In FIFA 16, there’s undoubtedly a shift towards a more defensive-minded AI structure. It’s a bit like an older model with a fresh coat of paint and some fine tuning. Combined with new animations, drastic changes to both the acceleration and deceleration curves of players means the AI reacts faster to a swift change in direction and/or a turnover. The midfield no longer feels merely like a “zone”, whereas in other games it was more of a tussle with players sweeping back and forward in line with the ball.
If you're on the attacking side and have managed to through the midfield and the last line of defense, your teammates do well to react to incoming crosses into the box, and make themselves available for breakout passes. Like passing, the shooting mechanics have been tweaked as well. You'll need to learn your strikers particular quirks with regards to angle, direction, and power of the shot. There's certainly a higher percentage of missed shots this year, thanks to these new mechanics. On the whole, it's not just that FIFA 16 plays differently, it plays better and more lifelike.
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My career player is a wingback with responsibilities in defense and attack. Trying to monitor potential routes for opponent through balls, not only marking but anticipating, is nerve-wracking. My Bury minnows just lost in a League Cup game against Newcastle and I spent most of the first half pinned back, trying to stop runs down the right. Not fast enough to keep up with the Newcastle winger, I stayed deep, trying to predict his runs and cut them off before they began. By the start of the second half, 2-0 down, the manager shifted me to a forward position on the left and I managed to help the team pull a goal back by persistently cutting inside and dragging defenders out of position.
Another new feature added to this season’s title is FIFA Ultimate Team Draft. I was expecting this mode to be nearly identical to the Draft Champions mode that was introduced in this year’s Madden (which I really like) and it is…mostly. For those that aren’t familiar with the mode, FIFA Ultimate Team Draft is essentially a sports fantasy draft mixed with Ultimate Team mode. Where the FIFA iteration differs from Madden, is that it requires you to use in game currency to play this mode (no I can’t escape the microtransactions). You play a series of four games or until you lose.
Once you’re finished you receive prizes depending on how you place within the four games. I played Draft, won all four games and received two gold packs to use for my Ultimate team. I like the concept of receiving rewards in Draft mode that can be utilized for my Ultimate Team. What "FIFA 16" markedly improves is the realism of the in-game physics. Don't get me wrong; it was great in past "FIFA" editions to simply exhaust the "sprint" button and decimate teams with a surge of pace, a well-aimed cross and a thumping header multiple times a game. It was equally satisfying to never miss a slide tackle regardless of my angle, timing or path to the ball. Opponents cowered at my affinity for never misplacing a pass.
EA Sports has really stepped up their game these past few months by answering to the laundry list of game-specific requests players have demanded from the video game giant. The final quarter of 2015 has been perhaps one of EA’s most innovative and impressive performance in a long time. They’ve managed to take full advantage of the next-generation consoles by delivering both original and inventive games across their entire portfolio. They have also managed to right the ship from last year’s debacle of sport games that felt more like expansion packs rather than completed games.
