FIFA 16 is another installment in the most popular soccer simulation series whose consecutive editions has been appearing annually for over 20 years, developed invariably by the Canadian branch of Electronic Arts company. Depending on the platform the game differs little in terms of content, most of the variations boiling down to audio-visuals. PC version, just like the eighth generation consoles’ editions, again uses next-gen Ignite engine, so it looks much better than versions prepared for older platforms. Next I chose to go with Ultimate Team, but like I said in the earlier note it doesn’t really matter what order you do this in. You need an online connection to play this mode, but all but 3 can be done against the AI.

 

You’ll need to do a few tasks that don’t require gameplay such as signing a loan player, applying a chemistry style and changing your captain, and there are a few trophies that require game play. You’ll need to do 10 games at least with a purchased player, and score 50 goals with one card, winning a season along the way. You’ll want to save money to enter the FUT drafts, so if you can afford them, redeem the coin boosts in the EASFC catalogue to get more coins per game. You get one entry free, which you can spend on either, just note that you are much more likely to win the offline draft. If you’re lucky or good, you might win the online draft first time. If not, you may have to grind more coins to get back another fee or buy FIFA points to renter. At some point you’ll also need to visit the Trophy Boosting Thread to win a friendly season.

 

If you can time them to match a burst forward by a winger or overlapping full-back, low but powerful through-balls (L1+Triangle button/LB+Y button) played close to the sidelines can set up an opportunity to deliver the ball into the box. Together with the new “passing with purpose  (RB+A for Xbox, R1 + X for PlayStation) feature that makes the ball arrive faster to its supposed destination, in doing this: it's the “pass-and-go”. Pass and go allows you to have players always in movement throughout the pitch. In previous FIFA games, your scouts wouldn’t immediately know how good your youth players were, and it would take several months for them to narrow down their estimation of the players’ abilities; even then, you’d only get a rough outline of each player’s OVR rating.

 

Once you think your players are good enough, you can promote them to the first team. However, in another very important development to scouting in FIFA 16, there is no longer a May update. The more useful control is the "driven pass," which involves a standard pass command modified with the right bumper button. The pass is faster and sharper to beat the defense but the recipient has a harder time taking control of the ball, particularly if he or she is lower-rated in the ball handling department, or if the passer has a low passing skill. While there’s no snappily titled marquee feature à la the Impact Engine or 360° Dribbling this year, there are so many systems at play now that even reevaluating one sends ripples throughout the game, and EA Canada edge ever closer to parity between them all.

 

This is a game with a hundred tiny changes, rather than a handful of big ones, the inverse of death by a thousand cuts. Life by a thousand plasters, I guess? Stick that on the box, marketers! If the box is really packed and I can’t see a clear opportunity to find a team-mate then I will go for the ground cross by triple tapping the long pass button. Again this can be tough to defend against but it’s a little bit more of a gamble compared to the low cross type, as I find it trickier to anticipate exactly where it will go.

 

I’ve definitely found that working to beat the full-back and going directly for the area is more effective than sticking a cross over against a defence that’s already well positioned behind the ball. It’s also a great way to play if, like me, you enjoy using wide formations and wing play sometimes.