My World has taken a turn.....for the worse cause FIFA 09 is bangin'

I felt like a little kid going into the Gamestop yesterday and seeing if the new FIFA was out. I was kind of expecting the same thing that usually happens when they say the release date was on Wednesday. They would tell me to come back on Thursday and I would be impatiently waiting until I could get my copy. Yesterday was a different day, I asked politely is it out and they said the magic words: "Most Definitely!" I didn't even know what to do. During training I was waiting and wondering what the new features would be and how would be the perfect way to score among other things. Once I got home and showered I took off the plastic and I went at it with full force.

The game is sick! They have definitely solved some of the problems that was in previous games. The through ball feature has improved. Now some of those balls that got intercepted in 08, they can get through the defenders. Also the forwards make smarter runs; Instead of you having to let him make a straight run, they curve their runs out and if you can time it right they are in on goal. The finesse shot has more importance in this game also. On breakaways, sometimes you can blast the ball and sometimes it will go in or bounce off the post and leave you frustrated. I can guarantee you at least 85% of the time you hit the finesse shot on a breakaway, it will go on for you. This game also punishes those who make rash tackles but they play the advantage and wait until the ball goes out of play before they give them a yellow or red card. I like that because I get soo pissed when someone fouls me, it makes me feel good to know that a card is coming when the play ends.

I've been trying to get my timing down on heading. It has been difficult for me to score off crossing as of now because you have to have a good cross and after that you have to time your jump this time instead of hitting the header button 10 seconds before the ball gets to you. Another difficulty is trying to defend. In World Class, the computer are ballers, they change directions real quickly and they use their speedy players to get around the flanks all day. It isn't like previous games where you can easily bring on the second defender and they would take it. There has to be some strategy of taking the ball away from them. In most instances, you have to let them pass the ball around the back because the likelihood of you taking from them back there is pretty slim. So I treat it like a real game and wait until they get into the midfield. Still I am finding trouble of ripping the ball away from slick midfielders. I think the key in trying to tackle is that you have to predict which direction they are most likely going to go and be there before they do. Sometimes you will get it wrong and have to deal with it, but I have been able to do it in the first couple of games and I've been finding minor successes.

I am loving this game right now. I told you guys about dropping out. It might happen but not to play soccer, but to play this game religiously. Okay you know I won't drop out but the school work is going to be harder to do. I think I may need my mom to hide the game from me until the weekend like she did to me in elementary and middle school. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA