We may never know what drives a footballer to do what they do day in and day out. Perhaps it’s the love of adoring fans, maybe the huge weekly pay checks. No matter what it is, we idolize them, and at times we envy them. The new EA FIFA 16 title does well to embrace the atmosphere within a football stadium as a game is about to start and even until the final whistle. The cheering as well as the jeering is a common place within the rectangular arena. The fiery vibrancy within these walls could just as well be a cage, because in here there is only one winner, and with so much at stake, players will do what they must to ensure they walk away as the champions.
At its worst, FIFA 16 continues to alienate its core fanbase. Most games descend into speed-fests with gamers unable to play proper football. Unfortunately, the same can be said for PES 2015. Both games have their flaws and for once their is no clear winner. FIFA 16’s problems are mixed with some being fixed and others ignored. The Xbox One version of the game is a lot better than Konami’s offering and vice-versa for the PS4. It’s nearly not worth choosing a winner but at a push, FIFA 16 just scrapes by, barely. FIFA fans have been crying out for better AI for years so it’s an even tougher pill to swallow when PES 2015 is in full flight. Player emotions, team intelligence, chemistry and spirit are all intertwined to brilliant effect resulting in the most realistic football simulation Konami have ever created. And yes, that includes the sublime Pro Evo 5. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what happens on the pitch and herein lies the magic.
Match Day Live in FIFA 16 is a nice touch, similar to 2K Sports’ approach to the NBA 2K series. In this new hub, you can find all of your up-to-date stats from real leagues around the world, and it appears that EA will be updating the form of teams for online and kick-off modes more frequently. Not exactly a game-changer that the series needed, but another step in the right direction. The intelligence of FIFA’s commentary system in providing insight and information throughout the game continues here with the added bonus of nicely edited commentary in the highlights reel. Pitch-side we also see players make their voices more prominent and even the frame of the net joins this audio bonanza.
The most notable change for FIFA 16 comes down the goalkeepers. No longer are they the brainless mannequins who casually glance at every ball that whizzes by their bodies. The goalies have a ton of new animations and generally play the ball at better angles. One-on-one encounters with the keeper are completely exhilarating since they actually seem like they want to stop you from scoring. If you’re worried that the extra attention given to the goalies will somehow turn FIFA 16 into a defensive affair, sit relieved knowing that isn’t the case. In fact the new goalie behavior just makes every goal look a lot more impressive. This feeling of bitter frustration permeates FIFA. You’ll tap a button to change who you’re currently controlling, and it’ll consistently favour players who are chasing the ball instead of players towards whom the ball is advancing. This can be the difference between stopping an attacking opponent and conceding a goal. Sometimes you’ll tap the same button and it won’t change players at all, for some unknown reason. This can be the difference between watching a ball trundle harmlessly out of play and getting on the end of it to score.
There’s plenty to rave about besides new features: the soundtrack, better touches, better crossing, more realism and smooth gameplay; but FIFA 16 isn’t all it could be. Do you recall in FIFA 15 when the announcer is screaming “Where’s the defending, he’s away!”? Well, the announcers and ourselves should be asking: where IS the defending? The offensive become nearly unstoppable. Players stop on a dime, do twirl, buy a girl flowers, save a cat from a tree, and are away on goal while the defender flies by. The defenders are nearly unresponsive to controls. I’ll give EA credit, they keep the game balanced despite the lack of defending. The games don’t end 7-5. How? Well, the improvement of goalkeepers and the rise in the difficulty of shooting makes it annoyingly balance out.
FIFA 16 represents an improvement on last year’s game in some regards, but a step back in others. It still mostly plays an enjoyable game of football, and fans of smaller Premier League clubs will no doubt be overjoyed to see their favorite teams treated with a respect usually only afforded to the biggest sides. Yet with more pronounced weaknesses and one game mode unceremoniously dumped, it’s hard not to shake the feeling of disappointment.
