While all of this sounds rather complicated, it's actually an absolute breeze to get to grips with, thanks to the World Tour mode, where players can set the difficulty on a match-by-match basis.

Fifa 12's tactical defending system is plugged into the proceedings, so players can jockey and contain attackers. There's no slide-tackling in the game, but players can execute standing tackles as well as bump and barge each other. In defence, the key is busting up any momentum the opposing team tries to get going, and this means sticking to your opposing number like glue.

They can then flick it over or past an opponent, or pull it back over their own shoulder if they're being crowded. Click the right bumper and your player starts to juggle the ball with their feet. Once their opposing number starts to harry them, players can quickly flick or feint away with the ball and create space for pass or a shot on goal. Pull the left trigger, and your player plants one of his feet in the ground and wheels the ball around, baiting opponents and protecting the ball with his body. Flicking it this way and that produces heel-chops, feints and step-overs, but rotating it in set patterns produces pirouette moves, rainbow flicks and a host of other nifty tricks to baffle opponents. The left-stick, for example, is essentially the player's toolbox for faking out opponents. The controls will be familiar to anyone who has played a Fifa title in the last few years the face buttons, triggers and bumpers all mirror Fifa's interface, with a couple of exceptions. It feels, and to some degree, plays a little bit like an arcade fighter players need to learn all the finesse dribbles and trick moves, and then chain them together to get the better of their opponents. The focus here is all about individual ball skills, trick dribbling, faking out opponents and building up fluid momentum while moving the ball up pitch.

But, if you're prepared to look past the cooler-than-thou presentation, Fifa Street is an admittedly excellent game, even if it does comes across like Fifa's show-off younger brother.

Fifa street 4