FIFA 13 gameplay details: an evolution of FIFA 12's revolution

EA has formally unveiled FIFA 13, EA Canada's latest crack at goal. You'll find a full preview in issue 86, out tomorrow, but in the meantime, here's a quick rundown of the game's new systems, care of executive producer David Rutter.

The buzz-friendly gist: this is the evolution of last year's revolution, cleaning up such exciting but wonky innovations as the Youtube-friendly Player Impact system and introducing zillions of little nips and tucks that, we're assured, add up into something entirely distinct.

"Last year was such a revolutionary change," Rutter explained. "For me it's very much taking that revolution and moving it along even more. If you look at what we did last year, the trinity of gameplay innovations which totally changed the game and the way it played, this year's very much taking those innovations and taking them in their natural directions but with some considerable steps.

"So with the Impact Engine we've taken it from being only about player collisions on the ball to it happening across the pitch, everywhere. What that's allowed us to do is introduce some new game mechanics like defenders actually blocking out attackers, stepping in front of the ball.

"Also - a whole new push-pull mechanic which allows you to give a poke or a push to an attacking player before they actually get the ball, which puts them off on their first touch, whilst they're running in on goal, pulling them back and unsettling them on their shots.

"We've also taken the idea of high fidelity control with Precision Dribbling from last year and really consolidated all of the different types of dribbling mechanics in the game - taking it to an entirely new direction and degree of control," he went on.

"The key thing there for us was, when you look at players in the real world as they control the ball, they don't necessarily change direction when they're moving with it. So being able to take almost lateral movement with the ball, in 360 degrees facing in any direction is the completion of that journey. Complete Dribbling was the big thing there for us.

"The other part of it was, with the changes we made to Tactical Defending last year and the way that freed up attackers to have more time on the ball and also changed the way you would defend against them, giving those attackers more options and support in attack with the new run styles or tactical free kicks - there's a lot of options, a lot of what we're calling unpredictability in the game.

"It doesn't mean it's random, it means things unfold in lots of different ways. When you combine all of those things together, Complete Dribbling, the first touch control mechanic, where if you receive the ball too fast or too hard, or you're unsettled there's a chance you might miscontrol the ball - all those things combined provide a much wider range of freedom on the pitch, and a lot more unpredictability, which balances the game nicely in a way that's very authentic."

For more on FIFA 13 - including full details of improved AI guesswork, and of how players use their body mass to win or keep possession - pick up a copy of issue 86, on sale tomorrow. You can buy a copy online with free postage, or buy a digital copy on Apple Newsstand or Zinio.

EA has yet to tell all on the subject of new game modes and online features. Stay tuned.