Reading the plethora of video game websites and publications out there, you would be hard-pressed to find too many positive things said about the FIFA series. "It's too slow," some say. Others say, "the controls aren't realistic," forgetting the fact that, unless you have a tethered ball attached to your console, how realistic could it be? And yet more bark, "Winning Eleven blows this series away." Don't listen to those watered-down opinions passed on by some random UK mag. They know not what they speak. I, being incredibly intelligent (as well as handsome), do.

FIFA is traditionally a slow series. But this is soccer. Soccer is not really known for its blazing speed. That would be basketball, and if you're looking for that kind of action, may I interest you in Nintendo's upcoming Super Mario Strikers. If you're instead looking for a realistic game of soccer with unparalleled presentation, look no further than FIFA 06: Road to the World Cup.

The thing about FIFA 06is it makes a true effort to stay true to the sport, and this means taking control out of your hands sometimes. If a lob ball is on its way to you and an opponent, you'll notice the game takes control to push you towards the right spot. Even when the ball is on the ground and you're trying to maneuver for position, the game will automatically position you (or your opponent) as to keep the action going.

But if you take that in stride, you'll notice that it does lead to a more realistic game of soccer. And while I've watched plenty of soccer matches that play out at a decent clip, the vast majority are more play-oriented and patient, even pedantic. That's part of the sport, and FIFA captures that perfectly, like it or not.

Now, with FIFA 06, EA Sports is bringing that kind of action to the Xbox 360, and the controls are just as responsive (to that certain extent) as they've ever been in the series. You could attribute that to the fine tuning that comes from over a decade of being on the market, or maybe it's the incredibly smooth animation on the pitch. Whatever it is, this is the smoothest controlling FIFA I've ever played.

Sadly, while that should be enough to declare it the best game in the series, it isn't. For if you take a close look at the title, one of its biggest faults is right there for you to see. FIFA 06: Road to the World Cup. This game is merely the road to the World Cup. It's not even the World Cup, but the European Qualifications on said road to said cup. Sure, it's got custom tourneys and all, and the road is quite a lengthy one, but compared to FIFA 06 (note the lack of road-centric subtitle), it's a bit disappointing. The regular FIFA 06 that hit the previous generation consoles earlier this year was deep in modes, including coaching modes and league modes (this edition instead sticks with international clubs), and extras like great moments in FIFA history are missing here.

But if you never used any of those modes anyway, and if you're not a big fan of extras and bonuses, FIFA 06: Road to the World Cup is a visual treat. Players are modeled with extreme attention to detail, so cloth actually moves without the immense amount of starch you may be accustomed to in previous versions. Players' faces are true to real life, even though they have that same plastic look computer-generated faces always have, but they're definitely impressive.

Once the action hits and the game is underway, you're taken aback by how fluid and smoothly the game moves. The animation is gorgeous, the colors are vibrant, and you've literally never seen a more beautiful game of football. At least until an instant replay pops up. See, this is the thing (or seems to be the thing) with EA Sports titles. They try to overachieve with certain details, and that's great in a lot of respects. But when it comes to getting closer to the action, you start to see some stuttering and jumped frames, like you're watching an old Keystone Kops movie. It's jarring, because the game is so immersive until something like that happens. Then it really takes you out of the game.

But if you ignore that, you'll find a wonderful visual experience. The audio is also as tremendous as it usually is in this series. The soundtrack is large and varied (this isn't the monotonous NBA Live 06 soundtrack; I get it, basketball means rap soundtrack, well met), and the sound effects on the pitch are really great. Details like hearing the stadium's announcer introducing the two teams, or hearing the home team's anthem before a match, these are details not new to a FIFA fan, but they're still impressive.

The commentary is equally impressive, and while I still miss John Motson's commentary, I'm starting to warm to his recent replacement in Clive Tyldsley. I do look forward to the day when they have enough sound clips to keep things fresh, though, as I did hear certain lines a couple of times during the same match, maybe even the same half. Still, the commentary runs smoothly and bodes well for the future.

That's what it comes down to really. The future of FIFA is looking extremely bright, and FIFA 06: Road to the World Cup proves that in a number of ways. That's also a problem, though, because I shouldn't be looking forward to playing the next game based on this one. I should be looking forward to playing this one some more. With that said, haters be damned. If you're looking for a beautiful time with the world's most popular sport, FIFA 06: Road to the World Cup is well worth the purchase price and is a bright spot in the Xbox 360 lineup.