From the first play it's clear that CF leans toward the Pro Evo end of the market with its deliberate, tactical passing game (hoofing the ball upfield and shooting from 40 yards won't produce many goals, and you won't be dribbling it the length of the pitch and rounding the keeper either). Through balls and crosses work well (as does the free kick/corner aiming system once you've practised it and got a feel for it) In an effort to endear the game to the player further, the game also invites you to edit up your own avatar (virtual likeness) and play for your team as well (can't you do that in FIFA and Pro Evo anyway?) - we're not sure whether this is a good idea or not in our case, but we did manage to win games playing as Arsenal and Man Utd teams containing virtual Gamecell staff (possibly because we always got sent off, EVERY time we played).

   

Our first game was quite revealing. We struggled to a 0-0 draw having had marginally more possession than the opposing team, but amazingly had 27 shots on goal without scoring - and subsequent games on the default 'Medium' setting confirmed that the goalies in CF are incredibly hard to beat. Scanning the manual beforehand also reveals an almost identical control system to PES3, but look as we might we couldn't find any skill moves, flicks step-overs or dummies… (because CF doesn't have any). Yep, despite supposedly being a game devoted to your favourite team, CF won't let Thierry Henry (or any other flash git for that matter) do a drag back, or spin on the ball, or drop a shoulder and send the keeper the wrong way - or anything remotely 'showboaty' - the straightforwardness of the gameplay is very disappointing.

Our football souls totally destroyed after a string of unrealistic results and sendings off (culminating in a 3-0 defeat at Liverpool with only eight) men left on the pitch), our experienced Pro Evo arses skulked away, looking for a training mode (amazingly there isn't one and you're presumably expected to practice free kicks and corners in-game or in a two player game, and that really shouldn't be necessary in a 2003 game), and then more familiar with the feel of the game and the free kick system restarted a season on 'Easy'. We immediately started enjoying ourselves more, and a fiddle with the tactical options made our team play a more attacking game, but the annoying presence of 'remembered button press syndrome' (e.g. you'll try and tackle an opposing player, the ball runs free and as your other player receives the ball he immediately boots it away as the game recalls your earlier frantic attempts to tackle), and the ridiculous over-strictness of the referees still sapped enjoyment (they'll yellow or red card you for side-on tackles that clearly take the ball first, and sometimes just because an opponent stumbles when your player is near) - you have to time your tackles absolutely perfectly in CF, or pay the price. Despite its fussy, game-spoiling referees and sluggish controls the game plays quite nicely though, it feels a little primitive compared to Konami and EA's latest efforts, but you do get to score some authentic feeling goals, with deflections, goal mouth scrambles and whipped-in crosses and flicked shots all producing more than a few 'Oohs' and 'Aahs.'

   

Visually the game is hard to fault - a selection of cameras offer every type of view, most of the player models are top notch and well animated, and some of the likenesses in the licensed teams (managers included) are truly remarkable. The ball physics are good and the goals and nets look perfect (they come complete with optional bulges if you score). Every stadium you play in looks great and the crowd (whilst a bit bland) are all animated and sing muffled songs that sound authentic (although we haven't heard the one that always seems to be on our lips when playing CS about the referee's parentage and colour of apparel). You can save replays of your best goals and call up a replay at any time, view it from a variety of angles including every player's perspective. The general presentation, game options (including custom teams/tournaments), management controls and statistics screens are all superbly designed, clear to read and easy to navigate - EA and Konami could certainly learn something from Codies here. But despite the authenticity and general quality of the game it left us wanting to go back to PES3, which is a more skilful, rewarding and varied game of football. I don't really know who CF is aimed at, but the gamers I see buying Club Football are probably going to want their team to win by scoring loads of spectacular goals, and unless you're extremely talented, patient and dedicated then CF is likely to see them soundly beaten with several players sent off and suspended - and who wants to see that? Club Football is a welcome new team in the PS2 footy game Premier league, and impressive first try, but that's all it is, the way a game plays and how it makes you feel is everything to us, and CF feels at least two seasons behind Pro Evo in the gameplay stakes.