I was once blind, but now I see. In a nutshell, those are my thoughts regarding FIFA Soccer 11. You see that 95% and the GV Top Pick icon at the top of the screen? This is coming from someone who has avoided sports games for about a decade. I'm not asserting that previous FIFA games aren't as good as this one; I'm just saying that this one is so good that it'll make a convert out of most people. I'm living proof.

Having been very impressed with EA Canada's last sports title (NHL 11), I had high expectations for FIFA 11's visual capabilities. Suffice to say, I'm not disappointed at all. We use descriptors like "natural" and "flowing" every day, but this game makes me reconsider why I normally use those terms. The physics engine is really fantastic, and it works overtime to ensure that every time you see players jockeying for possession, it looks real. When your striker scores a goal, he will celebrate on his own, but you'll still have control over him. If you steer him into a teammate, they will naturally flow into a joint celebration. The ball physics are also great; learning how to manipulate the system is a joy.

Martin Tyler and Andy Gray's commentary is accurate, but it doesn't feel like enough material was recorded to make each game sound distinct. If your goal is under pressure and you choose to have a defender kick the ball out of bounds, you'll get the exact same comment every time. Apart from that, FIFA 11 sounds wonderful. Realism is what every EA Sports title seems to shoot for, though your opinion of internationally embraced/reviled vuvuzelas won't factor into your level of enjoyment. If you've seen a soccer game, you know what to expect. Topping it all off is an international soundtrack that serves the sport well.

It doesn't take an enthusiast to gather from the branding that FIFA Soccer 11 is a soccer simulation game. What does all that entail, you ask? Well, if you have any experience with the series, or with EA Canada's priceless contributions to the sports genre as a whole, you know what to expect: a robust set of gameplay modes, each of which is guaranteed to find an audience.

If you want to take Manchester United through its 2011 season, you can do that. Career Mode is where you'll find the meat of the experience; it deftly juggles management responsibilities and on-pitch action, and allows you the choice to control the entire team or just a single player. What's great about this mode is how it lets you play the way you want to play it. Topping it all off is a fantastic online mode that allows you to team up with up to ten buddies and compete head-to-head with players and teams around the globe.

The action on the pitch is exciting, fast, and great fun. The controls are responsive and easy to pick up. Learning how to properly switch control over to different players takes some time, but before long, you'll be setting up perfect crosses and playing your opponent like the fool he may or may not be.

Having played FIFA Soccer 2001, I approached FIFA Soccer 11 with the expectation that it would be accessible. I was right. The learning curve is gentle even for those who have never played a game of football, electronic or otherwise. Being the sports neophyte that I am, I started off on the lowest difficulty setting, and promptly wiped the floor with every team I found myself matched against. As I moved the slider to the right, the differences became readily apparent. Defenders moved in for tackles with relative urgency and improved accuracy, while strikers became more aggressive with tactical maneuvers such as through passes and more confident crosses. This is how a learning curve should work in a sports game: hand-in-hand with a fully adjustable difficulty level.

As with several other sports titles, casual players will be put off by any gameplay involving management, whether it has to do with the minutiae in Career Mode or the relatively simple act of putting together a dream squad. Still, you're only offered the option to dig into this stuff. None of it is unceremoniously pushed on you.

FIFA Soccer 11 offers a number of control schemes, each of which has something different to offer the player. However, I recommend the default Classic setting; it's easy to pick up, but challenging to master. There's an alternate, as well as a two-button scheme. I can't imagine anyone getting far using only a two-button scheme, but someone's bound to get some use out of it one way or another. If it's my advice you want, stick with Classic; there's not too much to absorb, but you'll be fine-tuning your every movement before too long.

EA Canada has been touting the new Personality Plus feature. This addition doesn't take the focus off the team aspect of soccer, but as the name suggests, it emphasizes the strengths of an individual. Ostensibly, it's a system that takes into account the actual strengths of actual players, but I can't judge that for myself, not being a hardcore fan of the sport. However, I'll accept that EA Canada simply knows what they're doing, because they sure haven't proven otherwise.

It's funny; reviewing sports games feels like preaching to the choir. Everyone I've talked to about this franchise admires it, and I understand why. But let's cut to the chase. If you're a huge fan of the FIFA brand, you probably already own this game. And you should; this is an addictive and consistently exciting sports game that will keep you coming back to the pitch.