The big news is that this year's update of FIFA will include... gasp... FEMALE PLAYERS. Not such a radical move, you would think, but it caused great consternation when it was revealed that FIFA 16 will include some international teams from the women's game. About time too. THE ability to reconcile an authentic game of football with an entertaining package has been the forte of EA’s prestigious footballing franchise in recent years. Once an isometric, arcade-style game, it has evolved into a critical and commercial behemoth that plays a fine approximation of the beautiful game. With every annual update bringing the subtlest shifts, the 2016 offering opts for a move towards greater realism and midfield attrition.
Wondering which is this year’s best football game? If you want a comparison between FIFA 16 and PES 2016, you're covered here. I'll be avoiding it as much as possible here, as this is a review of FIFA 16, not PES 2016. There are a few bullet point features EA wants us all to talk about, but the simple fact is they all feel minor on the pitch, and so hardly worth talking about at all. Defending has more animations, but will still make you feel like you can hardly do anything unless you mastered the clunky tactical defending introduced a few years ago (or switch to legacy defending, obviously). And of the old (er) guard in the squad there is plenty to look forward to as well. Michael Mancienne is rated at 73 with high marks for defensive abilities and pace and the likes of Ben Osborn and Britt Assombalonga have the potential to get up towards the 80 mark if managed, and performing, well.
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Defensive options are solid also with Kelvin Wilson, Eric Lichaj and Jack Hobbs all weighing in at 70 of higher to keep a strong back line. And that game made huge strides where this one has arguably gone backwards in some areas and become a little more dull, despite the authenticity of the gameplay. Ultimately, if you're looking for a cracking football game FIFA 16 is it. But then for the first time in years so is PES 2016. If you're lucky enough to afford it, buy both. But you won't be disappointed with either and it certainly doesn't feel like FIFA has been totally toppled by its rival this year. For some years now, Fifa has held sway over Pro Evolution Soccer when it comes to not only the licences (whether it be leagues, player names, or real kits – this is an old argument) but also the gameplay.
The Fifa physics engine, having gone through a barren spell in the early 2000s when PES was regarded as the obvious choice, came back strong post-2010. The slow build-up and the potential for a mistake at any point in the process means that those moments of fluid football feel special. They feel earned. And while the rigidity of the systems that work for the AI will no doubt become obvious and increasingly tedious over time, FIFA manages to make a last ditch tackle feel like an accomplishment rather than an inevitable result of good positioning and stat values. It rewards and reacts to pressure high up the pitch, which can force backpasses and errors, and has excellent positional awareness.
So what else is new? FIFA isn’t really a game that lends itself to showing off fancy lighting effects or breathtaking vistas, so graphically it’s much the same. Where you will notice an improvement is with the way the players move. You get a greater sense of their weight and momentum, something that’s been part of the last few FIFA titles but probably feels more lifelike here than ever before. If you attempt a pass while off balance it’s likely to fall short, while trying to play a pass on the turn may also affect its accuracy.
Perhaps the most important aspect of any football game is how it looks and feels when you unleash a strike at goal. PES has perfected the Thierry Henry-esque finesse shots - they look fabulous. Cutting in from the left flank and bending a shot far corner with Arjen Robben is a joy - the physics are spot on, the ball floats and curls exactly as it should and you’re left feeling satisfied whether the ball drops in the net or outside of the post.
