With the customary all-day drinking sessions, seasonal armchair supporters and giant national flags hanging from every bedroom window, the Euro football championships always spark a wave of municipal momentary madness, and although Codemasters may have jumped on this like David James would smother a withering daisy cutter, EA didn't want to miss out on the party either.

Already home to the fantastic FIFA 2004, it's no surprise that Euro 2004 is the FIFA engine in an away kit with a couple of neat new skills. Focusing, unsurprisingly, on all of the European international teams, there's the usual match choices of Friendly, Tournament, Practice, Penalty Shootouts and Fantasy, where players pick their ultimate Euro dream teams.

The mediocre Career mode involves taking a team through the Euro qualifiers to the knockout tournament, and ultimately the Euro final itself. Once again there's an impressive lineup of customisable options, from formation and tactics to the direction and precise positions your squad will assume for free kicks and corners.

The gameplay itself is again a fantastic balance of team-based fluidity and individual player skill. Passing is measured and responsive, and the one-two manoeuvre, a staple of fast, attacking football, is easier than ever to pull off with a quick double-tap of the A button. In fact all three methods of passing are very intuitive, and mixing up short accurate passes and weighted lofted balls is an authentic and satisfying experience. The opposition AI is both attentive and realistic; defenders will press and close down attackers when necessary, yet also track back at the appropriate times. Because of their intelligent positioning, more often than not it's vital to use the through-ball option on every attack, playing the ball into your striker's path as opposed to directly to his feet. The individual player skills return, accessed via the Right thumbstick, which sees your prima donnas jinxing back and forth, dropping shoulders and nutmegging the opposition. Aside from looking ace, this radically enhances gameplay as along with getting out of a tight spot, it allows the individual merits of each star to shine - making dribbling and turning infinitely easier. The brilliant, albeit somewhat tricky 'off the ball' option also makes a welcome appearance, where players, when in possession, can select specific receivers for pinpoint passes.

So what's not to love? Well, along with a bit of graphical gloss (although the characters still look a bit rough around the edges), we're pleased to say the game plays better than ever. Calmly play into the opposition's half, and they'll mark and move in a measured way. Sprint through however, relying on skill and dribbling ability, and the AI team shift up a gear and significantly up the pace of the game. A couple of great new features compound this. Along with a new Free Kick mode, budding Beckhams can now precisely deliver crosses and chip keepers by using the X and B buttons respectively, in conjunction with the Left trigger.

However, when you get to the real core of the game, Euro 2004 has unfortunately got less meat to it than what's between most Premiership players' ears. Four-way multiplayer is a brilliant laugh, but if you take away most of the chuffer teams, there's the option of only five or six decent squads to play with. This is reflected in the single-player game too, as there are only so many times you can play through the Euro championship, and this makes Euro 2004 look limited compared to the expansive likes of FIFA 2004. And whilst we're on the subject of multiplayer, we know it's getting tiresome but the lack of Xbox Live play with EA games really makes Euro 2004 suffer in light of England International Football, the first Live playable footy sim.

Euro 2004 slots home a tidy little game, which plays brilliantly and includes loads of great little touches. The emphasis is on 'little' however, but a lacking single-player game shouldn't detract from the fact this is four-way footy at its best, and almost grasps Jules Rimet greatness.

1. Brilliant individual player skill
2. Tons of new gameplay features
3. Fluid play

1. Limited choice of decent teams
2. No Live play

Power
Even longer grass won't stop these players nipping round the pitch, and there's no sign of slowdown.

Style
Another eclectic soundtrack and voiceover are slightly marred by some rough and ready characters.

Immersion
Intuitive controls, the complexity of which can slowly increase with a player's growing ability.

Lifespan
Not a massive single-player game, but the frantic multiplayer should lob this well into next season.

Summary
The most realistic and technical football sim on Xbox, let down only by limited team options and no Xbox Live play.