FIFA 13

GAME OF THE WEEK:3 cert, EA, Xbox 360 (also PC, PS3, Wii, PS Vita, 3DS) *****

In the battle between Fifa and Pro Evo, the EA title has emerged the victor in recent years. With the latest installment, can Fifa remain top dog? It certainly makes a good attempt at it, refining some familiar features and bringing in new ones to make it definitely worth the upgrade.

Fifa 13’s biggest-selling point is that it ramps up the realism from its predecessor, and not just in the physics or look of the game. The career mode has been changed to make it more realistic; you have to earn your spot in the first team, rather than just parachuting your player in from the start. Play well enough and you will receive an international call-up – and that goes for manager mode too.

When you play as a particular team, recent real- life form will influence how your players perform. Players move like their real- life counterparts. Real-life news even makes it into the commentary, which gives it a more up to date feeling.

“First Touch” means you no longer have that little bit of leeway to mess up; bad passes are harder to control, and defenders can easily nip in and steal a ball if it’s not controlled properly. So your passes need to be more precise – no frantic button bashing and hoping for the best anymore. The AI has been overhauled too, with Fifa’s new Attacking Intelligence.

Kinect voice commands have been brought into the mix for Fifa 13. It can be a bit difficult at the start to remember all the different commands, but it gets easier the more you play and the more you use them. You can change tactics, make substitutions and even change the camera view, all through shouting at the TV. Just like real life football then.

Overall, Fifa 13 feels like a shinier, better version of Fifa 12. It may not be a dramatic overhaul all round, but it’s enough to keep it on top.