DESCRIPTION

The only licensed game of the UEFA European Soccer Championship, UEFA Euro 2008 follows the 16-team tournament held in Austria and Switzerland throughout the month of June. As in the real-life competition, 16 qualifying teams are equally divided among four groups. New for 2008 is a knockout stage that separates groups A and B from groups C and D until the finals. In the quarterfinals, the winner of each group will compete against the runner-up from the second group. Match winners then advance to the semifinals to determine which two teams vie for the championship.

UEFA Euro 2008 uses EA Canada's FIFA engine for its 3D presentation. Included are more than 50 European national teams, with realistically modeled players and stadiums. Notable play modes include "Captain Your Country" and "Battle of Nations." The former involves trying to lead a country to victory by calling the shots on the pitch. The latter is an online mode that has players across the globe competing against one another. Other features include field conditions affected by rain, user-controlled celebrations, real-time ratings based on an athlete's in-game performance, and an atmosphere-heightened penalty kick mode. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide