EA showed off some of the new features of FIFA 16 at its E3 press conference. This includes new defensive mobility to nullify skillful attackers. It will also be easier to control the midfield with 'interception intelligence' to close down dangerous plays. There’ll be a more considered build up through midfield. In the final third there will be more skills, better dribbling and more moments of magic. EA has captured 'no touch dribbling’ introducing feints to help create space. We should probably start with ‘everything’, as there’s a lot to get through. What I mean by ‘everything’ is that the heart of the game, the way in which FIFA plays football, has for the first time in a few years made a jump big enough to feel like a distinct break rather than an iterative polish.
Last year’s slants and foibles–pace, over-the-top through-balls, maddening defender behavior - have been taken sternly in hand, to the extent that playing FIFA 16 feels like learning a new game. It’s hard, and the first few games are a mixture of frustration and promise. In-game app purchases start at Rs.60 and go up to Rs.6,200 for different point packs, which can be used to buy players, stadiums and features like Morale and player training. Real-life graphics, engaging gameplay and the absence of competitive titles from the Pro Evolution Soccer series (another football franchise for console and mobile) or Real Football series make Fifa 16 Ultimate Team the best football simulation game on the mobile platform.
It should be noted that even without mistakes like that, strikers are generally less deadly. It isn't the case that in a match where an opponent takes ten shots on goal and only wins 1-0 that the keeper has made nine saves, which it would have been before. They'll hit the ball over the bar or wide of the post if not settled correctly, if they have a lack of skill, or if they haven't thought about the angle of the shot. Heck, if a 53-rated striker takes on a first-time volley from outside of the box and doesn't catch it absolutely perfectly, the chances are that the ball will end up in the manager's dugout. Things like this make actually thinking about your play more rewarding, since it can be more beneficial to control the ball outside the box and play a killer pass than take the risk of having a pop on the full from an unrealistic distance where you'll more than likely waste the chance you've worked so hard to build.
Sure, we've seen local legend Ryan Harley smash the ball into the top corner from outside the box before in real life, but we've seen him try it and miss a heck of a lot more times than that. That's no criticism of our Ryan. That's just the nature of the game. Not everything you try will work exactly as you planned when you're playing in real life and that's most definitely the case in FIFA 16. One of the first things you’ll notice when playing 16 is the new FIFA Trainer feature. With the click of a stick, you can now toggle a simple overlay next to your player, which gives contextual gameplay tips. These include button prompts for simple maneuvers like shooting, tackling, and performing clearances. The Trainer is supposed to automatically level up based on your performance, dishing out more complex tricks if you prove your ability.
This is a good idea in theory, but the execution needs significant improvement. The overlays were more distracting than helpful, and the auto-leveling doesn’t work well. I found myself having to manually set the Trainer’s levels to guarantee I’d get the advanced tips. I felt like I 'd the match worked out in hours last year as soon as I got FIFA 15 retail code. Check. Cut backs, assess. Strength and rate, check. All of the standard FIFA tropes were there, and therefore the adaptation interval from FIFA 14 was nearly instantaneous. FIFA 16 certainly needs a brand new strategy in the player, so I'd encourage one to be patient and not knee jerk to the first feeling that may be jarring.
I will save the hyperbolic "THE KING IS DEAD/ALIVE" review finisher for IGN and co, but what I am going to end on is this. A slower and more thoughtful game of football from EA this past year, in case you craved. FIFA 16 is definitely for you. It definitely is for me anyway.
