For some years now, Fifa has held sway over Pro Evolution Soccer when it comes to not only the licenses (whether it be leagues, player names, or real kits - this is an old argument) but also the gameplay. The world’s best don’t stand out, and every player feels the same on and off the ball. One reason for this could be the re-design that defending has received. Players at the back have become a lot more pro-active, stepping out to intercept passes and swarm all over static forwards.
The following tips, tactics and tricks have been written with online play in mind, but many of the techniques will translate into single-player sessions. If you’re struggling in general, we’d advise that you head to Seasons mode to practice in a realistic, live-fire environment: this way, there’s less chance that you’ll encounter the squads of human bulldozers that savvy Ultimate Team players are assembling. That said, stick to teams of a no more than a four-and-a-half star rating to avoid an interminable succession of Real Madrid fan boys.
Those guys are holes, and you’ll learn little by filling the air with choice invective as they run Ronaldo in inexplicably effective straight lines. Without further ado, then, the most impact changes coming to FIFA 16… Kick off a new draft mode and you will be presented a selection of players for each position. Up front you might have the choice between Ibrahimovic, Rooney and Arguer, at left back it might be Alaba, Baines or Marcelo. Genuinely, no matter which of the options you pick you’re going to be at the helm of a dream team.
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That said, this isn’t a bus-parking simulator; it works the other way too. Opposition teams move the ball quickly, so you’ll have to be smart with your pressing if you want to force them into making an error that could lead to turning over possession. No wonder EA has added a Guardiola-style Rondo drill to the pre-match mini-games - those are the piggy-in-the-middle warm-ups you see Bayern and Barca doing at breathtaking speed on the pitch before kick-off.
Try your hand at a seemingly infinite career: Follow in the footsteps of Manuel Pellegrini and grind your way to a league title while deriving as little pleasure as possible. Or emulate the path of Harry Kane and work your way from a team's fringe to getting your name tattooed on beer bellies of the hard-core fans. Either road is satisfactory. Use Concept Teams in the Squads tab to brainstorm the virtual pitch. Have a look at how your daydream squad will mesh. Lay them out in their positions and check their chemistry, or even plan a few unstoppable formations. If you fail to prepare, be prepared to fail.
Strangely, FIFA is only accorded with that degree of TLC within its first month or two on sale, despite the fact that it’s a year-round going concern for a large and vocal fanbase. After an initial wave of bug fixes and (usually minor) refinements, EA Sports are generally happy to leave FIFA’s match engine untouched. A longstanding idiosyncrasy of the FIFA engine that returns for FIFA 16: players assigned to the CDM role, even those who specialize in that position with specific instructions to stay back, have a tendency to go wandering. In this instance, Ramires is further forward than Costa when a modicum of good fortune leads to a goal...
The same great ball physics of past FIFA’s is included, so that the ball can ricochet off the goalie and other players and allow for competitive corner kicks, and put back goals. It’s a great graphics engine, and there are also enhancements to the game engine allowing for noticeable AI player improvements. The game does feature a similar on screen control scheme to year’s past, though this year seems to make it more difficult to properly set the power of shots and passes.
