Sure, the FIFA series has never meant to be an arcade series, but one would be excused for thinking otherwise. In previous versions the ball basically stayed glued to your player's feet, and goals were all too easy with attacking off a cross almost always scoring a goal. Well one thing is for sure, easy scoring is definitely a thing of the past in FIFA 07. While the gamers who picked this title up for fast, simple goals may be disappointed with this, its the gamers who have constantly been waiting for a Pro Evolution Soccer beater that will be happy to see a title finally show some promise.

The game starts up unlike any previous soccer game: on a field with a player controller attacker and an AI controller goalie. In your own time you can jump into the menus and organise a quick match or tournament, but if you want to play around with the controls, familiarise yourself with the game or practise free and penalty kicks then by all means do so.

You can choose whom you control in the little training stadium by entering the settings menu and you can exit back to the training at any time during the main menus. Definitely a nice addition and not something you will only see once, as EA Sports have decided to also make this the loading screen while you are waiting for your match to start. Once your match is ready it won't just cut away from your little back and forth with the goalie, instead text appears at the bottom letting you know you can push start to begin your match. This little addition definitely is a welcome one and makes waiting for games to much better.

Game modes found in FIFA 07, or any standalone FIFA title, are less than desirable. When will EA Sports realise we don't want to purchase every single FIFA title and that having a Road to the World Cup or even World Cup preset into the title doesn't make football gamers around the world squeal with happiness. You can set up tournaments, but a lot of gamers just won't bother and stick to friendly matches, the challenge mode or the ever present Xbox Live games. Like every team based sports title out there you are given the chance to select your favourite team on first loading, and this is the team that will automatically be chosen for you every game, but of course you aren't stuck to this choice. You have 117 clubs and 37 international teams from which to choose.

The only real change with control this time through is one that will probably frustrate most veterans. No longer is your controlled defender changed with the B button, but instead a click of the left trigger. It is hard to get used to, but you have little to no other choice, as the B button now calls on a second defender press the attacker, PES style. With the new weight of the ball, and the fact that it is no longer glued to a player's foot, it's all too easy to knock someone away from the ball, but for some reason small collisions end up having both players stop as the ball rolls further down the field. Something else that is too easy to do is get penalised. All too often, what should be a simple challenge of the ball will see you penalised and it's not uncommon to have a few players sent off while you are getting used to the new difficulty.

Tackles aren't the only thing that has been ramped up as far as difficulty goes. No longer will you simply be able to charge straight down the outside, cross the ball over and head it in for a quick and dirty goal. More often than not those kinds of shots will be defended against and it will be up to you to find the perfect line up the field and, holding the right bumper down, add finesse to your attempt on goal. Without the addition of finesse expect to see most of your attempts stopped. Even on the easier setting expect to see low scoring matches until you figure out a working strategy. Something else that makes this title a little more of a simulator over previous installments is the fact that you will be substituting players every match. The players will tire easily if you push them too hard, but thanks to onscreen displays you'll never be caught short.

Graphically there is still a bit of work for EA Sports. Players definitely look better than previous versions, but they still have an unnatural shine to their skin and the clothes they wear. Cutscenes - while looking amazing - cut themselves short and instead of flowing back to the field, cut to a black screen for what seems to be an entire second. Sure it doesn't look terrible, but it definitely cuts short the TV style broadcast EA Sports have constantly pushed for their series - how often do you see pitch black shots during football matches? Everything else is spot on, the crowd looks amazing this year, the lighting is almost flawless and the ball moves and reacts exactly how a ball should.

Presentation of the sound is highly impressive with the commentary being the only downfall. Quite often you will ignore the back and forth banter between the two, but when it should matter the most - attempts on goal and penalties - you are likely to hear and rehear the same few lines. However, this is where the complaints cease. What comes as an amazing addition are the sounds that come from every stadium. Hearing a French announcer over the loadspeakers in a French stadium brings a new level of authenticity.

Something else that helps make every game feel authentic is the fans' cheers and songs. EA Sports went to many matches and recorded everything they could to ensure that filled stadia felt like every seat was filled with a supporter for one of the teams playing, and it fits the game perfectly. Lastly, alongside Tiger Woods 07, EA Sports have added a live streaming EA radio that broadcasts a football radio chatshow that updates every 20 minutes. You won't hear it often, but when you do it shows the level of dedication put into making this an aural experience you remember.