Master League fans will feel this pain more than most - qualifying from the Second Division, with crummy default players like Huylens, is maddening. The game AI closes you down like, well, like an artificial intelligence and your shots almost always loop wide or trickle away.
Otherwise, the Master League is as addictive as ever, largely due to the pride of nurturing young talent, wheeler-dealing to buy aging stars or unknown gems, and forging your motley crew into a winning unit - oddly, the worst bit is when you've got a side with Ronaldinho, Adriano and Henry on the bench and knowing you can't lose. It's as consuming as ever although the lack of new features (no team editing?) makes this year's ML slightly soured with familiarity.
Above: The stats aren't just there for show - they actually make a difference on the pitch
Online fare allows just 2 players (in stark contrast to the PS2 version, sporting up to 8), and is limited to ranked matches. Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 feels less like a next-gen debut than a dressed-up port, yet ironically, it's immediately the best soccer game available on the console. An added bonus are the readily attainable Achievements that'll allow newbies and long-timers to build up their Gamerscores in reasonable chunks of time.
