An experience much closer to the real game

Absolutely! And just like each new game in the series, Fifa 07 plays better, looks better and is a better experience than ever before. The gameplay is more fluid, the player animations are more natural and free-flowing and the ball movement mimics real life much more closely. As a result, Fifa 07 is a much more enjoyable experience.

The improvements Fifa 07 has to offer are more a case of evolution than revolution, with the latest in the series building on the elements of Fifa 06 that worked well rather than starting from scratch. As result all of the positives that in the past have made Fifa the best-selling football game on the planet - the hundreds of officially licensed clubs and players, intuitive controls, superb presentation and killer soundtrack - are all present and correct. But it's the fine-tuned gameplay and new ball physics that really stand out and make Fifa 07 a great game rather than just a good one.

Playing Fifa 07 is an experience much closer to the real game than ever before and that's largely down to the way the ball now reacts: EA cranked up the complexity of the ball physics so that the game feels more natural and the ball reacts in a much more organic way. Fumbling goalies, awkward deflections and other on-pitch occurrences like handballs - all part of the beautiful game in real life - are in Fifa 07 too, but they happen randomly rather than being associated to a pre-determined animation or particular set-piece.

This is clearly the best-playing Fifa game ever made, but that merely puts it above some of the most average-playing soccer games ever made. Even with the improvements, the game remains far too simple tactically. You can easily scoot the ball up to your strikers in three button presses (or less) without the complication of the defence getting in the way. Once you get close to the goal, the defence will lock down, but scoring opportunities will develop in a matter of seconds, as opposed to creating them with hard work, smarts, and cunning passes. It leads to a complete lack of "WOW!" moments, because you don't have to fight your way in for opportunities. The dramatic build up just isn't there. As much as the improved control would imply that this is a more realistic game, it's still too basic around the edges.

Every year, Fifa promises revolutionary gameplay and ends up delivering the best soundtrack in sports games. This year, they've finally pushed further than ever before (on the gameplay side), and it's a decently rewarding experience. The gap between the Fifa series and Pro Evolution Soccer is smaller than ever before!