Preview - FIFA 13

FIFA has taken the footballing crown from Pro Evolution Soccer since the switch to the current generation of consoles. Every year Konami promises a closer challenge and to be fair they have started to up their game with recent iterations, but there is still a sizable gap between the quality of the two titles. With FIFA so comfortably in the lead, is there a danger the team at EA Sports will rest on their laurels? Not likely.

EA has decided that realism is key for this year's installment and one of the main focuses is on a new system for ball control. Players no longer take 40-yard cross-field passes on the run with ease, you can now see them struggling to retain the ball when receiving tricky passes under pressure. The ball might bounce up and onto the player’s chest, knee or head, or it might even escape him completely. It's not a completely random system either; players with better stats will have more chance of trapping a bad pass so controlling Cristiano Ronaldo really does feel different to controlling your average footballer.

It's a welcome addition to the series. Instead of making the game feel random it actually makes it feel more life-like when players make similar mistakes to their real life counterparts. As you drop down the leagues and stop playing as Barcelona or Real Madrid you'll notice a drop off in the quality of player ability like you would in the real world.

The Player Impact Engine first implemented in FIFA 12 has also been improved. A real battle for possession now ensues between two competing players and referees won't whistle for a foul every five seconds. Players will look to gain an advantage with their whole bodies instead of just their feet and mistiming a tackle is less unforgiving. Judging whether to put in a slide tackle or not has become a vital decision though, as an untimely challenge will see your player completely taken out of the game as the opposition outnumbers your team.

Computer AI has been enhanced with players now thinking two moves ahead instead of one. This means they make more intelligent runs to get onto the end of through balls and they'll also curve their runs to make sure they stay onside. Computer footballers are able to work out who is more likely to receive the ball next and adjust their movements accordingly. Watching your striker point to where he wants you to place the ball before chasing it down and scoring a goal is very satisfying indeed.

EA is also happy to show off a new Complete Dribbling system. The 360-degree movement from FIFA 12 makes a return but with a few new elements. Holding the trigger buttons on your controller will make the player slow down and he'll be able to perform various skill moves depending on your commands. You get the impression that you are a lot more in control of the ball when going on runs and you will begin to feel like the unstoppable Lionel Messi when you start to master the system.

For those that feel like they need a bit of practice before getting on the pitch they can try out the new Skill Games mode. This is a set of mini-games that act as a tutorial for getting to grips with shooting, crossing, dribbling, free kicks and penalties. Dribbling around poles, chipping the ball over boxes and crossing into rubbish bins are just some of the challenges you can expect to undertake. You'll also be graded on your performances so you'll almost certainly be replaying various challenges to better your score and climb the leaderboards.

Tactical free kicks are another new area of FIFA 13. Now players can try to outsmart the opposition by feigning shots and running over the ball. Defending teams can add or remove players from the wall and also command it to jump at any time. It all adds up to making an even more unpredictable and unique gameplay experience.

Aspiring Jose Mourinho's can also have fun in a superior Manager Mode. The big change here is in the transfer market, where aspects such as player age, form, morale and club rivalries have an impact on price-tags. That's not all; managers may also have to guarantee a potential new signing that he will be a first team player in the upcoming season. Should a manager go back on his promise the player's morale could drop and he could even hand in a transfer request. Managers can also offer their own players as part of transfers. The player won't get to choose whether he leaves the club but if the deal falls through his morale may drop and his performances will suffer. 

It's clear to see that EA isn't interested in churning out just another simple upgrade to the FIFA franchise. They know it only takes one poor effort for Pro Evolution Soccer to come back in as a serious contender for the throne. There might not be a whole host of new features but gameplay elements that were added last year have been given a serious upgrade and it all comes together to make a very good football game.