One of the things that made me a fan of the FIFA series is that it's one of the easiest sports games to get into. It's not a weak game, but you don't have to be a soccer game pro (or be the sport's biggest fan) to get the most out of the game.

EA knows, however, that FIFA has a hardcore audience to cater to and that you're only a newcomer once. Last year's goods can only be good for so long. Thus the addition of team chemistry, the FIFA 06 Lounge, new tactics implementation, and other tweaks and additions that make the game more enjoyable.

FIFA 06's controls haven't received a massive overhaul, but there are some notable differences. From the start of the game you get to choose between classic analog or digital dribbles, or new analog or digital dribbles. The new tactics feature lets you change your attack and defense tactics at any time during play. You do this by pressing the D-pad up, down, left or right (similar to the way you assign tasks to your teammates in many third-person shooters).

Normally the D-pad triggers attacks: Counter Attack, Box Overload, Wing Play and Third Man Release. Hold down the L1 button and it switches to defense tactics: Pressing, Zone Defense, Flat Back and Offside Trap. These are abbreviated in the game (Offside Trap is OT, etc.). Attack and defense icons appear when you start making a selection to indicate which ones have been chosen.

This was a really effective way to get the tactics in there without killing the control scheme or forcing the player to pause the game to make selections. It's still no cakewalk – FIFA is a game of constant movement. You've gotta keep your eye on the ball at all times. But if I have a second or two to breathe, I have plenty of time to select my tactics and go for the ball.

If you're looking to be challenged, look no further than FIFA 06’s challenge mode. There are so many challenges you won't know what to do at first. Win the League/Championship is a common one, but there are more demanding challenges where you'll have to score within a certain timeframe. You will have to score a hat trick to win or prove yourself in some other way.

The new Lounge mode is a place where you and your friends can get together and play offline. That seems backwards: a lounge for offline playing? Aren't all the players already in the same location? That's true, but this way you can set up competitions between you and your friends. Rewards are given to high-ranked players, which is somewhat ironic. To rank high you must be the best, and since the reward gives you an advantage in future games, your opponents will have a much harder time catching up. Back to the tutorial...

FIFA 06 has a good (if not basic) tutorial mode that makes sense out of the nonsense. They're straightforward videos. Moves are shown from various angles to present the optimal view for each; watch 'em, take mental notes, and see if you can nail the game's toughest moves.

Designing a homemade athlete has never been much of a chore. FIFA 06's Create-A-Player mode appears to be the opposite at first, having a plethora of options that are not the standard for the genre. The focus is on creating a great character with the proper stats. If you want to get crazy (don't we all?) you can alter, with precise detail, his nose, chin, jaw, lips, eyes, and ears, among others. Picking from a list of pre-determined stats is boring, which is why this game lets you increase and decrease nose size and nose position with the left and right analog sticks.

Height and weight seem to be limited, though I wonder if a cheat code will remedy that. That exception notwithstanding, most players will be able to make their homemade player as realistic or as goofy/creepy as they like.

For diehard soccer fans, FIFA 06 includes 10,000 players spread over more than 21 leagues. That sounds incredible compared to locally popular sports like football and basketball, but not all of these leagues are hugely successful and not all of them big stars playing for them. It's nice to have them, as are the updated stats and any other feature updates that change with the sport each season.

FIFA 05's soundtrack was a good source for European rock that hasn't made it big in the states. FIFA 06 is even better, having more than 20 tracks in rock, pop and rap (mostly rock-type music). Doves, whose stateside release, "Black and White Town," has been spinning in my CD player for months, is included in the game. I'm sure I would have fallen in love with it now if I hadn't heard it before, just as I've begun searching for local releases of "Ashes" by Embrace, "Gotta Reason" by Hard-Fi, and "Contact" by KYO.

Gameplay: 8.7
It's hard to say that FIFA 06 is the best FIFA yet when you consider how great last year's edition was, but I'm gonna do it anyway. The silky-smooth, highly-realistic controls are the source of this game's superiority. Players who dare conquer each single-player mode should grab a pillow, install a fridge, and see if they can fit a port-a-potty into the room they game most frequently in (which might be the bathroom...if you like that sort of thing). In other words, you're in for a very long journey.

Graphics: 8.6
It's all in the lighting. The players look detailed enough, but I spotted a few strange animations in between plays when the camera was zoomed in close. Maybe that's the way soccer players move, but it didn't look too realistic to me. The lighting, however, is really something. When a game is about to start and the camera pans around the stadium, or when the camera goes behind the goalie before a kick, FIFA 06's amazing engine pushes this incredible glow that only Madden can match. The intricacy of the audience, and the consistency and realism of the player animations during a game are also worth noting.

Sound: 8.8
Where can I buy this soundtrack? You mean you're not selling it? Are you crazy? FIFA 06 has some of the best European rock I've heard since the last game was released. The commentary is way above average, entertaining players with witty comments and fewer repeats.

Difficulty: Medium
A hard-to-master game that just got harder.

Concept: 8
Cheers for tweaks. FIFA 06 another success story for the franchise. New mechanics, new game modes, and more challenges.

Multiplayer: 8.9
FIFA 06 is a solid single-player game, but you’d be crazy not to let yourself engage in friendly (or not-so-friendly) competition with other real-life players. The gameplay isn’t any different – the dream of having a real player for every player in the game has not yet been reached. But the thrill of competing with a few others still holds the greatest amount of replay value.

Overall: 8.7
FIFA 06 is a great game, I'm sure you know that by now. If you have last year's edition you're probably wondering: is 06 good enough to replace it? Is it worth another $50? To the casual players – and only the casual players – I say no. But to the diehard fans, those who love soccer and/or can't go through a year without playing the latest FIFA, this is a must-buy. You're not getting something entirely new, but who says refinement isn't just as important?