FIFA 06

Publisher: EA Sports. Formats: PS2, Xbox, GameCube, PC, GameBoy. PSP. Price: £39.99. Family friendly? Yes.

THE years roll on and games consoles come and go but one thing is as certain as Christmas Day: that Electronic Arts will have an updated version of its soccer simulation in the shops in good time for December 25. So here we are again with FIFA 06 offering the usual gameplay extras, a few adjustments and a radically overhauled management option.

There's no dramatic change this year. EA is no doubt marshalling its resources for FIFA's debut on the PS3 next Christmas (even the XBox 360 makes do with the same game engine beneath a shiny new exterior for 2005) so the core gameplay is pretty much the same as FIFA 05. Which is to say, not without its problems.

There has been some tinkering. One of the more obvious additions is the Tactics and Mentality system that allows you to select both your team's attacking and defensive styles. Offensive options at your disposal include Counter Attack, Wing Play, Box Overload, and 3rd Man Release. If you want to stop your team shipping goals you can choose from the following defensive options: Pressing, Offside Trap, Zone Defence, and Flat Back. If you aren't familiar with these tactics, the game presents you with a simple diagram to help you grasp troubling concepts such as the offside trap. It's nice to be offered the choice but I'd much rather the game used better AI (artificial intelligence) to give, say, defenders more nous when presented with an attack.

Also new is the "Pace Control" that allows you to slow down and change direction more quickly and therefore set up a bemused defender for a skill move such as stepovers. Done right, it can get your winger past a defender and pinging a cross onto the head of a striker. Get it wrong and you'll have the ball pinched from your boot in a most embarrassing fashion.

Dummies are also available and, as in real life, you need to be sure of your team-mates' positioning before trying such a trick or you'll end up passing to the opposition. The free kick system has been overhauled but it's as maddening as ever. You never know if your kick will do what you want or go flying off in a totally different direction.

EA claims the new method (which places more emphasis on correct positioning than ever) gives skilled gamers a crucial edge but I'm not convinced. Instead of relishing a free kick opportunity, I became frustrated every time the ref gave my team a dead ball opportunity.

If the on-pitch action proves as hit and miss as it has ever been, at least FIFA gets a far more promising managerial mode. You can take the top job at hundreds of clubs in 26 different leagues. After choosing your team, you also get to pick the sponsors, who dictate bonuses and loyalty payments. They also have a big say in setting your objectives each season.

Revenue is driven by sponsorship and ticket sales. As well as meeting player wages, this money must be spent for the greater good of the club (ground improvements etc) and buying better backroom staff. In particular, don't forget the job of negotiator. A good one can mean the difference between attracting a big name to your team or watching as he signs for a rival.

Naturally, you get to buy and sell players from across the world. Keep tabs on team chemistry. The game supplies you with statistics indicating how well your players gel. A strong team spirit is essential if you are to do well so get a good balance rather than building a collection of preening "big name" prima donnas. As for the games, you can watch them, speed them up and intervene if your tactics aren't working.

Overall, this is a valuable addition to the FIFA roster - although LMA Manager still offers more depth for console fans and it can't hold a candle to the Football Manager sims available to PC owners. Graphically, it looks a bit better than last year but not jaw-droppingly improved. The player models are impressive but the crowd still looks a bit like an afterthought. Generally, the players move smoothly but critics will spot the odd stutter and slowdown when a lot is going on.

Where FIFA does excel is the presentation. The soundtrack changes according to what's happening on screen and the Gray/Tydsley commentary keeps with the play well.

The controls are familiar to seasoned FIFA players. Gamers who are conquest sales from the Pro Evolution series can adjust the layout to Konami's football game if they wish.

You can also play a mini-league with up to seven friends and even sabotage your opponents by artificially inflating your players' statistics (although this does somewhat defeat the fair play objective).

Basically, FIFA 06 is the same old EA soccer simulation with all the good bits and bad bits you'd expect. Fans will buy it for the up-to-date stats and the incredible attention to detail. Casuals will go for it because - on paper - it offers more than any other football title out there.

The management mode is a different kind of challenge but the actual on-pitch gameplay is still a bit Championship compared to Pro Evo's Premier League status.

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