This year FIFA 15 has focused on various aspects in order to make the game feel more authentic and realistic. We have already addressed the AI and tactical changes in FIFA 15 so we will focus on the feel of the game. Starting off with Goalkeepers that have seen some significant changes. In an effort to make the keepers more realistic the development team embarked on a two-year journey to add that “human” touch. The results are mixed, with keepers now reacting more like humans but also making some mistakes that the majority of top class keepers would be able to avoid. History is repeating itself in a strange way again, as EA previously faced the same challenges when they implemented the impact engine (collision engine).

 

In it’s first year we had some odd occurrences that made for very entertaining YouTube content. Although FIFA 15 was a necessary and welcome addition to the sports gaming arena, moreover, it highlighted EA SPORTS dedication to pushing the boundaries of video game development. The goalkeepers in FIFA 15 seem to have a similar problem in that they either perform incredible and realistic saves that have you on the edge of your seat, or occasionally make comical errors that have you pulling your hair out. It was a risk to implement the new keepers in FIFA 15 but we believe it was one worth taking in order to develop better goalkeepers long term. Recent updates of FIFA 15 have also addressed some of the goalkeeper issues, a positive indication that the development team will continue to improve this area.

 

The main bit of game modes in FIFA 15 includes the standard career mode, where you can be a player or a manager, and the famous FIFA Ultimate Team. The career mode in FIFA 15 is expansive, letting managers to not only run their club, but if played well, be chosen to manage their national side. Similarly, if you play as a pro you could be sent on loans to other clubs where you improve and try to cement a starting spot on your original club. However, I would also say that the AI is a bit more exploitable this time around. There are a couple magic angles in FIFA 15 that you can approach goalies with to completely confuse them. Long runs down the outside seem to get around many defenders without the need for passing.

 

I’d be annoyed at this but it actually kind of makes FIFA 15 more fun. You see, with the knowledge that you can exploit one or two hitches in the AI if you fall behind, you feel free to fool around on the field a bit more. This leads to outrageous situations like scoring goals from center field or running straight down the idle with 4 opposing teammates following you like a pack of angry wolves. These moments are by far the most fun FIFA 15 has to offer, the almost NBA Jam style ludicrous moments where you do something that would make absolutely no sense in a real world context and somehow succeed. In fact, I’d suggest that you keep to playing lower difficulties for just this reason. At higher difficulties you will get away with far less goofy stuff, and in my opinion that just makes the game less fun.

 

The other major change in FIFA 15 is basically EA rubbing everyone’s nose in it that they have the Barclays Premier League license exclusively. As a massive fan of the league, I was super excited that EA was doing this and they did not disappoint. Basically FIFA 15 contains every team, player and now stadium from the league officially and it looks amazing. The Emirates Stadium in London right through to Loftus Road for QPR has been replicated in minute detail. FIFA 15 Ultimate Team now includes loan players, a strategy borrowed from real-world football. Rather than purchasing cards at auction or whole card packs, players can be contracted for a set amount of games. This cheaper option can help fill rosters with good players at a discount rate. Coupled with EA’s efforts to combat cheating, this makes Ultimate Team much more accessible, although it is still not as easy to jump into as Madden Ultimate Team.

 

Should you buy FIFA 15 if you have FIFA 14? Realistically, there’s no need, as the majority of perceivable improvements are mostly superficial. However, those visual improvements add to the game's experience. Plus, if you're a fan of the franchise, you know you're getting the latest FIFA title, anyway.