We're going to go out on a limb here and say that Fifa '99 is better than Actua Soccer 3. For EA, it's a welcome return to the top flight after years of poor quality sims that didn't deserve the license that automatically made them huge hits.
Fifa '99 is already topping the chart again, so no change there. But this time, it can justifiably claim to be the best-looking of the PC soccer releases.
Graphics seem to be the biggest improvement, both in terms of quality and, crucially, speed and smoothness. Fifa '97 was a complete disaster in terms of jerky camera movement. Although improvements were made in the following two games, Fifa '99 has overtaken Actua in terms of smoothness and speed.
Another area is control, with the game able to overcome the problem of slow player response due to animation cycles. You feel your chosen member is completely under your control, yet the fluidity of player animation, and ball physics don't suffer. There are excellent cut-scenes accompanying play which give it the air of televised football.
As always, the kitchen sink is thrown in - with an impressive commentary team nabbing the BBC's front bench - including 'Des and Gary' as well as old stalwart Motty. EA have made full use of their license entitlements, so you'll find 220 authentic team lists covering 12 top leagues, with a special European dream league mirroring the current Champions League competition.
Visually, the PC version has pulled away from the Playstation in terms of detail and performance, making this the most impressive 3-D accelerated football game yet.
