. Passes can be over powered, or they can drop short. This cuts out the ‘ping pong passing’ of last year’s game, which is great. Gameplay-wise there have been other, more minor tweaks. Player personality is now magnified (the marketing department calls this Personality +). In previous FIFA games, the superstars generally showed their class by being fast and scoring often. This year though, other attributes have come to the fore. For example, if you try to make lightning-fast attacking runs up the wing with Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas, you won’t be getting the best out of the real life superstar. However, if you play to his strength and use him as a playmaker, passing superbly and hitting through-balls which slice apart the opposition, you’ll be getting your money’s worth. 

There are many different traits. Some players have none, and some have many. This means that gameplay is more tactical. There are a few other changes which are appreciated. The game is slower now, and crosses are far more deadly than before. It all adds up to a game which is very, very close to the real thing. For me though, the real step up over FIFA 10 comes in the career mode. The bug-plagued Manager Mode from last years game has been scrapped, and a new mode has been built from the ground up. Some of the previous year’s features “like dynamic player form” have been scrapped, which may disappoint the more hardcore fans, but since they never worked quite right I say good riddance to them. The new Career mode is well presented, with constant news articles popping up between matches. Transfers work a charm, results are fairly realistic, and the whole thing is immersive. It’s a fantastic mode and lets me live out my dreams of managing Arsenal to the Premier League title. And yes, the first thing I did was to buy us a decent goalkeeper. That’s what this mode is all about. FIFA 11 is a great game. The best football game ever, as I mentioned before. But if you already have FIFA 10 and are only a casual fan, there may not be enough new here to warrant the price to upgrade. However, if you are a football fan who wants the new rosters, subtle but important gameplay enhancements and a superb career mode, then there should be no doubt in your mind: buy this game.

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FIFA 11 is a tough game to rate. First of all, there’s little doubt that this is the most realistic and best take on the sport of football ever, period. And yet, at the same time, the list of improvements over the previous year’s model is decidedly slim. Those improvements are welcome, of course. Chief among them is the new pro-passing system, which results in a more realistic game

. Passes can be over powered, or they can drop short. This cuts out the ‘ping pong passing’ of last year’s game, which is great. Gameplay-wise there have been other, more minor tweaks. Player personality is now magnified (the marketing department calls this Personality +). In previous FIFA games, the superstars generally showed their class by being fast and scoring often. This year though, other attributes have come to the fore. For example, if you try to make lightning-fast attacking runs up the wing with Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas, you won’t be getting the best out of the real life superstar. However, if you play to his strength and use him as a playmaker, passing superbly and hitting through-balls which slice apart the opposition, you’ll be getting your money’s worth. 

There are many different traits. Some players have none, and some have many. This means that gameplay is more tactical. There are a few other changes which are appreciated. The game is slower now, and crosses are far more deadly than before. It all adds up to a game which is very, very close to the real thing. For me though, the real step up over FIFA 10 comes in the career mode. The bug-plagued Manager Mode from last years game has been scrapped, and a new mode has been built from the ground up. Some of the previous year’s features “like dynamic player form” have been scrapped, which may disappoint the more hardcore fans, but since they never worked quite right I say good riddance to them. The new Career mode is well presented, with constant news articles popping up between matches. Transfers work a charm, results are fairly realistic, and the whole thing is immersive. It’s a fantastic mode and lets me live out my dreams of managing Arsenal to the Premier League title. And yes, the first thing I did was to buy us a decent goalkeeper. That’s what this mode is all about. FIFA 11 is a great game. The best football game ever, as I mentioned before. But if you already have FIFA 10 and are only a casual fan, there may not be enough new here to warrant the price to upgrade. However, if you are a football fan who wants the new rosters, subtle but important gameplay enhancements and a superb career mode, then there should be no doubt in your mind: buy this game.