UEFA Euro 2004 Portugal

As the biggest footballing event of the year looms large, guide your chosen team to glory in the official accompanying game.

As the finest teams across Europe limber up for UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal, EA Sports gives you the chance to shape the destiny of your favourite team in the only official game of the tournament. In what EA is describing as, "the deepest Championship mode ever released", you can experience the dizzying highs and crushing lows that come with participating in one of the world's most prestigious football tournaments. Playing as any one of the 51 participating nations, you work your way through the qualifiers into the final 16 and, if you've got the skills, pick up the coveted trophy.

UEFA Euro 2004 is being developed by the studio responsible for the FIFA series, which should ensure that the action on the pitch is of the quality you'd expect from such a major tournament. However, don't make the mistake of thinking that this is simply FIFA 2004 in new clothing; although there are similarities between the two, Euro 2004 boasts dozens of new features; you can now flummox the opposition with fake shots and access more than 10 new skill moves using the right analog stick. The new crossing model allows you to float in crosses with pinpoint accuracy, allowing you to put away spectacular, showboating goals with new moves that include bicycle kicks, chip shots and diving headers.

The main Euro 2004 mode is an impressively detailed and thorough affair. During the qualifying stages, you can even arrange friendly matches that have an indirect effect on your team's overall performance thanks to a cunning new AI system. The 'Dynamic Morale Model' tracks both team and individual morale levels throughout so, even by winning a non-essential friendly, you can boost your squad's morale for the following fixture.

As well as the main Euro 2004 mode, there's a Tournament Setup mode, a Situation Creator (which allows you to tailor certain scenarios by adjusting goal difference, time remaining, yellow cards and so forth), a Shootout mode, Fantasy mode and more besides, which should keep aficionados happy long after the tournament itself wraps up.

• The only official game of the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament
• Developed by the team behind the bestselling FIFA series
• New 'Dynamic Morale Model' tracks your team's morale levels
• Additional modes include League and Knockout Tournaments, Shootout and Fantasy

Source:

uk.playstation.com