FIFA is one of the most popular gaming series around the world and has been one of EA Sports big guns for years now. Whether you call it soccer or football, the sport is farther reaching than any other and FIFA without a doubt has helped its growth in the US. Building upon the fever surrounding the Women’s World Cup from earlier this year with the addition of female players for the first time, EA Sports takes an already solid foundation and gives us even more in FIFA 16.

 

When FIFA 16 arrived at the office, I was a little rusty. I hadn’t put in an exceptional amount of hours on FIFA over the past year, but I had decided to truly re-learn the game inside and out. Luckily, for new players or those honing their skills like me, EA has included the FIFA Trainer, An overlay that can easily be switched on and off with a press of the right joystick, the trainer shows the player two options of moves optimal for the current situation. When defending, commands like “Switch Player” and “Slide Tackle” may appear, or “Through pass” and “Lob Pass” for a player on offense.

 

Previously attempting a sliding tackle left you with just one opportunity to get it right before your opponent left you in the dust. A well-timed tap of the tackle button again lets your player pick himself up and take another chance at intercepting the ball. Your teammates will cover gaps as you chase down the ball and block points of attack. Thanks to tweaks to the defensive AI and an expanded move list, having an advantage in terms of pace alone isn't enough to get the better of a defender. Compared to the demo, crosses and headers aren't as laser-guided or precise as they were. That's a much needed improvement in our opinion, as it ensures your attacks aren't overpowered.

 

Taking on the goalkeeper in one-on-one is challenging as well, making for tense encounters. Though we should point out that it is still possible to score goals from unlikely angles at a rate that's way higher than in the real world. But don't worry too much if you find yourself somewhat unstuck, as FIFA Trainer - a new feature that's built directly into the gameplay - can help both newcomers and veterans refine their game. Essentially, Trainer gives you on-screen, in-action instructions depending on your current situation, and you can turn it on and off with a click of R3. It'll tell you which direction you should be moving, it'll list available commands, and it'll even provide you with button prompts if you feel that you need them.

 

If you've ever been put off by the franchise's myriad input combinations, then FIFA Trainer might just help you get to grips with the title's finer points. With that in mind, you could say that this year's release is a great place to start. The game's most popular mode, Ultimate Team, remains as compelling as ever. There's a neat 'draft' mode which you can spend tokens to play in. You get to choose from a handful of top players for each position to make a team and are then tasked with going on a winning streak to win coins for your main club. You have to give the players back at the end of the series -- the cynic might say that it's a clever trick to make you want better players for your main club and encourages you to splash the (real) cash on the collectible player packs-- but it's fun while it lasts.

 

And yet, undoubtedly, FIFA 16 will dominate the sports game charts as it has done so successfully for so long-the brand alone will ensure of that. This is a great game for delivering a quick fix of football action wrapped up in the sharpest of visuals and the flashiest of presentations. But releasing a game as safe and as conservative as FIFA 16 while rival PES continues to push the boundaries and diversity of play means that, for the first time in a long time, FIFA isn’t the best football game out there.