EA's FIFA soccer games are consistently good yet manage to improve year after year.

This go around, the most notable change for FIFA Soccer 2010 is in the "Be a Pro" mode, revamped and now known as "Virtual Pro." Previously this create-a-player mode was available for play, improvement and advancement in a "Career" only. As "Virtual Pro," however, your custom player can be used in all game modes, including online, so gaining experience, upping skills sets encompasses wherever and how ever you might play. This is a good thing, a more personalized experience not unlike raising a virtual pet.

Also new is a "360 degree dribbling system" which, like it sounds, allows you to move players in any direction you please - rather than at 45 degree angles only, as was the stupefying case previously. This opens up a wealth of new passing and shot angles never before available in a FIFA game.

Back for another year is the Madden-esque Manager Mode where you can make transfers to improve your team, hire and fire coaches, and manage front office tasks such as setting ticket prices. Thus, you're not only trying to make your team the best on the pitch but the richest one off it.

From the hard-to-believe-files, FIFA Soccer 10 will eventually have the Bernabeu Stadium, home to the world famous Real Madrid, available for download. Downloadable content is nothing new, but what's amazing is that EA won't be charging you for Bernabeu, despite or perhaps because of the publishing giant's reputation for nickel & diming EA Sports game owners with suspiciously ready content in a game for which they just paid $50 or $60... Like buying a new car but paying extra if you want a left rear tire on it. Anyway...

FIFA Soccer 2010 also lists a great many refinements to core gameplay, including improvements to A.I., goaltending, trapping and something akin to situation awareness, described as "player urgency." Sounds promising, but in practice such improvements are a little underwhelming. You'll still find yourself wondering why your goalie won't come out of his net for a cross when it's clearly called for, or why players won't make more of a b-line towards a loose ball. Morons.

Still, FIFA Soccer 10 does add some polish to last year's version - which didn't actually need much polish, so "extra shiny" now - and vastly improves on a couple of key features. To soccer fans, a zealous and loyal bunch if there ever was, all that and a forthcoming Bernabeu freebie adds up to another must-buy FIFA game.