Is there, or has there ever been a bigger single sporting event than the World Cup? I can’t say for certain, but I suspect I know the answer (and that’s a no). Perhaps the only sport played globally, I’d say it might be the one true avenue to world peace… if it didn’t get people so riled up all the time that is. Well, It’s that time again folks, FIFA World Cup time, and Brazil is set to host the world, well so can you, snug in the comfort of your couch with EA’s FIFA World Cup 2014.
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Genre Rating: Sports / E
I’m not sure there’s a single event that fires things up worldwide quite like the World Cup. Now, while its popular here in North America, we’ve got nothing on pretty much everywhere else on the globe. I was living in London England back in 2002 during the Korea Japan tournament and watched first hand as a renown chef (who was from Brazil) shattered the ambience of pleasant conversation and light chatter with a bellowing scream, only to burst out of the kitchen, tear off his kitchen whites (he was wearing a Brazil uniform underneath) and twirl it over his head while running a circuit between tables yelling all the while. Such is the passion for footy over there that this didn’t seem to draw anything but laughter from most, some startled glances from a few obvious tourists, or chagrins of those who were betting against the green and yellow. Whether dirt-poor farm or marble courtyards, as of the moment you read this there are kids playing a pick- up game, no matter creed, color, or way of life, just so long as there’s room to kick a ball.
It’s little wonder then that EA have been so successful with their FIFA brand, and nothing gets a (rest of the world) Football fan’s blood pumping quite like the world cup, and so EA’s FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014. Simulating the actual events leading up to and including the World Cup itself, FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 gives fans a chance to take their favorite team (provided they participated in qualifications) from the Qualifiers to the grand stage itself. Though I pay attention when the big tourney hits (and how could you not? With almost anyone with even half an ancestor from somewhere other than here avidly interested) I was still surprised to learn that the number of teams was 203. Is there another sports game, including those with Legacy teams with that many options?
With ten game modes, EA are calling it ‘The most immersive tournament mode in EA Sports FIFA history’. For the first time players can play through the qualifiers in their entirety with Road to the FIFA World Cup and that’s a lot of footy folks. Alternatively, Road to Rio De Janeiro mode features 12 authentic stadiums featured in the Brazil World Cup, leading up to the big match itself, and the return of Captain Your Country mode allows players to start at the bottom and work their way up to Captain, before taking a shot at world championship glory. Online tourney mode allows folks to try their hands (or is that feet?) against an opponent equally as passionate about their own team colors… and let’s face it, victory is always sweeter when you know you’ve shattered someone else’s championship hopes and dreams. There’s also several modes that will, thanks to the beauty of modern technology (updates), allow players to live through the highlights specific to the Brazil 2014 tourney, as they’ve happened. For the diehards, I can see how this would be a major draw. Equally, as sports videogame fans have come to expect, you have your yearly improvements and upgrades. 100 new player animations, World Cup Brazil 2014 crowd celebration / sideline excitement, as well as an update to dribbling and passing accuracy, to name but a few.
If Football (again, the rest of the world variety) is your thing, and if you have a pulse the numerical odds would suggest it probably is, then this is a big year for you. When you’re not actively watching, or kicking around the ball to relive the moments that you love in the sport you live for, there’s Fifa World Cup 2014 Brazil, for the PS3 and Xbox 360 Available now.
