EA Sports has been going on about it three new major changes to the match mechanics: close control, the player impact engine and the all new tactical defending option. It turns out that these new features do make a difference to the game.

Fifa 12 has a new multi-layered system that now lets you hold  the A button to “contain” the man on the ball, it will bring the player that you are controlling right up to the opponent with the ball and will automatically force them in to a disadvantageous position. This is a great feature that allows you to get in proper tackles.

Meanwhile the jockeying function (using the left trigger) allows you to face the attacking player and create a barrier between the attacker and the goal, if combined with the run button you can deal with sprinting attackers.

A lot of Fifa fans will find all this a radical shift towards the defensive philosophy, moving away from a darting slides from the back and head on tackles to more of a rigorously planned approach, where players get into position and blocking attacks and only tackling when the ball is there to be taken.

To begin with it is a struggle to separate the contain and jockey functions, as they are both about controlling the incoming attacker. There is also a team jockey option on the right tab button, when held it sends in your team mate to for fill the more static goal protection, while you move your player in to cover any possible crosses, or to sweep the ball away. The contain function is reactive and very erratic.

When you combine the two you get a sort of phased approach, in which defensive midfielders will hunt down and contain any lone strikers, while your defensive line uses the two jockeying functions. However you use it, this a more interesting, adaptive and exhaustive system which shapes the game and get you thinking more about space and movement in your own half.

Player physics have been updated which brings a grater sense of physical presence. There is now an option to pull and tug your opponent’s shirt and together with some crunching slide tackles you get a great sense of robust, solid bodies going into high speed collisions and meeting limbs in a realistic way.

Beside matches there is a exhaustive range of options and extras. The social gaming Ultimate Team is present in the retail edition of Fifa 12 for the first time, allowing you to start the card trading fun with free packs (but you will need to buy new packs to complete your dream team though).

Virtual Pro is also there, allowing to create your own player from scratch, the usual tournament and live season options are present with new looks.

The career mode is essentially what we remember from Fifa 11, allowing you to experience the career of a player, manager or player manager through a whole lifetime in the game, transferring from one club to another and dabbling in the transfer market, while competing for league and cup glory. The interface has been improved and is more logical now and has masses of info packed into the main screen.

For all the managers out there the tactical screens have been changed, removing the Player Growth option, that let you monitor the ratings of your players, in favor of two more useful option’s: squad report and squad ranking, this a more Football Manager style overview of who’s doing there job.

The new online head to head season mode, lets players compete against each other in league and cup competitions. All players begin in the lowest league and seasons last between 10 to 14 games, which decide who will be prompted and relegated. It is a very smart setup which will let new comers aren’t consistently beaten by elite gamers.

There are some astonishingly accurate depictions of top players, the animations is fluid and expressive, the commentary is authentic, despite a few very regular repetitions. The fact that Alan Smith and co will discuss your team’s position in the league and its form over the last few matches, really adds to the sense of occasion.

The AI seems solid, though often a lot more so from defenders blocking your path than from team mates interpreting your play.