In England we have a full contact sport played in the street; it's called fighting and is refereed by people called The Police. In America they call it 'Football', although why they call it this is one of life's eternal mysteries. If Beckham showed his face at one of these matches it would be leaving in several pieces. He might never model again, but at least it would sort out that lisp.

American footie has never really kicked off in England, partly because, as any true Englishman knows, it's not football. Football is football, and don't get us started on that whole 'saw-ker' thing. Another reason it's always suffered is because it makes no apparent sense - large men in plastic armour attacking each other in a stadium is usually confined to the realms of bad science fiction. It's fortunate then, that NFL Street 2 has a comprehensive tutorial mode to explain the mysteries of the sport. Each layer of American football's tactics is introduced one at a time and then reinforced by playing variations on the basic game.

In fact, one of Street 2's major strengths is its diversity. Nearly every facet of tactics or skill is covered in a mode, and it's not just for fun - points can be earned and spent enhancing character's stats. One-on-one and four-on-four games are joined by tests of skill such as Crush The Carrier or Jump Ball. When you do get around to playing the game proper, you can challenge the players from the NFL league or take to the city in a football-based turf war.

Once you've mastered the basics, US footie reveals itself to be a deep and rewarding game. Rather than the constant athleticism and skills of real football, the American game has all the planning of a small war, only with better sponsorship. It might be an incomprehensible affair to most, but that shouldn't stop you strapping on some pads for NFL Street 2. The strategic elements are balanced with violent tackling and showboating special moves. The players are full of character and the opposition's taunting encourages revenge rather than a quick click through the audio options.

NFL Street 2 is an interesting change of pace from the usual sports games, and you can even take your plays online and tackle the rest of the world. For once, hanging around the streets with a padded crotch and a pastel shirt might actually be acceptable. Now we just can't wait for 'Street Scrabble'.

Graphics 80%
Entertaining characters and animation.

Sound 70%
Pleasing soundtrack and chit-chat.

Gameplay 80%
Deep game, loads of variety.

Lifespan 80%
Endless modes, strategies and plays.

Overall 80%
It won't replace PES4 as the post-pub knockabout, but it does make a refreshing change for anyone willing to give it a try.