Reviews

A year can be a long time in football, you only have to look at the unusual start to the Premier League season this time around to see that. Manchester United can't buy a win away, Liverpool are languishing in the nether regions of the table, and Blackpool are showing the rest just how it is done. A year can seem even longer in footy of the gaming kind, particularly if you pledge allegiance to the Konami side of the on-pitch publisher battle.

Having blown us all away with their astounding effort in FIFA 10, it is finally time to see what EA have tucked inside their shin pads this year. With its predecessor getting so much critical acclaim, the baying crowd were demanding more from FIFA 11, with even more intensity than a midweek trip to Millwall. No pressure.

For those of you who experienced the demo, you will already have had a good idea of what to expect from the finished article. A variety of inclusions were made in the fresh changes team sheet, arguably the most impressionable of which lies in the game's mechanics. The most notable are the tweaks to the passing system. One thing you will learn very early on when playing FIFA 11 is that it is not here to help you.

The majority of the passing is all your own work (although the degree of this can be changed) with the ability to put the correct amount of both power and direction into your efforts now being a must. We have no qualms in saying that you will misplace a lot of passes when pick this one up for the first time.

Next to receive some treatment is the man-on-man interaction, with the 360 degree theme being taken one step further. Of course, EA came up with a master stroke when they introduced 360 degree movement in the previous title and now the same has been applied to tackling, jostling and marking. Now you are able to pick the perfect angle for you to carry out your attempt at ball winning, whether it be from a slide tackle, a friendly toe poke or a full on, eyes on the man challenge. No longer are you restricted to the limited tackling directions.

Heading is the next to receive an engine tuning, and in a similar way to the passing, it is all down to you. Long gone are the days of pressing the Square or X button and waiting for your player to make contact with the ball. Now you have to time every header, be it a defensive or attacking one. In terms of attacking ones, it invariably works to your benefit as it eliminates defenders making last ditch headers just as you are about to smash your noggin through the ball. The new system allows you to find space and beat the defender to the jump effectively.

It is not so friendly when the boot is on the other foot however, as defending balls into the box (particularly corners) can be a complete nightmare. It just seems that no matter how well you think you've timed your header, you are always a fraction too early or too late. Speaking of which, it is possible to make contact if you have been too eager or hesitant on the buttons and this can lead to balls skimming off heads or smacking players square in the face.

The final technical note should be made on the introduction of Personality Plus which acts as the spoiler to the well-oiled machine. More so than ever before, the personal traits and characteristics of the professionals have been captured, almost to perfection, providing the polish to the realism the game offers. It distinguishes key players in your team and gives you the same thrills when they get the ball as you do when watching them live. Obvious examples come in the likes of Nani, Christiano Ronaldo and Gabriel Agbonlahor who have a light-on-their-feet feel combined with smooth movement and silky skills.

It isn't just the technical side that has seen some tactical substitutions either, game modes have also been changed, some for the better and some not so. The biggest one comes in the game's main Career Mode. There are three options when you first enter Career Mode - Player, Player-Manager or Manager all of which are roles you can fill during your campaign. While it is possible to jump straight into the role of manager and take control of day-to-day proceedings, you can also rise to such a rank by starting off as a player.

Starting off as a player can be frustrating. First of all you will need to select either an established player at your chosen club, or create a Virtual Pro to nurture and watch flourish. Choosing the latter will result in a need to gain first team status by performing well when given your chance on the field. The only problem is that you will have to wait for your chance, giving way for long, and at times boring periods of the season where you are not being selected. During these times you can watch each match in a Champ Man-style sim but it doesn't offer the same level of entertainment as actually playing the game.

Having said that, the periods off the field make you appreciate more the periods on it. You will need to take your chances, particularly if you are a striker. A barren run of even two goalless games can be enough for you to slip out of the squad and back into the wilderness. Throughout the course of each season, and for that matter the entire game, you can earn Accomplishments with your Virtual Pro. These can range from scoring a hat trick to successfully completing short passes, and successfully completing them will boost your player's attributes. The range and spectrum of Accomplishments is amazing and it gives you even more incentive to play through your career and use your Virtual Pro at every available opportunity.

The Lounge Mode and Live Season elements have been retained for FIFA 11, as has the Be A Pro option. As well as your standard Be A Pro - Player offering, you can now take the reigns of a goalkeeper for the very first time.

Be A Goalkeeper can be enjoyed in any match mode, or you can play out a whole career between the sticks. The function has been talked about for many a year and this time it has been included, and it's not as daunting as it may seem. Moving the 'keeper is simple, using the left analogue stick as you would any player. Making saves is also not too tricky with the right analogue stick dictating dive direction, as it does in penalties (which we'll come to next). The hardest bit about filling the role is the waiting for the action to reach your box.

If you are playing as one of the better teams in the game or on a lower difficulty, you can go entire matches without the need to make a single save leading to a tiresome, tedious and mundane experience. Your ideal position on the pitch is mapped out for you too thanks to a marker which you should try and follow.

Penalty taking triggered alarms amongst the FIFA community after the demo due to its near impossibility to comfortably score. The good news is that penalties are easier in the finished article, the bad news is, not by much. As in the World Cup game, there is an accuracy bar which, if you hit the green centre will aid your effort past the 'keeper. It is in the applying of direction that the cracks begin to appear however. Using the left analogue stick applies the direction but the longer you hold it in the desired position, the more power you accumulate meaning you need to leave it until very late on to avoid blasting your effort out of the stadium. In turn, this leads to poorly directed efforts which invariably result in you shooting down the goalie's throat.

They say it's the little things that matter in life and the same can be said about FIFA 11 with the tiniest of additions making the biggest of differences to your experience. One, which is not only cool, but adds life to the game is the virtual score board in the game's menu. On it you can see different statistics and goals which, not only you but your online friends have achieved. Simple stats like the farthest out goal to have been scored in the arena or the fastest goal are all little challenges embedded into your subconscious thanks to the board.

FIFA 11 can only be seen as a step up from 10. The little tweaks here and there all amount to a more professional and realistic experience and feel to what was already a pretty amazing title in its last outing. The new Career Mode adds even more longevity to a game we were already planning on spending the majority of our spare time playing and the inclusion of Manager Mode delivers the ultimate football package. Konami certainly have their work cut out once again this season. Meanwhile we're sure EA are already hard at work figuring out just how on earth they plan to make FIFA 12 an even bigger gaming juggernaut.