I am at heart a Pro Evolution Soccer purist. I stopped playing FIFA a long time ago, so I was unsure of what to expect when asked to review FIFA Street. However, I'm pleased to report that I am very pleasantly surprised.

What you've got here isn't so much a game of football as a game of funball. The game is stripped back to basics and taken to the streets, the emphasis moving away from carefully practiced plays and detailed managing, towards looking cool and scoring goals as flamboyantly as you can.

The control system is more akin to Tony Hawks or SSX Tricky than a football game, passing and shooting are all handled exactly the same as in the normal FIFA game but when you use the right analogue stick and certain buttons, the magic starts to happen. It's not long before you're busting some great moves and they're all animated beautifully, once you've got the hang of it the combo bar is soon filling up to give you the opportunity of scoring a "gamebreaker" - a bullet-time super shot at goal that looks even cooler than it sounds.

The first couple of times you play the game, if you are used to a proper football game, it all feels very strange and you'll want to just sack it off; you only have four men, the playing area appears too small and there are no throw-ins or fouls. However, as you progress, these things add up to making this interpretation of football a fun and unique experience; after all, it wouldn't really stand out if it was just FIFA with different kits. Trust me, the first time you single touch the ball by heading it around your opponents and fire a supercharged somersault kick at goal, you're hooked. The lack of a referee makes the game faster and more fluid, as there's no stopping and starting - just all out action. It also allows for some bone crunching tackles.

The soundtrack is suitably urban and as you would expect from EA the list of titles is a good one, all from well known artists. The commentary also suits the game very well and jumps along in time to the music. It reminds me of Lock Stock or Layer Cake, the beat heavy music going with a Cockney voiceover, telling you what's going on.

Being an official game all the players you love and love to hate are here, they all look fantastic and the animation is accurate and smooth; you'll definitely be impressed. You also have the option of creating your own player, although this isn't anything like as detailed as is the norm in an EA title (Tiger Woods, The Sims) but it's perfectly acceptable for a title of this type.

The game is broken down into a few sections; you've got the usual quick game and friendly options, training and Rule The Streets, the game's career mode. The quick game options give you the chance to play with all of football's superstars straight away, against a friend if you wish and in multiplayer this game is great. Pro Evolution is fantastic to play but it can't half be boring to watch when you're waiting for your turn. That's definitely not the case here, especially when you've got a couple of people who are both good at the game going head to head; it's like watching a Nike advert. I've no doubt this will remain a firm after-the-pub favourite at my place on a weekend. Unfortunately, there's no online mode for this first edition but no doubt it will be released with a bit more polish every year like the rest of the Street series, so let's hope it's in there for V2.

The training does a good job of demonstrating the controls, rules and moves on offer but it's more of a tutorial than actual training; it would have been a nice addition to have some detailed set piece plays lined up for you to test out and hone your skills more thoroughly. This would have also added some much needed lifespan to an otherwise relatively small single player game. In Rule The Streets you begin by picking a team of players (no superstars) and embark on a world tour of football-loving nations. As you would expect, you plough through to increase your skill points and cash to improve your team and your created player. It's good but a little bit shallow and once again I couldn't help but feel that this was left deliberately short - maybe just so they could be added in next time around. However, it's great while it lasts.

You've probably already got a fair idea of whether you're going to invest in FIFA Street or not, as most people either love or loathe footy games. If you're in the camp that enjoys them and often play them against friends, then this is well worth its money, especially so if FIFA is your game of choice. If you prefer to play games on your own though, there's probably not quite enough here to warrant the price tag. This is a good game that offers a well-executed, fresh approach to football and I hope it sells well, because if they do decide to bring out an updated version, I've no doubt that EA can make it as fantastic as it deserves to be - check out my review of NBA Street V3 if you need any convincing of that.

Reviewed by Mark Hayhurst for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).