New Fifa 10 footie reviewed

RONALDO's trademark free-kick stance? Check.

Tevez in a Sky Blue shirt? Check.

Campbell at Notts County? Hang on a minute? Pah, so much for Fifa 10 being the most accurate footie sim ever.

But it's easy to forgive the world's No1 football franchise the odd walk-out by overpaid, huffy players.

Because almost everything ticks all the right boxes in FIFA 10. The series has become so assured, so confident and so slick it's almost impossible at first glance to see how Fifa 10 is much different to Fifa 09.

But the oh-so-subtle incorporation of things like 360° dribbling, more rugged jostling for the ball and more realistic, and desperate, defensive clearances are a sign of how slickly the game is coming along.

If you don't notice the difference, try playing 10 for a couple of hours then go back to playing 09 for a bit.

You may as well be playing Emlyn Hughes International Soccer on the Commodore 64. Fifa 10 is NOT as close to football as pulling on your boots and playing the real thing - the worst injury you'll get in Fifa is a broken marriage.

But it's as real as you will ever get to reliving a match in HD on Sky Sports on a Sunday afternoon.

It looks lovely. The menus are slick and, again, the track list is eclectic to say the least.

But really, really good standout songs from The Enemy and some Argentinian bloke called Fidel Nadal will make their way into your head over the coming weeks.

More importantly FIFA 10 does the business on the pitch.It excels in the midfield where tight passing triangles, bursts of pace and ingenuity are required to give you that all too rare foray towards goal.

Good play is rewarded but equally defenders are given a fighting chance against pacey strikers with increased sterngth.

The much talked about 360° dribbling (you could only run in eight directions before) isn't instantly obvious but grows on you until arcing runs from the touchline into the box become the staple of a good attack.

All this beauty, grit and downright realism is largely down to one man - Gary Paterson. A Scot who took the reins of the much laughed at franchise a few years back and has turned it into the masterpiece it is today.

He is a man clearly in love with the beautiful game, surprising considering he is an Aberdeen fan.

Fifa ain't flawless. Some throw-ins still annoyingly go straight to the opposition, as do keeper throw-outs.

And while online seems as solid as a rock, I've had frustrating issues connecting to some people on my friends list.

But the evolution continues and, for once, FIFA can revel in its own glory knowing it is that OTHER football game that has all the hard work to do.