With FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer fighting to be king of the pitch, it’s easy to forget about Sony’s This Is Football (TIF) series. The original launched on the PlayStation back in 1999 and the series has been quietly progressing ever since. The latest game, This Is Football 2004 shows Sony’s continuing determination to rumble the likes of Konami and EA, and it’s really starting to pay off.

Playing This Is Football 2004 feels a little odd to begin with. At first it seems to hint back to days of FIFA ‘98 and the more arcade-styled football games, but play further and it reveals itself to be distinctive in its own way. In TIF 2004, the players seem to move more organically and react as if they understand context. In some games, your character will do the same thing whatever the situation, without question or complaint. The footballers here are different; they react to what’s going on around them and the result isn’t always the same.

It may sound like some cheesy PR line, but the game really does seem to want to give a truthful representation of the sport; it wants to be football. TIF 2004’s gameplay is unpredictable, much like the real thing. The ‘light tackle’ button doesn’t always guarantee success as it does in other games; it can turn into a foul one time and a successful challenge the next. Players also have less contact time with the ball and it doesn’t stick to them like super glue. Something that I haven’t seen in a mainstream football game in a while and that TIF 2004 includes is a ‘dive’ button, which sends your player to ground dramatically to try and win a penalty. You can also use it off the ball to perform a double footed tackle; a guaranteed red card winner if you’re spotted. It’s these little touches that set it apart from other games and sports games really need things like that.

As far as features and modes go, TIF 2004 has the game won. There are thousands of players, hundreds of clubs, multiple divisions in many countries and a wealth of customisable competitions. Almost every championship is covered, along with almost all the international teams and here’s even the option to play as a school team. Custom teams can be created and original ones edited to your heart’s content. Challenge mode is an interesting addition. It monitors your performance through a game and awards you a score based on style and skill. You’re also given a code to post on the TIF website to compare your talent with the rest of the world. Most of the players and teams have their real names, with the ability to edit those that don’t included as well. There isn’t an EA-style plethora of licences here, but enough to keep it from becoming like the ridiculous fake names found in the earlier ISS games.

Talking of the Internet, online play has been included in TIF 2004 and although it’s not the first football game to do so, it’s a welcome addition. Playing with four mates round your house it all well and good, but the times when you can arrange such a thing are limited. The online element here is well constructed and easy to use, allowing up to eight people to play in a single match, all with voice communication and so on. It doesn’t match Xbox Live, but when will PlayStation 2 network play?

Easily one of the most striking elements of This Is Football 2004 is its graphics. Unexpectedly good for a PS2 title, they do great job of reconstructing players’ and managers’ faces in close up shots that show off the game’s visuals well. There’s no noticeable slowdown or glitches at all, with the game running smoothly throughout. Animations are varied and well put together, with tackles visibly connecting every single time. The graphics is one area in which Sony has really spent time to polish up and it’s really paid off.

The game’s presentation is up there with the likes of FIFA, with easy to use menus and some cool styling to accompany the catchy background music. Talking of audio, the commentary is reasonably good, although it’s not up to FIFA standards and sometimes becomes a little too repetitious from time to time (although it’s not as bad as I understand PES’s are). Generally though, TIF 2004 is a well presented game with audio and visuals that can match any of its competition.

This Is Football 2004 isn’t going to revolutionise the genre, nor is it going to outsell FIFA or PES. It is, however, a solid game of football that is both enjoyable and well presented. You’re not going to start up any drawn out arguments with PES addicts just by mentioning its name and you won’t get frowned upon by those ‘hardcore’ football fans who believe that there is only one worthwhile football game. For once, it’s nice to play a game without gimmicks and bolt on features that don’t work, and more importantly, one that’s just fun to play.