There are moments where the new engine falls on its arse, with legs flailing about in a ridiculous fashion, and players being shot far too high into the air. However, it's easy to forgive these minor glitches because of all the good it's done for the game.
A La Mode Select
Most of the modes you've enjoyed in previous games are back and have been worked on. The Career mode can be a bit of a slog at times, with EA sticking to their 'simulating' weekday system. Far too much time is wasted waiting for a day to pass in order to get to your next game and for some reason, the Team Management menu takes a while to load within this mode which can lead to some frustrating waiting.
There's no denying that it's still a fantastic experience for the solo player and with commentators now reacting to off field events during gameplay it can be completely immersive if you let it.
Online ranked matches have been removed and replaced with the all new 'Head to Head Seasons' mode. It's a massive improvement. In Head to Head Seasons you pick the club of your choice and work through a batch of ten games against online opponents. You have a set amount of points to gain in order to get promoted or avoid relegation.
This makes matchmaking far better than it was in FIFA 11. The game is now able to match your team up with someone who has made it to the same league as you and is playing with a team of the same ability. You no longer have to face Barcelona every single game. It also cuts down on FIFA Quitters, docking points to anyone who quits out and leaving them with less chance of gaining promotion.
There is still a slightly overwhelming number of game modes to choose from. The addictive and competitive Ultimate Team returns, as does Pro Clubs. Not much has been done to improve these modes but not much had to. Pro Clubs was pretty useless online last year but works this time round.
There aren't many faults with the game, and the ones that exist are largely down to oversights rather than out-and-out errors. One of the biggest issues with online play at the moment is that EA have given players the option of playing as the Goalkeeper by simply tapping the back button when the other team is attacking. The problem here is that the computer AI is pretty good at defending, so saving shots as a keeper is pretty easy to do.
So, when I face someone online there is a chance that I have an attack broken down through no skill of my opponent. They have simply selected the goalkeeper and let the AI take care of me, without me even knowing what he's done. There's a bit of an uproar about it on the EA forums so I expect this to be addressed soon enough.
With so many game modes to choose from, catering to online and offline gamers alike it's amazing how much content there is on offer here. With over 30 leagues, all fantastically constructed, you'll spend ages deciding which two teams should face each other next. EA has even gone as far as offering you a second commentary team in case Martin Tyler and Alan Smith start to grate.
About a year I suppose.
FIFA 12 has improved itself enough to be worthy of your cash this year. It provides a realistic and fun representation of the sport and offers you far more content than you ever thought you'd need. It looks great, plays great and everything it does wrong is completely overshadowed by what it does right.
FIFA 12 might not only be the best Football game available, it could be the best sports game ever released.
SPOnG Score: 94%