FIFA 16

Lacking fluidity and dynamism, football's reigning king has lost its crown.

FIFA 16 can be stubborn and stifling, but it feels gloriously new, and having to learn fresh strategies and nuances in a game series like this is an almost-forgotten pleasure.

FIFA's interpretation of football removes some of the fun, but it offers so much else besides it's still a worthwhile game.

Still the best football game you can buy for your rig, but FIFA 16 feels unambitious.

This sequence is the story of FIFA 16, from its participants, to the tools used to deliver the goal, to the cathartic payoff that sent me leaping from my seat. Sports video gaming is at its best when you're fighting your ass off and the miracle comes through. And when it does, no game rolls out the TNT like FIFA 16.

New moves threaten to weigh down FIFA's snappy pace and breezy playability, but while slightly slower and more methodical, 16 plays a deeper, more balanced game of football.

The evolved gameplay keeps you coming back more than any specific new feature

Pro Evolution Soccer has closed the gap on its long-standing rival, but myriad teams and features keep this the season's standout player

With so much content on offer, both old and new, alongside its many accessibility options, it's still hard not to recommend FIFA to footy fans of all ages and skill levels.

It may be passé to say, but FIFA 16 is a game of two halves. Off the field, not much has changed that you could really write home about. The stalwarts of career mode and Ultimate Team feel much the same as they did before with very minor changes. With the ball at your feet though, the tooth-and-nail fights to hold on to a 1-0 lead against superior opposition or to take advantage of an entirely organic mistake to equalise in the final knockings of a lower league cup match, along with the general feeling that you're taking part in a decent tactical battle are stellar. The things EA hasn't shouted about are the things that they've clearly worked the hardest on and while there are still flaws, this is the best on-pitch representation of the beautiful game since Konami's PlayStation 2 efforts.