You see, Konami have created the most tactically-aware AI code to bless the genre so far. Many connoisseurs of football games have criticised the introduction of the 'through-ball' button in recent years. They argue that it becomes too easy to simply knock the ball through to a pacey forward or attack-minded midfielder, leading to endless one-on-ones with the keeper. It can be unsatisfying when you're performing this routine yourself, but it's downright frustrating when your opponent reciprocates in kind. With ISS Pro Evolution, though, Konami have blessed defenders with the foresight and ability that they've lacked for too long. They intercept lazy through-balls with accomplished ease. The more you play against CPU opposition, the more you come to appreciate just how astonishingly clever the AI can be.

Although ISS doesn't possess an official licence, and therefore its player names are subtle misspellings of their real-life equivalents, each - ahem! - 'representation' is a fair clone. Thus, Adamms is a statuesque centre-back, while Owenn is a slight but enormously fast striker. And, on that note, we'll introduce you to another great aspect of any given ISS Evolution match.

You must have noticed this before, but isn't it true that speed is so often the most significant characteristic of virtual players? From Sensible Soccer to FIFA, a fast striker can tear apart any defence. Almost every other possible skill is bunk by comparison. After all, there's no use in having a perfect '10' for tackling ability if you can't catch the opposition player to use it, is there? Evolution, however, is the first football game that allows the 'Owenns' of this world to be capable sprinters, but has the defensive AI to balance encounters. As with real life, a speedy winger can still terrorise a team along his particular flank, but ISSPE allows you to effectively stifle such talent - if, that is, you're accomplished enough to do so.