Uefa Euro 2004 is the officially licensed game of next month’s tournament in Portugal and hails from very decent stock. It is based on the respectable Fifa game series and developed by EA’s Canadian studio, now the biggest in EA’s canon.

This latest game strikes a happy balance between boardroom shenanigans and immersive soccer action. As well as the usual chores of arranging friendlies, scouting for new talent and selecting squads, a “morale” system comes into play for the first time. Criticism and poor press can affect the play of even star players (as David Beckham has discovered). A good manager must be aware of such performance poopers and act accordingly when selecting his line up.

During matches, a new passing feature allows for better control of long passes, using a combination of buttons to produce greater ball control in mid-air. In the right hands, the new move can be lethal.

Of course, if you already own Fifa 2004 then you can probably live without this Uefa spin on proceedings. Games today can have a pretty short shelf-life, even when they focus on a subject that has timeless appeal. The people at EA must be fully aware that we will view this as little more than a quick filler as work continues back in Canada on the annual overhaul for the Fifa series.

Tim Wapshott

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