Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 5 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Watch your head, dude. VIDEO G AM E RE EVIE EA ups the ante with improved'UEFA' By MICHAEL PASSMAN Daily TV/New Media Editor Springtime means one thing for American sports fans: UEFA Champions League soccer! OK, maybe not, but in honor of this year's European club football cham- pionship, EA UEFA Sports released "UEFA Cham- Champions pions League 2006-2007" for L09 Xbox 360. 2006-2007 As EA's fourth soccer video Xbox360 game for 360 EA Sports in the last 18 months, "UEFA" doesn't stray far from its three pre- decessors - specifically, last Octo- ber's "FIFA 07." Although greater innovation between titles would likely have been nice, "UEFA" succeeds by ironing out the many kinks that bogged down "FIFA 07," which was still a fairly good game. Perhaps the most frustrating flaw in "FIFA 07" was the brain- dead artificial intelligence. Direct- ing players was an exhaustive endeavor, and don't even think about relying on your computer controlled players to help you out defensively. While the artifi- cial intelligence still isn't perfect, "UEFA" removed much of the frustration from "FIFA" by giving computer-controlled teammates a much-needed IQ boost. Another notable improvement in "UEFA" is the passing system. Unlikethepreviousgames,"UEFA" gives gainers a wide degree of free- dom, allowing them to easily direct the ball to the inside or outside of their teammates. "UEFA" also permits players to take control of pass recipients, allowing players to move to the ball, something that was previously impossible. Although the gameplay is less frustrating and ultimately more enjoyable than "FIFA," "UEFA" doesn't quite offer the content depth of its predecessor. Whereas "FIFA"has alengthy Manager mode in addition to other standards like Kick Off and the Lounge, "UEFA's" Manager mode equivalent involves collecting packs of cards and form- ing an Ultimate Team to enter into the UEFA Champions League. The Ultimate Team feature might be palatable at first glance, but most fans will prefer the more realis- tic team management in "FIFA's" Manager mode. There's also a lack of depth in player and team content in "UEFA," which was a problem in "FIFA 07" as well. The clubs in the game are only from European leagues, which means no Major League Soccer or Central Ameri- can squads. This isn't much of a surprise since it's specifically a European Champions League game, but the lack of teams hinders the game nonetheless. Another noticeable absence from "JEFA" is international squads. One of the most obvious advancements "UEFA" made is in its presentation. The graphics are crisper than in "FIFA," and the player models are impressive. Stars like Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney are easily rec- A modest improvement mostly for fans. r magine someone tells you could have everything you've ever wanted - straight As, a jacuzzi on South Campus, that self-possessed suave to chat up the girl who's definitely out of your league - but only if you unleash the sublime power of thoughts that you send floatingthrough the universe. (Bear with me ... ) I can tell you just how to accomplish this, but shhh: It's a secret. At least, it was, before Oprah went ahead and aired it as a daytime CAROLINE special of epic propor- HARTMANN tions. It's one thing when Montel Williams or Matt Lauer runs a spot, but when the latest fad hits American royalty like Oprah Winfrey, it's over. For the past year, "The Secret" has slowly gained attention as a feature film and now a book for its New Age theory on realizing your true potential, but it hasn't been until recently that America's curi- osity turned to craze. Rhonda Byrne, the Australian mastermind behind "The Secret" dynasty, claims to have discovered the age-old secret to success and happiness in a moment of predetermined epiphany in 2004. Byrne did some research and realized the secret has been embedded in philosophical musings and religious teachings for thousands of years (go figure) but has never been available to the public on an accessible level. So Byrne set out to transform her little. secret into the self-help moneymaker of the 21st century. A few months of digital network- ing and poof - a movement was born. The "secret" is the simple law of attraction, which (obviously) determines our destiny. By thinking aboutwhat we want, and project- ing those thoughts out onto the world, we're rewarded with those desires in return - in short, like attracts like. I can tell you're not convinced. Let Prime Time Productions take care of the rest. The host corporation to "The Secret" has successfully manipulated the public into believing that without their book, DVD or pay-on-demand Web-release video, we can't possibly understand the magnitude of this discovery. But the film alone - complete with cheesy tableaux, intense musical interludes and mystical graphic backdrops - can't pos- sibly be enough to solve the complex riddles of the universe. No, you're going to need more than that, and "The Secret" is ready to give it to you. As long as you have a well-endowed POP-CULTURE COLUMN Unhappy? That'll be $500. PayPal account, that is. Whether or notyou believe "The Secret" is benefiting the world, one convert at a time, it's impossible to ignore the ingenious marketing campaign that's ballooned to include every motivational tool you can imagine. With a few clicks through their website, you can equip yourself with everything, be it printable PDFs - with titles like "Genie of the Lantern" and "The Alchemist" - or flash videos for enhanc- ing your visionary capabilities. "You have more money than King Solomon's mines," the scrolling screen declares, which is apparently all it takes for my wallet to start bursting at the seams. Other features include a memory game to further ingrain the secret principles into your psyche and a "Feel the Good Vibes" photo gallery of cute animals posed with even cuter children. It's no wonder "The Secret" has risen to No. 1on the New York Times bestseller list and Amazon.com. This isn't just another feel- good website dangling in cyberland - this is a cult. We all want to believe in something, and during a time when the religious right espe- cially has blurred the line between faith and politics, Americans are more eager than ever to latch on to the latest school of thought if it promises enduring happiness - even if it means adhering to a system that feels more like paranormal nonsense than a proven dogma of success. What "The Secret" really preaches is self-esteem and confidence, but within the mesmerizing mantras is the slogan that our happiness depends on wealth and social status. By exploiting the public's materialistic desires, "The Secret" is selling a faith that will only further drive middle America to believe in the possibilities of unfathomable riches. Cognitive psychology and positive life affir- mations aren't exactly new on the scene. Start- ing in the 1800s, psychologists like William James, Carl Jung, Aaron Beck and David Burns have suggested various forms of mood-altering methods to promote similar goals. But "The Secret," wrapped up in an emerald-tablet pack- age touting followers like Plato and Einstein, is out to make a buck off your insecurities and unrealistic wishes. No one ever said benevo- lence comes cheap. There's something to be said for optimism, but where "The Secret" goes too far is offering a false sense of hope to the millions who now believe they can essentially will themselves out of social oppression, to the average com- muter who now thinks they can wish away highway traffic with thoughts of being on time. If the greatthinkers have all known about the secret, and now we're privy to that knowledge, too, wouldn't the world be a more perfect place? "The Secret" evokes the same dilemmas we wonder about when psychics fail to foresee global disasters or predict tomorrow's weather. Though Byrne acknowledges that sitting on your ass and thinking good thoughts won't automatically deliver results, the implication is inescapable. Stare at the photo montage of ancient Egyptian pyramids and genie bottles long enough, and the cure for cancer is right at your fingertips. Need a couple mil for that dream house? Done. At this rate, I bet we could patch the ozone and reverse global warming while we burn fos- sil fuels, too. If you think "The Secret" is, in fact, the answer we've all been searching for, be my guest, but in the words of George Bernard Shaw, "The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one." - Hartmann is a card-carrying member. E-mail her at carolinh@umich.edu. "What is the secret, oh great big man in the sky?" "Please read off your credit-card number...," I ognizable on the pitch. Smaller changes like shot counts being dis- played during play and the inclu- sion of third jerseys also come as welcome additions. While "UEFA" is not the hugely innovative title some were hoping for from EA, it is an encouraging development in the evolution of EA's soccer juggernaut. Owners of "FIFA 07" don't need to throw away theircopiesjustyet,buthard- core fans will certainly appreciate the advancements "UEFA" made. b I Ii I HICH DELIVERYT ANN ARBOR 342 S. STATE ST. 734.222.7000 ANN ARBOR 3365 WASHTENAW AVE. 734.477.0000 YPSILANTI 537 W. CROSS ST. 734.484.2700 Jol t. JIMMY JOHNS .198M 3EATS 5 "o Are you UP? The Ultimate Performer Sales Challenge is coming to Metro Detroit! Do you have the confidence? Are you willing to overcome your biggest fears? Do you have the desire to be better and grow? Then earn recognition and be rewarded! U The Ultimate Performer Sales Challenge is a salespromotion sponsored and administered by Envision U, LLC. 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