FIFA 10 review

The ugly side of the beautiful game

Sadly there’s always a dark underbelly to our beloved ball-blasting sport. Here, it comes in the form of a strange fault in the game’s cut scenes that shrinks players – regardless of height – down to the same size.

Granted, the incredible shrinking man syndrome isn’t a massive deal. What annoys us more are the bugs in, the otherwise excellent, Manager Mode (essentially FIFA’s career mode). From our time with the game, the league tables are all wrong. None more so than our current season, where we trail to a rampant Bolton Wanderers, who sit pretty at the top of the Premier League after 20 games.

Really, though, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise title-winning campaign for FIFA 10. With comprehensive licensing covering most major and minor European, American and Mexican leagues and incredibly purdy looks, this is the most realistic representation of football you’ll find. Well, short of actually going outside and scuffing up your shins with other folk.

Even if you hate sports title, there’s so much to admire in the game’s presentation. Whether it’s the stadium announcer reeling off the starting 11s pre-game or little details like when players clench their stomachs after they get up from an injury; the whole package has been put together with an exhaustive eye for detail.

Just like Darren Fletcher for Man United, FIFA 10 should be the first name on your team sheet/shopping list this season.

Just for you, Metacritic

FIFA 10 adding new dynamic dribbling to its already refined passing game is like adding Ronaldo to Chelsea. It makes a winning formula that much better. A brilliant, championship-conquering football game.

FIFA 09?

Hells yes. Faster, more fluid and with more incisive crossing and shooting, this is a big step up. Players and teams also feel more individual than FIFA 09. And the new Virtual Pro mode expands on Be a Pro, letting you play with your created player in all of the game’s modes. If last year was a Europa League finalist, FIFA 10 is a Champions League winner.

PES 2009?

Yup. But they’re very different games. PES’ arcade-addled action is all speed, Mardaona-style dribbling and excitement – usually built on the mad keepers palming everything into their own net. While last year’s PES is still brilliant fun in multi-player, it infuriates us in single-player, thanks to A.I. that always cheats. FIFA 10 also plays much more like actual football, and rewards those who play with a knowledge of the sport.

PES 2010?

Right now? Based on our fairly-extensive hands-on with preview code, we say yes. Currently, PES 2010 feels much weightier than it’s predecessor, with more focus on player momentum. Unfortunately, the physics behind this new system feel unrefined at the moment. Its 360° dribbling isn’t in the same league as FIFA’s, either, and feels more like 16 directional movement to us. We love PES, though, and there’s still time to fix these problems, so hopefully it’ll be a close title race when Konami's game is released.