Last year, the emphasis was on a refined engine that allowed for all new styles of play, but there was a lot of love given to the men between the pipes. It was noticeable that the general keeper play was much better, but there were still some AI problems with decisions that would be made, allowing for some goals that would leave a player scratching his head or, worse yet, throwing a controller if it cost him or her a match online. FIFA 16 has addressed numerous little issues, especially with defending. Gone are the days where a player could dribble right off the kickoff and weave through a somewhat listless defense that seems more interested in bird watching than defending. Defenses are ready from the get go now, and that's a welcome addition.
Speaking of features transferring over from other EA Sports games, FIFA also gets a variant of Madden’s Draft Champions mode in FIFA Ultimate Team Draft. Instead of having to purchase packs of cards, you can now start a draft, choose a captain (usually your highest rated player), choose a formation, and fill out the rest of the roster with different picks. You then play matches with your team, and if you win four in a row, you win coins that will help you purchase packs of cards for the original Ultimate Team feature. FUT Draft differentiates itself by introducing some of the Ultimate Team features that has made the mode so popular for fans. For example, you must worry about the chemistry within your team if you want to succeed. Playing a team with multiple individuals from the same country, league, or club can really help your chances at picking up a win, as it is not all about pure skill.
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This is a smart addition to a solid feature that makes it feel unique to FIFA, as opposed to a rip-off from Madden. FIFA Ultimate Team Draft brings about a new life to FIFA Ultimate Team, and attracts players that may not have dug the mode in the past. We're going to risk saying that FIFA 16 is arguably the best football game we ever played online, with a lot for players to explore, from the highly popular Ultimate Team Mode, to Seasons mode with clubs. One of the biggest new features in this area is the FUT Draft, which will let you form a team by choosing players for each position, plucked from a batch of six random options. Here you will need to balance the natural ability of each player with their contribution to the team chemistry. For example, will you choose a right winger with 82 rating, but no impact on team chemistry, or a player with 78, but with the capability to improve the team's chemistry?
The interface is mostly unchanged and makes it easy to navigate through the modes and to quickly deal with tactics and squad selection. There are some small weird movements for the women players included in FIFA 16, who have different animations and ways to interact with each other and the ball, but that's to be expected, given that this is the first year when they are featured. The soundtrack of the football sim continues to be a mix of established hits and engaging new releases, and the commentary has been improved, with more moments when the actual performance of the player team is acknowledged, and other major developments from the world of the sport are discussed.
FIFA’s biggest draw is Ultimate Team, which is responsible for so many fans returning every year. A new feature this year is FUT Draft Mode. With Draft Mode, you are given a selection of world-class players to make your team captain. After selecting the captain, the rest of the team, the manager and your formation, you can compete in several matches. The FUT Draft Mode is a great addition to the game, as it gives players the chance to play with players that they may not usually get to use in Ultimate Team. It is somewhat strange that it’s taken FIFA this long to include a mode such as Draft, because it serves like a showcase to Ultimate Team, and will probably entice those who are not yet sold on Ultimate Team to give it a go.
EA have considerably slowed down the gameplay but kept the game well within the borders of FIFA 15. While there are some noticeable additions, in FIFA trainer and the inclusion of women teams, the game still feels remarkably like its predecessor. It has to be said, FIFA 16 feels more like a DLC with updated teams and a couple of new features that a title that is continuously evolving to push the barriers of football simulation. FIFA 16 is still a great game, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't do much to differentiate itself from the rest of the series. It will be remembered as the FIFA that brought women into the franchise, nothing else.
