Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Solid"

FIFA has always been the pantomime villain among games- The game everyone who dislikes it for whatever reason has turned round, and has said to you in the most obnoxious voice-'It's the same thing over and over.' Now, for the most part, this is entirely untrue-FIFA has always found some way to avoid this stigma becoming factual, be it the impact engine, be a pro mode, even play as the man between the sticks! And the new FIFA delivers all of these things-a positive about the franchise being, you know exactly what you're getting. If you don't like it, lump it, simple as that. And the new FIFA has certainly conformed to that pattern. However, the package isn't quite as comprehensive as I would've liked.

Reasons for this include it just isn't revolutionary-the impact engine hasn't been tweaked very much at all, be a pro still plays much the same, and Karim Benzema is still bunging off too Tottenham hotspur for £5,000,000 2 seasons in. About 4 hours into playing it, I really did get a feel like I was just buying a £40 DLC for FIFA 12. Oh, Fernando Torres scored 3 times against Villa? Yeah, Iv'e done it. It's just the same.But it's not all doom and gloom for number 13 on EA's growing list of shoot 'em ups. And, no, I don't mean killing people. I mean scoring from 30 yards every time Steven Gerrard gets his fat face on the ball. The saving grace is the new first touch system- Oh, joy! I can make a horrible first touch with my keeper and give away a cheap goal! This system means you now have to think about your next pass, as players skills, and the momentum and height of the ball mean it can come back off your player like he was a subuteo man.

Because of this new innovation, that ball no longer sticks to players feet like Wolverine's knuckles to Magneto- a clever first touch, a defence-splitting pass, and a cheeky finish, leaves you feeling like Barca are knocking on your door. Another great improvement is the inclusion of EAS Matchday-real world team and player form is brought into account, affecting the overalls and the performance of certain players, based on their current standing in real life. However, this can be simply turned off, for the casual player who doesn't follow football, but just likes FIFA.

The career mode has also been massively buffed-transfer negotiations are more intense and can become a long bidding war, players will be less likely to cave in to your demands, and everything on a whole just feels so much smoother and so much more purposeful. Because of this, career mode feels rather less like a chore, and more like a journey.

To be fair to EA, they do give a pretty comprehensive package every year, and FIFA 13 does the franchise justice. With the first touch system, a much improved career mode (With a moving pen-AT LAST!), and some nice new lighting effects, I can rest easy knowing they're still on the right track. Let's just hope FIFA 14 is revolutionary, hey?