FIFA 16 news is quickly filtering through following E3’s big burst of information from EA, and now they’re expanding on each area that they touched upon during their press conference. Luckily, the chief gameplay alterations at the heart of FIFA 16 aren’t just some sort of superficial sugarcoat to an already competent system; they actually do modify the feel of the game quite drastically. Players who are most at home with quick, singular dribbling will benefit most, undoubtedly, as the game’s mechanics for close-knit play are far more dynamic, allowing for a lot of momentum shifting and that sort of free-flowing feel that gamers have been clambering for. EA made a big deal about the revamped goalkeepers in FIFA 16 and for good reason. Overall the new FIFA 16 goalkeepers are smarter.
Additionally, passing has become more robust and weighted so the likelihood of mistiming, or indeed misplacing one is quite real. In reality there’s something positively refreshing about collecting a delicate, cross-field pass from the likes of Andrea Pirlo on the left-hand side of the touchline and embarking on a meandering run, picking up pace, dancing between challenges from outstretched defenders and slotting a well-placed shot beyond the despairing keeper. Similar ball physics also make passing more realistic with the ball slowing in a smoother fashion and scuffles for the ball offer more of a challenge.
You’ll see this when they run out to challenge a breakaway or a ball cleared downfield. Sometimes they’ll even run out of the box to take control instead of sitting back and waiting for the opponent to turn it into a one v. one scoring situation. Presentation-wise, it’s top notch. The crowds chant and spur you on, or whistle at you when the opposition turns in a great performance. The commentary is just as good as ever, with the addition of little tid-bits of information about which player is celebrating their birthday or who had a particularly disappointing World Cup in the summer. Every so often, you’ll hear the public address system trying to track down someone in the crowd, for example – it’s a nice touch.
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It makes me want to jump around gleefully like a three-year-old, singing “Zlatan Ibrahimooooovic.” I get giddy. I can’t wait to get home to play more. I spend hours online trolling through the Ultimate Team marketplace, trying to earn some precious coins to build my fantasy team, like I’m the Jordan Belfort of FIFA. I lean in during a close match. I jump up and dance when I score a goal. I’m jubilant playing FIFA 16. Joyful. Like the Colombian team, dancing in unison.
Following a relatively quick download on the Xbox One, FIFA 16 throws you right into a Barclays Premier League matchup between Liverpool and Manchester City. Both storied football clubs, Martin Tyler and Alan Smith have plenty of insight to provide throughout the match. Immediately apparent is the feel of a next generation title. Looking around the stadium, the game feels as though it has come to life. Just before turning to leave the stage, Rutter looks directly at the camera and adds “Also, for the first time ever, EA is proud to announce that the PC version will run at a smooth 60fps without you having to dick around with your external GPU options.” Then he winks and flies off into space.
This also means that you can’t just take the fastest defender you can find and stick them at full-back expecting them to dominate. For once there’s room in the game for slower full-backs like Branislav Ivanovic and Christophe Jallet – jockeying is infinitely harder and holding down the ‘contain’ button no longer turns your defender into a magnet. Defenders who are actually good at defending are vital, with pace an added bonus. On the other hand, using agile, technical forwards is more fun than ever. It’s a common complaint that players like Leo Messi can just never seem to get in the game. Everything that makes him the special player that he is in real life just wasn’t there on past FIFA titles. With FIFA 16, though, that’s a thing of the past.
Which makes this iteration difficult to out-rightly recommend. For real FIFA fans, you’ll want this latest update not just for all of the new content, but also for the finer adjustments and improved goalkeeper AI. For more casual fans however, there might not be enough glaringly obvious updates from last year’s edition to do a Mexican wave for.
