FIFA 11 UK Review From IGN.com

In football, sometimes it's not about the big signings or the headline additions. Take Ferguson's United; at its spine are the same core players that have helped the club dominate domestic football for the best part of a decade, and no number of star signings elsewhere in Manchester look likely to change that. EA Sports' FIFA 11 is a similar proposition; there are no grandstand new features to dazzle and no major upheavals to the existing formula, but that doesn't stop it from being the best FIFA yet and by extension perhaps the best football game there's ever been. 

If FIFA 10 realised the potential that was apparent in the series since its reboot at this generation's dawn, then FIFA 11 is more about refinement. What's really impressive about this year's effort is how far and wide that enhancements have reached. If you had any gripes about the brand of football that previous FIFAs laid out then they're likely to be answered here



FIFA 11's most profound tweak is something you won't find being boasted about on the back of the box, but its bearing on the game is beyond measure. Crosses are now more effective, whether that's a punt to the far post or a double-tapped lofted ball to the near one, and they're more often met with spectacular results. It's a continuation of the tweaked crosses that this summer's World Cup game introduced, though here it's taken further; there's more variety in how they're answered, be that an acrobatic volley, an outstretched toe or with a hammer-strong header.

It leads to greater variety in attacking options; flanks are now opened up, and scoring takes more than pinging the ball about until it finds someone with a clean line on goal. However, more options certainly don't mean more goals. Finding the back of the net's a more trying task than it's been before, thanks in no small part due to the Pro Passing that's at the heart of FIFA 11.

In truth it's something that's been a part of the series before, but in FIFA 11 it's been pushed to the fore and has a significant effect on each game's flow and pace. More emphasis is placed on well-weighted passes, with it now easier than ever to under or overpower the ball, and player positioning is equally important. There's no point trying to lay off a first touch pass to a player you've got your back to, as it'll only ever end up with your arse on the grass.

This new focus means players individual attributes are more important than ever, a fact that's highlighted by their newfound prominence in the team selection screens. EA has matched this with greater attention to detail to the star players, be that in the bespoke animations that convey the twinkle-toed runs of Ronaldo, the sturdy grace of Drogba or the flicks and shimmies that make Messi such a wonder to watch.

With this in place, the key to success in FIFA 11 is knowing your team and playing to their strengths; if you've got a right back who's in a different league to the rest of the squad then you'd be well advised to use them at every opportunity, and if there's a star player on the other side, the sensible thing to do is mark them out of the game.

In combination, all these new elements make for a much more thoughtful game of football where the best players will be thinking two to three moves in advance. It's slower but undoubtedly more authentic, and it's now more probable that some encounters could fizzle out into a midfield tussles. It might initially lack the unwavering action of other football games, but it makes a successful move all the more satisfying when it's pulled off; if you do manage to bag a late minute winner at the end of a closely fought encounter you'll probably scream louder and more ferociously than you ever have done in front of a console. 

Other improvements only help raise the level of immersion. The visual upgrade is admittedly slight – a new lighting pass and improved pitch textures bring some added life while key players' likenesses have been enhanced, though it only goes to widen the gulf between them and FIFA's swelling ranks of clay-faced trolls. The most convincing of the aesthetic upgrades is the sound; crowd noises are noticeably beefier, more atmospheric, and tailored to specific regions. Play a game in South America for example, and those samba drums in the stands will be more pronounced. Providing commentary, Andy Gray and Martin Tyler continue their largely brilliant double act – though perhaps it's one that's beginning to wear a little thin as over-familiar sound bites crop up once too often. The fans have the biggest impact, and the fevered screams that greet in-game incidents help bolster the atmosphere admirably. 

And it's the fans at home that have been given more power than before. Yes, it's possible to create custom chants but this is one new feature that falls flat; it's fiddly and overcomplicated, and there's no EQ options should you want to record a convincing one yourself. Better is the addition of custom audio – as a Chelsea fan, seeing the team coming on to Stamford Bridge to Harry J and The Allstars' 'Liquidator' was a special thrill. But best of all the editing options is the ability to alter player's attributes for the first time, which in itself is a neat way of bypassing EA's Live Season service or, in our case, being able to change more neglected lower league teams.

Other improvements off the pitch have been just as effective. Sensibly, FIFA's single player options have been consolidated into one career mode, and it's free of some of the statistical blights that marred previous FIFAs. It's possible to attack the career as a player, manager or – that rarest of breeds these days – a player manager. Seasons play out with verity (so expect Man U and Chelsea to be the teams to beat if you're playing in the Premier League), as do the transfers when the window is open.

It's all kept in check with a redesigned front end that's as slick as it is efficient, though if there's one gripe it's that it still lacks a spark and passion, with campaigns too soon becoming a lifeless trudge through the fixture list. It's an improvement on previous efforts for sure, but it still feels like there's much more ground to be covered.

But in truth it's one part of a whole that's becoming staggeringly immense, and as its years as the cream of the football crop continue, the list of features gets longer and longer. Virtual Pro returns with a few worthwhile tweaks, as does a seemingly untouched Game Face mode, and FIFA 11's legacy is an all-new feature that works surprisingly well. 

It's indicative of EA's commitment to quality across the board that what could have been a throwaway addition is in fact quite enjoyable. The right stick controls dives, and true to the real thing it's all about positioning. There's help from some on-screen markers that help track the ball and point to where the optimum position is, ensuring that getting your palms stung by a ferocious strike isn't as frustrating as it could have been.

Being a goalkeeper in FIFA 11 is faithful to the real thing in other, less satisfying ways too. Life between the sticks can be a solitary affair and that's no different here. An attempt's been made to alleviate the loneliness of the keeper by allowing the camera to pan up to the action on the pitch and orders to be barked out to team-mates, though it does little to save single player keeping from being a novelty – albeit a novelty that's been very well implemented. It's still a great way to fill out the numbers for true 11 v 11 play online (and next year we're holding out for controllable linesmen and refs, though we wouldn't be surprised if we were alone in that desire), and it makes the one-on-one stand-offs that precede a match all the more satisfying when two players are involved.

CLOSING COMMENTS

FIFA 11 doesn’t redefine the football game, nor does it bring with it bold or surprising ways to play. What it does, however, is refine an already superlative game, taking nearly every aspect and polishing it to help create a whole that’s notably superior to its predecessors. It’s excellence, not innovation, that wins out, and that’s surely no bad thing; for the next twelve months at least this is likely to be the best football experience available, and FIFA’s looking like retaining its crown in convincing fashion.