIFA 2005 to this game that is slightly disappointing.Sound - 8/10
Now this is where EA Sports have a huge advantage. The Commentary in UEFACL is provided by Clive Tyldesley and Andy Gray. It is an excellent addition to the game. The commentary flows very well and at times you'd be hard pushed to think that it was scripted. Match sounds are another good part of the match experience. Manager shouts, real football chants and even players shouting have the user feeling ever more immersed in the experience. The menu music is good, EA have decided to go down the route of using fairly obscure artists, but there is a selection of Artists that all will enjoy.
Gameplay - 6/10
It's all well and good having the Sound and Graphics, but does the game flow well? I'm sad to say it doesn't. EA Sports just haven't got the hang of creating a gaming engine. The match doesn't flow at all with each tackle and pass just feeling like a seperate event. Pro Evolution Soccer 4 control system helps the game flow, EA Sports doesn't. Despite this, the AI of the CPU is very good. If the match is CPU Vs CPU then the game flows like a proper game of football. If one team has the advantage then they will strieve to keep the ball in their opponents half. During the match the game will show replays of previous important parts of play, this is helpful to create the Football on TV Atmosphere.
Lifespan - 7/10
The game has typical EA "Play Now" and Network functions. The main part of the game is Season Mode. You take up the mantel of one of Europe's elite (and Coventry) and try to get them to become European Club Champions. You can create your likeness in the game as manager and you appear at the sidelines during your teams matches. Also an addition is EA Sports Talk Radio, this appears to mimick the Radio Phone Ins. It works to some extent, but the calls are way too repetitive.
Overall 6/10
It's a good game, but it suffers from a poor match engine. If you have Pro Evolution Soccer 4, this game would be a good companion. If you have FIFA 2005 this game is not an advance so don't buy it.
doesnt look too good (graphically) from these pics 
looks like just another way for EA to rake in some big money
give me pes4 anyday
looks like just another way for EA to rake in some big money
give me pes4 anyday
I LOVE PES4. 
"If football is your only religion, worship at the ultimate altar" says it all really :D
-----------------
She says brief things, her love’s a pony
My love’s subliminal
"If football is your only religion, worship at the ultimate altar" says it all really :D
-----------------
She says brief things, her love’s a pony
My love’s subliminal
As far as i'm concerced EA have never ever produced a good football game, they've had enough tries now so i'm not even gonna bother giving the new ones a chance
Pro evo rules.
Pro evo rules.
Nothing can beat Kickoff & sensible soccer for pick up and playability
LS's Tip of the week
ESSENTIAL OILS aren't essential unless you're an engine, a gearbox or a twat
LS's Tip of the week
ESSENTIAL OILS aren't essential unless you're an engine, a gearbox or a twat
Sensible Soccer, my first game as well, I played it on the Archimedes (spelling?) when I was about 5.
hahah kick off on the mega drive was brill.
There was this one where players had different skills, like some had power shot, some had curl shot and there was a diving one too :D can't remember it's name though, twas on megadrive.
First PES game I played was ISS Deluxe on the megadrive. I have ISS 2000 for the n64, which was good
Now finally PES has come for PC I can play it
H E L L O
There was this one where players had different skills, like some had power shot, some had curl shot and there was a diving one too :D can't remember it's name though, twas on megadrive.
First PES game I played was ISS Deluxe on the megadrive. I have ISS 2000 for the n64, which was good
Now finally PES has come for PC I can play it
H E L L O Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.