FIFA 16 is a generous package that's fit to burst with leagues, licenses and single and multiplayer game modes, but EA's pursuit of realism takes some of the shine off of the on-field action. The likes of Brendan Rodgers and Louis Van Gaal are always bleating on about their footballing philosophies, so much so that you'll need a bachelor's degree just to understand their post-match interviews on Match of the Day. New tackling mechanics and animations are set to change how players win back the ball. EA revealed the the brand-new slide tackle system will make it possible to control the length of the slide tackle and if the opposition changes direction, you’ll be able to stop mid-tackle, get up off the ground and react to the change in attack.

 

FIFA 16 will see new interception logic that will help players better anticipate passes. EA have said that “when your team is in possession of the ball, players will react faster and find space to create passing opportunities. In defence, players help to cover open spaces and look to avoid being caught out of position.” Unfortunately, that's still a question we can't answer. It's been several years since FIFA was released for Mac OS. Only FIFA 12 and FIFA 13 are available on the platform, and those aren't even available through the EA Origin Store (where you'll find PC downloads only for FIFA) or through the Mac App Store. Many previous FIFA games are available for iPad and iPhone, though, including FIFA 15 Ultimate Team, right back to FIFA 10, so it seems likely that the game will arrive on iPad and iPhone in some form shortly after the PC and console release in September.

 

Electronic Arts has confirmed that the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of FIFA 16 will not include some of the features seen in the current-generation versions of the football title. According to Amazon Italy, the upcoming release will be available for PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC. It is reported that FIFA 16 will have a retail price of 73 Euros ( $81.23) for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, 70 Euros ($77.87) for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 and 60 Euros ($66.75) for the PC. The publishing giant outlined the list of missing features in a blog post, which it attributes to "console limitations" of the PS3 and Xbox 360. 

 

Unfortunately, most of what made early Career Modes so great EA phased out over time. By FIFA 11, staff upgrades, sponsors and ticket sales were all gone. This was and still is common with sports games. It’s most notable when jumping to next-gen consoles. Look at F1 2015, the first next-gen F1 game, which this year is a shell of previous years. Does that make an okay a genuinely good game? Not really. FIFA 16: Ultimate Team is a process, and ultimately you'll get a better grasp of the beautiful game taking on a series like Score! than you will attempting to live out your footballing fantasies on FIFA's pitch. The Ultimate Team formula is already a proven one and if you're of a 'gotta catch em all' mentality, it's hard to argue that there isn't much here for you to enjoy, but as a simulation of a game of football, FIFA 16 is something of a non-event.

 

Truth be told he carried on running in a straight line, the ball went past him and the forward was through on objective. Twice. In the same diversion. Welcome to FIFA 16. It’s a lofty expectation to absorb information and the lessened level of AI included while controlling a player means the times of sluggish protecting – and assaulting – are a distant memory. I lost tally of the quantity of punishments I gave away right off the bat by accepting that accusing at the man of the ball would mean I would just leave away with it.

 

I enjoyed FIFA 16 Ultimate Team. It lives up to its name with its emphasis on squad building, and it provides a smooth player experience that anyone can find accessible and enjoy. The action buttons are a bit too large, but FIFA 16 is by far the best mobile football experience around. It is a hard one to beat.