FIFA 16
EA has an annual turnaround for it’s sports games, and FIFA is now in it’s 23rd release, meaning essentially that for the most part each new game comes with a series of tweaks rather than any huge differences. And this is mostly true of FIFA 16. The AI has been tweaked, making both teams work more like, well, teams. Passing the ball isn’t just as easy as pressing a button and watching the ball pass to a teammate. Now you have to make sure there is a good enough gap, else your pass will be intercepted. Massive goal scoring marathons seem to be a thing of the past, which, before you all cry out in protest is a good thing. Sure, scoring 8 goals in a single match kinda did make you feel like you were awesome, but it also kinda made you feel like you were playing a game. Having the AI tweaked and forcing you to play better as a team to get those goals, makes the goals, when they finally come, that much more rewarding. Though the reverse is also true, when you defend badly and let the opposition score, it hurts so much moire because you know how hard it’s going to be to score the equalizer, let alone the winning goal.
Other things have been tweaked also, career mode now has pre-season tournaments, which, depending on how well you perform, may equal you getting transfer bonuses. Graphics and animations are looking better than ever, and a few control tweaks make the whole thing just feel better.
And then there is one more minor tweak, EA have included woman’s football, which I’m guessing looking at the team stats is more to do with selling to the American market, as the US boasts the best womans football team in the world. Cynicism aside, this is a great move, as I can now show my disturbingly sexist 5 year old son, that there are plenty of female role models on the XBox. Role models that can kick arse at football. And I now have a favorite player: Hope Solo. Hope (Other than being my oldest daughter’s name) is the Goalie for team USA, and she is a very talented all rounder, who, under my crazy game playing has managed to get a hat trick or two.
FIFA 16 – it’s the same game as the last one, but oh so much better.
Reviewed on: XBox One
Rating: G Suitable for general audiences.
Reviewed by: Jonathan
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