Just in time - improved controls, graphics, new features. Yeap, UEFA EURO 2008 is better then any other football game.
So the first and most important: i really LOVED the game. It's amazing. I've spent all my Sunday's free-time on playing. I tried different game modes, starting from quick match to online playing.
As i played the demo i was a bit ready to see improving from year to year graphics, new gameplay features, such as personal goal celebration, which can be choosed after scoring and hard-to-perform tricks and feints. Even after reading manual some tricks are difficult and you have all things you need to make each match exclusive-stylish with every player personal gameplay style. Of course i don't even start talking about licensing - everything is great and even Russian national looks (visual) close to real prototypes - that's hard to believe.
I also created myself in "Captain your country" Funny, but not so easy - in demo i played for Klose or Podolsky, and here i got a player of Russia national with speed ~40 and bad shoot power. Hah.. i played 2 matches, it was funny, really! I will improve, i'm sure.
Scoring - is really very important and rather difficult. A remember some years ago it was easy to score from any point of the pitch, you should just find the right shot power and score. Nowdays, if you just press "shot" button - you will not score in 99%. Goalkeepers take these shots as they looks easy for them.. i can't agree with such position, some shots were really good and hard to save, but keeper saved them in the same manner he takes easy ball. But you should just work hard and find a way which will allow you to have 100% score - it's a little strafe before shooting, you just need a second for it, but if you are in time - you will score.
Playing online is interesting, i played some rating matches, 2-3 times started UERO online tournament but only once proceeded to next stage, where lost. One time i was close to win Russia against France, but player leaved on 85 min. (Heh, he got my negative report on his profile, burn in hell, looser). I had really interesting matches, most of them i've lost on last 10 minutes or even in extra-time. I still have to improve my concentration on last minutes.
Some words about my girlfriend. She played football for 1st time and she played 4 matches for Italy against Andorra and San Marino. She have scored only in the last one. The other matches she had lots of moments, but could not finish them - she did not understand how the power for the shot should be. She made very very high shots, instead of aiming power. So, for newcomers the game has a miss of tutorial, i think.
So, positive features costs much more than some negatives, so the game deserves high score and i put 8.5 - there are still some thing to be done before it will be 10. A "Must Have" game to spend your time before (and after) upcoming UEFA EURO tournament.