The new FIFA – FIFA 11 – is without doubt one of my favourite games of all time. It’s not perfect, but it’s a definite improvement on the previous version, and far better than the latest PES. There’s still the odd moment where your goalie decides to sprint inexplicably for the ball, and the frequent drops in online mode are annoying, but overall it’s a fantastic game.

What’s New

The main development in FIFA 11 is the completely overhauled career mode. Instead of having a “Be A Pro” and Manager mode, the two are now rolled into one, making the whole thing seem more streamlined. There’s also now the option to play as a “player manager”, and you can work your way through the ranks as a player before becoming a manager. In short, there’s enough in the new career mode to keep you entertained until the inevitable FIFA 12.

The passing system has also been redone – it’s not so easy to play like Barcelona anymore. A problem with the previous games was that you could ping the ball around like a footballing genius with pretty much any team, but this is much harder now, forcing you to play to a team’s strength. Top players of FIFA 10 may find the new system annoying, as it is difficult to get the pass strength right every time, but it’s undeniably an improvement and means it’s not just about slick passing moves, but it also opens up the wings and other tactics.

It hasn’t been advertised as a new feature, but it’s now much easier to score from crosses. Whether it’s a header, volley, or overhead kick, more goals are scored from crosses than ever before. The result is that games are much more realistic and not so one dimensional, making for a better overall experience.

Another big feature is being able to play as a goalie. I haven’t tried this much, as it involves waiting around for long periods of time, but the system seems to work well. Essentially, you just have to get in the right position (which is displayed as a market beneath the player’s feet) and decide when to dive. It sounds easy, but it’s actually pretty hard, and will take some getting used to. This feature is where the “We are 11″ slogan comes from, as it allows you to play in a team full of other players.

What doesn’t work

It seems that the hardest part of developing a football game is getting the goalies to play like the real thing. FIFA 11 is much improved in this department, with suicidal rushes out the penalty area into no man’s land much less common, but they still make inexplicable mistakes.

I also have a lot of trouble getting an online game, as the lobby seems to drop frequently. This may be something to do with my internet connection, but I’ve heard other people have the same problem.

Sometimes the games seem a bit pedestrian, but this is probably a consequence of the more realistic passing. Some matches can degenerate into a lot of midfield tackling, which is frustrating but closer to the real thing, which is the ultimate goal of FIFA after all.

Overall, FIFA 11 is a top game that any football fan should buy. I haven’t played the full version of PES this year, but from the reviews I don’t think I need to. Along with the new features, FIFA also comes with all the correct players, licences for the FA cup and other competitions, and a range of other game modes that make it the best football game I’ve ever played.

I love my HTC Desire, but there’s a major problem with it that I haven’t seen addressed anywhere – the battery life. I understand that it’s a high tech phone with a lot of features, but if it can’t last more than 24 hours with medium level usage then it becomes extremely frustrating. Have I just got a bad battery, or is this a problem with all the Desires?

Part of the problem is the phone seems to use so much battery when it’s on standby. I can understand it being battery intensive while playing games or watching video, but even the iPhone seems to retain battery life better when it’s not in use. Looking at my battery usage, it seems that WiFi takes up about a third of the battery life (on a side note, does anyone know how to turn off the WiFi without it turning itself back on?).

Yes, I could turn off the live background, go without WiFi and various other things, but the whole reason I bought the phone was to use these features! If I go on a quick train journey to London, I don’t want to have to be thinking about the battery life even if I left with full charge.

So for now, my only option is to charge the phone every night. Not the end of the world, but hopefully by the time I need to get my next phone the batteries will be a lot better. Aside from the battery life, the phone is brilliant and does everything I want, so it’s a shame to be let down by this fundamental problem. I don’t think it’s something that just affects the Desire though – more smart phones have big issues with battery life.

I always enjoy visiting London – there’s so much to see and do. Living in a city isn’t something that appeals to me, but there’s no denying that there is always something to keep you entertained. Here’s a few trips that I recommend to anyone who wants to visit London, but isn’t sure what to see.

London Dungeons

This is a tourist attraction – not the real dungeons at the Tower Of London – but it’s still a great family day out. There are a number of “rooms” where actors tell stories of horrible things that have happened in the past, and the trip ends with a short ride for those that want to go on it. It’s very well done, and people of all ages will enjoy it. The queues can be huge though, so make sure you book in advance and try to get there early. We booked but still ended up waiting outside for about an hour, and then there’s another queue inside.

See A Play

Going to the theatre isn’t something I necessarily want to do, but every time I go I enjoy it. Plays in London aren’t as expensive as you’d think, and there are a number of different ones to see. Some good ones include Monty Python Spamalot , Wicked and Blood Brothers. The classics such as Cats are also always around.

Do a Run

This is something that needs to be planned in advanced, but it’s a lot of fun running for charity in a London event. There’s always lots of entertainment, and the general atmosphere is friendly. Not only that, but you can raise a lot of money for a worthy charity by doing a 5k or 10k run, and you don’t have to be super fit to do them as most people don’t race.

London Eye

Going on the London Eye is simply something that you have to do while in London, as the views from the top are amazing. It’s a fairly slow ride, so it isn’t going to scare people who don’t like rides, and it takes around 20 minutes in total. Like all the attractions in London, the queues can be quite long so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to go and see it.

These are just some of the fun things to do in London, do you have any other recommendations? If you do, leave them in the comments below.