Where would we be without EA's FIFA franchise, eh? Which other developer offers such intimate attention to detail in its annually updated football series? You'll want to hear this: 16 leagues, 450 teams, and 10.000 players. So where else are you going to be able to witness Belgians Sint Truidense VV take on Korea's Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma? Never heard of them? Not surprising.

As well as featuring this high level of statistical detail, FIFA 2003 has at its core a completely re-worked AI ... more >>

Where would we be without EA's FIFA franchise, eh? Which other developer offers such intimate attention to detail in its annually updated football series? You'll want to hear this: 16 leagues, 450 teams, and 10.000 players. So where else are you going to be able to witness Belgians Sint Truidense VV take on Korea's Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma? Never heard of them? Not surprising.

As well as featuring this high level of statistical detail, FIFA 2003 has at its core a completely re-worked AI engine, which focuses on three new enhancements: team play, team tactics and real player attributes. The emphasis here being on recreating a much more natural look to the on-screen action. This can also be seen in the control mechanic, with more realistic results providing such events as deflections, missed headers and scrambled goals.

All you budding Beckhams out there will be pleased to learn that a new set-piece dynamic has been implemented, which provides the player with complete control over the power and swerve of free kicks. Line it up, set the spin, stick your toe out and it might go in.

As usual there are options a-plenty. All the teams and players mentioned before, all their kits, stadiums, weather conditions...you name it, it's in there. And let us not forget the accompanying commentary from the great John Motson and Ally McCoist.

On the whole though, this is not, as you might expect, a typical FIFA update. EA have clearly re-worked a great deal of the game, resulting in an extremely different feel from the usual proceedings. Play feels a lot more fluid, with believable passing manoeuvres resulting in some satisfying up-front opportunities. Whilst it's not quite Konami's Evolution, it certainly seems like EA's revolution.
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