Konami's celebrated soccer series returns to PlayStation 3 with an emphasis on improved control and strategy on the pitch. Revamped animations and physics are designed to offer more lifelike results, from acceleration and tackling to jostling and blocking. The presentation features over 1000 new animations in total, captured from more than 100 hours of motion-captured recordings of athletes. Other changes include improvements to defender artificial intelligence, so that they better hold their positions, and an enhanced passing system. A new shot and stamina meter lets you see each athlete's current level of fitness at a glance, which is important since sprinting now has a detrimental effect on player performance and abilities over time. Perhaps the biggest addition for series veterans is the option to play the franchise-like "Master League" mode online against players from around the world.