Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Canada
Genre: Sports
Release date: Available now

As someone who hasn’t participated in a game of footy since he was 14, I had to approach FIFA Soccer 10 as if I’d never touched a soccer video game before to prepare for this review. The Panasonic 3do was the console on which I last experienced the oft-argued, globe-encompassing sport in electronic form; before there was even a number after the title, as I recall. So, what’s it like coming out of retirement after so long? Will I be able to give myself over to the numerous advances Electronic Arts has made since then, or will I be kicking shins and collecting cards like an unhinged Pokemon fan the whole time?

Football, soccer. Whatever you want to call it, Electronic Arts’ need to get the sport right comes through beautifully in FIFA 10. You’ve got authentic clubs, players and arenas to utilize and, of course, the usual bounty of gameplay modes (both online and off) to go along with them. The most notable inclusion in this year’s edition is the Virtual Pro mode, in which you craft your own player and build his reputation from the ground up. Use the robust character creator (or upload your own mug to EA’s Game Face), then choose a position and improve your skills and rep according to the on-pitch decisions you make in any of the offline game modes. It’s a little RPGish, as a great pass or strike will award you with skill, while dunderheaded maneuvers will cost you. The game makes you feel like you’re not only responsible for your individual improvement, but also for your chosen club’s success, since that position is yours and if you’re not in it, you’re only hurting everything.

Players who are looking for ties with the real world will fall in love with another new mode, Live Season 2.0, which keeps accurate track of weekly real-world stats and happenings. This mode also allows for playing games in real time, or even changing the course of a past game for some much needed revenge. There’s also regular season, exhibition and Manager Mode, which gives you a behind-the-desk approach to how your club is being run. Trade players, manage sponsors and work towards building prestige for your team against antagonist AI that’s also on the hunt for the next big thing. There’s also a full-bodied practice mode that’s available right from the front end, allowing you to practice your skills and even construct set pieces if you’re having trouble with a particular situation or want to perfect plays of your own.

From EA’s slick presentation throughout to the fantastic player animations, FIFA 10 blasts out of the gate with fireworks and fanfare. I may not be a pro player (although I did play soccer in my youth), but for not having hit the field since I was a teenager, I found my saving grace in the pick-up-and-play controls and easy-to-follow position indicators that made sure I was in the right spot at the right time. There are aids aplenty to help you become a master at this game, and I can easily see why it has such a dedicated following worldwide. It’s really a pity the US doesn’t give more credit to the most popular sport in the world, because this game proves we’re really missing out.

In fact, any glaring problems FIFA 10 might have flew over my head as I was playing. I guess if I had to nitpick, some of the AI behavior could have been ironed out a bit (obviously open players were overlooked for passes; the ball was dribbled out of bounds repeatedly by my teammates, forcing me to intervene). Apart from those trifling concerns, everything from the smooth 360-degree player control, the wonderful commentary and even the way the players react to one another are all pretty spot on in terms of quality and enjoyability.

Once again, you have to take into account that I haven’t picked up a soccer game in a long time, so I can’t really tell you what constitutes greatness in areas that would drive a normal fan insane. All I can say is that I’ve been having an extremely good time with FIFA Soccer 10 because it’s put together extremely well and there’s more than enough content to keep buyers proud of their purchases until the next iteration comes out.

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