Real Football 2009 HD

Football is a lot more complicated than most people think, you know. The aim of whacking that ball into the net more times than the opposition is a simple one to comprehend, of course, but the methods used to get that ball up the pitch are the stuff of nightmares for the games developers charged with recreating our most beloved sport in a video game.

Just where new do you go each year? With FIFA bedding itself down in flips, tricks and tactics, while Pro Evolution Soccer takes on the realism mantle, adding league after league, stadium after stadium, there's little territory for anyone else to conquer. What's left? More realistic designer stubble? 3D rendering of popstar girlfriends? Bizarre sex scandal mini-games?

Thankfully, Real Football 2009 doesn't muddy itself in the controversial waters of the tabloid's love affair with the Beckhams, Lampards and Gerrards of this world. Nor is it knee-deep in combos that only the incredibly tap-happy can all their own. No, Gameloft's club is one built on honour and a determination to bring accessible football to your mobiles; not headline- worthy, but certainly worth a gander. That's pretty much the game's mantra throughout.

Real Football is the kind of sports sim that only requires a quick glance at the controls for everything to sink in. Though the AI is by no means a walkover, even on easy, it does allow you to pass the ball about fairly easily, making this a game that encourages short and snappy movement rather than elongated dribbles or fancy tricks. Most of the actions you'll need for successful possession are kept to a few key buttons - standard movement is assigned, as usual, to the '2', '4', '6' and '8' keys, while running diagonally is handed over to the numbers that sandwich those keys, essentially turning the keypad into a big D-pad.

This leaves the keys at the bottom free for shooting and tackling (both the '0' key, for instance), meaning - when compared to some of its rivals - keeping track of your players and building your play isn't hampered by an overcomplicated set of controls, though sometimes attempting to leap from key to key can result in an impromptu mini-game of twister on your keypad -a trait certainly not exclusive to Real Football 2009's interpretation of the beautiful game.

Something that other football titles do fail to replicate but is delivered in spades here is the game's sense of speed. Play whips along with a fair amount of pace, and Real Football 2009's much publicised 'HD' visuals mean everything - from the players to the stadia themselves - looks pretty flash and has a distinct sense of realism often missing from phone-y football. You can't fault Gameloft for a lack of ambition.

Nor a dedication to the support, as while official teams are still out of its remit, all the players are here and leagues and cups in the likes of England, Italy, France, Portugal, Germany, as well as an international contest, also make the line-up. Real Football 2009 also benefits from an online league (similar to one employed in Euro 2008's outing on home consoles this summer) that rates your performances for a global table, though you do have to register with the publisher to make full use of this.

Nevertheless, it's another sign of the ambition of a title that aims to be planet football for everyone. The occasional bout of slowdown aside (easily fixed by returning to your phone's OS and then back again), Gameloft has again served up a strong effort that manages to carve out the middle-ground between its two main rivals, and may well find itself the most palatable option as a result.