Pros: unbelievable graphics, groundbreaking sound, and realistic players
Cons: I certainly can't find any


I believe Fifa 2001 for the Sony Playstation Console, is the best soccer game made for playstation or any other game console so far. There are so many great aspects, which give this game the greatness that it contains. The graphics for this game are ground breaking. I am not sure what the makers did for this game, but they have definitely stepped up the standards for the game graphics. You are even able to see the jerseys of the players as if you were watching the game on TV. The facial expressions and the diversity of physical appearance on the players still amaze me. When a goal is scored, there are cheerful looks on them, and when they get injured or knocked down, there is a look of frustration on their faces. I feel like I am watching the game on TV.

There are just so many teams to choose from, it will baffle you. If you are a fan of the sport of soccer, you will be able to play as your favorite team, no matter what country or league. They even have all the up to date teams in the MLS. In the team selection stage, you first pick the country of where your team comes from. You are then able to cycle through the many teams of that country while you are given the team’s stats. It will inform you of the offensive, defensive, and overall stats of the team. This was very helpful to me because when I had just started playing the game and was not very good, I played the team that was by far the worst overall.

Another great aspect of the game is that there are many different play options that you can choose from. You can start a season with any team that you would like, and try to take them to the championship. Or if you want to compete in a Tournament, in which they have a few different ones like the European Premiere Cup, you can battle your way through the bracket and hope to win the trophy in the final game. What I love most about this game is that you are able to play cooperative or head-to-head with a friend. I recommend cooperative because it can last for hours and hours of fun. The last mode to play in is the practice, or training mode. You can work on skills like a corner kick, direct kick, or even my favorite, the penalty kick. It is a great way to improve your skills for when you are going to try to compete on the harder skill levels like Professional, or even WORLD CLASS when you think you are ready to compete on an extremely difficult field of play.

Another wonderful aspect of FIFA 2001 is the realistic replay action to your delight. You never know when you will score that golden goal on a bicycle kick in overtime, so you need to be able to watch it over and over again with the angle that you desire. My favorite is action mode. Here you are able to watch the replay, as it would look on TV with the cameras rotating to give the best angle for every spot on the field. I could just spend all day watching a great save or a spectacular goal go by in slow motion as many times as I want. It is also a great way to annoy your friends when you are playing them. If you want to rub it in their face, just show them the action replay over and over again from the view of each of the players.

The crowd also gives a sense of realism as they cheer or boo for their home team players. The sound effects are some of the best that I have ever experienced with a video game. From collisions, to the sound of the player kicking the ball, and to the chatter going on between the players on the field seizes to amaze me. If you are in a tight game and you need the crowd behind you, there will always be some sort of a chant from the crowd like oo-lay or whatever it may be. This game to me is a stepping stone for the future of video games and a sign of good things to come!