On the ball in Wayne's world

GAME OF THE WEEK/ FIFA 113 cert, EA, PS3 (also Xbox 360, Wii, PC, Iphone, DS, iP, PS2, PSP) *****

We’ll ignore the fact that Wayne Rooney is on the cover of Fifa 11; after all, EA could hardly have known that the Man Utd star was going to be hitting the headlines for anything other that his football skills just as the game made it on to shelves.

Luckily, EA has carried on the legacy of previous Fifa titles and delivered a great game that will stand up beside its predecessor. Fans will be talking about more than the their choice of cover star.

While the PC version has taken the most obvious strides in terms of improving gameplay, the console version is no slouch. EA has taken the positive developments from both Fifa 10 and the World Cup tie-in title, added a few new touches and come up with one of the best football games I’ve played to date.

Fans will be glad to know that it’s not quite as easy to land those lucky shots, and the player AI has been improved. You also have Personality Plus, which means the more well-known avatars will act a little more like their real- world counterparts. The career mode combines the player and manager sides of the game, allowing you to progress from a player, to player-manager before finally taking on the role of manager full-time. The new “Be the Goalie” mode, meanwhile, does just that. It’s an interesting perspective, and one I can’t say I’ve played too often.

The gameplay is also more realistic; you can jostle players, and generally be a little more physical than in previous versions, giving it a more realistic feel. And speaking of realistic, you can put your own mark on the game by adding chants to matches and leagues.

CIARA O’BRIEN