In a year where EA have released football games as frequently as Danny Welbeck has found the back of the net, we now approach the business end of the football gaming calendar. Following a solid first attempt on next-gen with FIFA 14, there is no doubt that the anticipation for FIFA 15 is high.
So EA Sports decided last year to launch FIFA 14 first in the previous generation consoles and then, at the end of the year, a first vision of virtual football on the new machines and PC. Perhaps what caused the shortest time between two productions under the FIFA seal, close to 10 months. But if the entry-level version in the new generation sought to capitalize from the early adopters of the machines, the bulk of consumers had no reservations swipe the card with the previous generation, the end point of a series that met success on these platforms.
It’s not all doom and gloom, there are lots of aspects EA get spot on. In this case, it is the passing fluidity and animations that have reaped the benefits. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a one-touch build up play full of little flicks, back heels and quick passes in real life. EA have finally brought this kind of quick action build up play into the game, resulting in some of the most aesthetic passing and build up gameplay in FIFA that I’ve ever seen.
The alterations are extremely subtle, but there’s enough there for you to say to yourself ‘that would have been a goal on FIFA 14′ almost every time you sit down to play. Players can hit the ball harder. The ball moves less predictably. Strikers with a 60 rating for finishing often shank shots, struggling to find the corner of the goal from the edge of the box. One change that EA has been hyping up is the reworked goalkeepers. They’re undoubtedly a huge positive, but sadly where we also see one of the negatives creeping in.
Player models have been redone to make their shape more natural, shirts are much improved and can now be pulled, LED ad boards are now animated rather than rolling, 10 man celebrations are now possible (should be a laugh in clubs...) and corner flags will now move when clipped. It's all small stuff for sure, but it's bloody lovely to see.
Though these interstitials should, perhaps, be optional, some players will relish a second viewing of a blistering strike. And the role of presentational tweaks shouldn’t be easily dismissed. The wealth of cosmetic changes during gameplay all contribute to the big-match feel, and helps you become more invested in the outcome of a game. If you’re a fan of a mid- to lower-table Premier League team in particular, the novelty of seeing the stands you’ve likely sat in and cheered your side on from, as well as hearing the chants of your fellow supporters, will take some time to wear off.
Possession is key in this Fifa and I like that a lot, not like last year when you just run down the wing and get the cross in for the op header. This year seems to cater to pretty much all of Messi’s attributes, running with the ball in tight spaces, being agile around defenders. Group defending is the best way to stop it, cut off open areas and you’ll be fine. People act like players don’t make mistakes in real life and then get pissed when they do on a game
A couple of new mechanics make the overall FUT experience a bit more user friendly. First off, whenever you’re adjusting your lineup, the player swap menu now allows you to see exactly what effect on the team chemistry and rating your substitute will have. So instead of jumping through menus multiple times and seeing the result afterward, you can instantly preview what effect any given personnel change will have. Secondly, a new option for Concept Squads allows players to pull any footballers they want and build the design of their future team. For the dedicated fans, this is a great planning tool to see exactly what a squad will look like, and you could even use Concept players and throw them into your existing lineup, so there’s no guesswork on how a new player that you plan to purchase will synergize in the squad.
