According to EA, the game is powered by the third-generation gameplay engine, so players will now look, move and behave more like their real-world counterparts. It requires at least 1.4GB of free space. New skill moves and, for the first time ever on mobile, player celebrations have been implemented as well. There are also new, fully hybrid, gesture and touch controls that should provide players with more options while keeping the game simple and fun to play. Choose from over 10,000 players from over 500 licensed teams and go to battle against other players from real leagues in real arenas from around the world. Recreate challenges from current live-event football matches, too, with Dynamic Accomplishments. Now trade players and items you no longer need for a chance of unlocking something better. The higher value items or players you trade, the better the upgrades you’ll get back!
The level of unpredictability brought about by the aforementioned variety in passing responses is an example of a much-needed injection of dynamism into proceedings and is in stark contrast to the days where matches of FIFA - be it on Ultimate Team or Online Seasons - would devolve into a series of preconceived tropes and repetitive actions of abuse. It's taken far too long but gone are the days where pace-afflicted speedsters would induce tremors within the legs of defenders with a mere sleight of foot or turn in any general direction. You've now got to rely on a lot more cunning and anticipation to outgun a defender and the experience is all the better for it. Though still not perfect by any means - with collision detection, input lag, and the odd passing placement still suspect to a point - players now have to rely on diminutive movement rather than full-speed-ahead pace to get the better of an opposite number.
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It also makes you more appreciative of being able to read situations and react to certain stimuli as patterns emerge and it feels far more fulfilling to succeed as a result. FIFA 16 will also be the first game in the series to feature women’s football - 12 international teams are being added to the game. Due to the difference in style and pace between the women’s game and the men’s game, the rating system has been adjusted to fit the women’s game. Unfortunately this means that there will be no male versus female matches in the game. Nevertheless it’s great to see the women’s game included in FIFA for the first time.
As a result I was impressed with the overall flow of a match and it continues to get closer to feeling like the real thing, which was a must with its biggest rival Pro Evo matching its dynamism and beating it for fluidity and responsiveness. I am not an Ultimate Team player but from what I can gather in my brief time playing FIFA Ultimate Team Draft it seems a strong addition which should hold gamers’ attention the year round. There’s an unusual new system of “trading” unwanted players and items for new ones, introducing that hint of randomness that seems to be en vogue in almost every mobile game these days. Early online reviews have also mentioned trouble getting single-player tournaments to save your progress; I’d also noticed that during soft launch but figured that it would have been ironed out by now.
The most noticeable change for FIFA 16 is the graphics engine with all new details and animations. It’s one thing for EA to claim enhancements, and quite another to actually witness them in motion. The game looks great in action with such fluid movement of all 22 players of both teams on the pitch. The players seem to have dynamic motion including varied slides, stumbles, and collisions with other players to provide a realistic depiction of the soccer action. 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.
Overall, FIFA 16 is still a great game and after a few weeks of getting used to the changes, longstanding fans of the series will no doubt find much to enjoy and keep them playing for months to come. But in a year when Konami have produced the best Pro Evolution game for years, too many of its changes feel like a backward step and it has ceded momentum to its challenger.
