Why are EA not singing any more? Is it because: a) ISS Pro Evolution has arrived and it's so better than FIFA 2000 it almost hurts; or b) actually, they are still singing but we can't hear them because their voices are muffled by squillions of wads of £50 notes, courtesy of FIFA 2000...
James Price

Just before sitting down to write this review, I played a quick game of ISS Pro Evolution - a sterile, guile-free 1-1 draw, typified by a war of attrition in midfield that owed more to tennis than football. And I love it all the more for that.

ISS Pro Evolution is an incredible game on levels too numerous to mention. It's a work of observational art; the most spot-on representation of its subject matter we've experienced for many a year. From the slightest nuance of its AI to its exquisitely balanced passing system, it could almost be described as a simulation. And yet, somehow, it possesses the arcade-style accessibility that every football game needs.

With many football titles, every man on the park appears to be a characterless clone. That's not the case with Evolution. Each player has numerous attributes, from speed and acceleration to tackling and passing abilities. Even the physical stature of each varies, with height and build having a considerable bearing on performance. In all, there are over a dozen skill-based facets to each individual, making it every bit the team sport.

The composition of your squad has a huge bearing on the way you approach each match. If you have two tall, burly, burgeoning centre forwards that lack pace, you'll do well to supply them with ample crosses from either flank. If, however, you have a nippy, skilful forward, the previous tactic would be futile. Instead, it's better to craft an opening before slipping in a killer through-ball. Matches in ISS Pro Evolution are dynamic events where your style of play must constantly adapt.