FIFA finds itself in a rut, a striker’s goal drought as it were. The franchise has become so phenomenally popular that the game reeks of complacency and a distinct lack of improvement since FIFA 14. EA struck gold annually on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in a way only Activision matched with Call of Duty. Now though, gamers are suffering as the game struggles (or possibly refuses to) progress.
One area in which FIFA 15 nailed was fouls and so far my experience with FIFA 16 has produced mixed results as some matches will see aggressive pressure applied by the CPU (especially in the Barclays Premier League) resulting in a lot of fouls while others will produce maybe 2 fouls all match (Default World Class - 10 min halves). A deeper dive into the tactics, instructions and mentalities of players and teams might lead to the root of this issue. But as of right now fouls by the CPU are a bit on the low side. I am happy to say that handballs, broken in FIFA 15, work now.
What you all want to know I guess, is whether FIFA 16 is any good? The new features making their debut this year like Passing with Purpose, Agility in Defending and the new crossing all stand up really well, with the R1+X pass being probably my favourite addition. FIFA’s default pass speed has always been too slow for me, so being able to inject pace on demand (with appropriate risk/reward) feels great and for switching the play, and cutting through defensive lines, Passing with Purpose opens doors you just weren't able to before.
Smaller additions include new celebrations such as running to the camera or towards your bench as teammates flood the scorer and the crowds chant your name. New weather conditions are always welcome as this season’s entry adds hazy and foggy conditions among others resulting in unique scenarios unavailable in the orthodox ‘Clear’ or ‘Cloudy’ conditions. Players can now also hold the right bumper when passing to launch a powerful driven pass across the pitch which I used more often than I thought I would have to spread the play quickly and attack from the other flank.
Other modes such as co-op seasons and Pro Clubs have stayed almost the same. I also really want to see the be-a-pro mode to taken to new heights. The training feature I mentioned earlier is fun and different, which is a step in the right direction, but there needs to be more than that. We’ve seen what can be done when looking at 2K15 as an example. Now that’s a be-a-pro mode that nailed it.
FIFA 16 promises to be better. In fact, if EA wants to keep competing with the much improved PES 2016, it has no choice but to up its game. Early on EA Sports made it clear that this year's goal was to improve the game that they created last year, and the new playable demo has made that even clearer. A few games were enough to realise that all gaming areas have evolved, and that the football experience it provides is much more solid and cohesive than last year - even if we're still not sure how this will feel after extended play.
Last year, many considered FIFA’s competition, “Pro Evolution Soccer,” to have surpassed it in terms of gameplay. It’s clear EA recognized it had work to do - it made considerable improvements on the pitch for “FIFA 16” and added options for use at the player’s disposal.
