Players on defense will actively go after the ball. They’ll jump right into the passing lanes, making it tougher than ever to keep possession, especially in the midfield. Initially, that was fantastic to see. The problem quickly became apparent when players whose team has possession will just stand around and watch, and allow the defenders to get to the ball without making an effort of their own. Passing also seems to randomly go haywire, with an unusual amount of power (for how long the button was held) being placed on balls that are sent beyond their intended targets, who let them go right by. The problem with this slower pace and more deliberate build-up play is that FIFA 16 loses that little bit of magic along the way. With a much slower pace overall, players really have to fight for every inch of space, although FIFA 16 does, in fairness, give players more tools than ever to eke out that extra yard.
The same can’t be said for matches against the AI, which very quickly lose their charm despite the impressive array of game modes and competitions to compete in. Like FIFA 16’s underlying mechanics, the AI is repetitious, performing the same old predictable runs down the pitch. Despite numerous improvements over the years, playing against the AI feels no closer to playing against a human opponent, let alone a real-life football team. You can at least now temporarily create your dream team thanks to the addition of Ultimate Team draft. This allows you to draft a team from a selection of top-rated players and take control of them over the course of three matches. While it’s a nice way of trying out players without the patience required to normally acquire them in Ultimate Team, the three-match limit means the draft lacks the depth to make it little more than a mildly amusing novelty.
The new skill games introduced this year are excellent, and double-up by giving career mode new impetus with the introduction of player training. Players can take part in up to five drills per week, and taking control of the training yourself is no laborious task. Each drill is fun to play and offers an interesting challenge. It adds a bit of spice to a mode continuing to age fast in all other respects. EA's other attempt at coaching, FIFA Trainer, however, is a visual mess which overwhelms the player with too much information and detracts from the football. It's reminiscent of FIFA 04's off-the-ball passing mechanic, where players were too focused on everything other than the man on the ball, meaning possession was frequently lost.
FIFA also continues to boast the best online mode, cleverly turning games into a promotion/relegation battle filled with dynamic commentary; and as I mentioned before, the best Ultimate Team mode. Last generation, it was so far ahead of the pack that it made games like Madden seem embarrassing by comparison. This generation, it's still very strong, but the gap has narrowed considerably. Among other things, it could use some work in the looks department. The character models are detailed and attractive, and they generally animate fine, but the stadiums in particular could use a lot of work. I was particuarly shocked by how bad Centurylink Field - a new addition - looked in comparison to its Madden NFL 16 equivalent. Granted, Madden and FIFA are two very different games, but the wide angle shots looked straight out of the Xbox 360 (to be fair, more established locales like the Etihad and the Santiago Bernabeu look fine, though lacking in detail).
When I got FIFA 15 retail code last year I felt like I had the game worked out in hours. Through balls down the line, check. Cut backs, check. Pace and strength, check. All the usual FIFA tropes were there, and as such the adaptation period from FIFA 14 was almost instantaneous. FIFA 16 absolutely requires a new approach from the player, so I’d urge you to be patient and not knee-jerk to the initial feeling which can be jarring. But for me, I now find myself looking forward to weeks of unpicking FIFA 16’s intricacies, as opposed to hours of searching for anything new and coming up disappointed. I'll save the hyperbolic "THE KING IS DEAD/ALIVE" review finisher for IGN and co, but what I will end on is this. If you craved, a slower and more thoughtful game of football from EA last year. FIFA 16 is definitely for you. It certainly is for me anyway.
