EA SPORTS FC 24 game test: FIFA in less well

Revolution FIFA 23, The possibility of playing matches with different console players extends to Club Pro and Volta. Once again, the generations of platforms are partitioned: users of PS4 and Xbox One can now play together in these two modes. Ditto for PS5, Xbox Series and PC users. Note also that the Pro club benefits from a recommetic of divisions, with the introduction of a seasons and playoff mechanism.

EA FC 24: What are the main news of FIFA 23 successor ?

The “game styles” and mixed teams in Ultimate Team are among the main news of EA Sports FC 24, playable from this Friday.

Successor to FIFA 23, EA SPORTS FC 24 is playable from September 22 in early access and then from September 29 for everyone. The new edition of the Electronic Arts football simulation series arrives with its share of new features, in addition to its name change linked to the end of the historic license with the International Football Federation. In addition to the usual adjustments in terms of playability, the main changes can be found below.

• “Statistics” game styles “

EA FC 24 incorporates 34 “game styles” which aim to bring more variety in the game, by reproducing certain habits and signatures of the most emblematic players. The previous games already included a similar mechanism, but it is less shy and based on statistics recovered by OPTA. This is why Kylian Mbappé benefits from the “fast stride” style which gives him an acceleration even more explosive than the other players.

Martin Odegaard presents the “incisive pass” capacity, which allows the ball to go faster on passes to the ground without it becoming uncontrollable for the recipient. For Jude Bellingham, it is the “tireless” line that was given to him. With the description: “Greatly reduces the long -term effects of fatigue on attributes, reaction time and defensive lucidity. Reduces fatigue in the game phases and significantly improves recovery at half-time “. All descriptions can be found on the EA website.

• Mixed teams in Ultimate Team

After seasonal fashions, Volta and Club Pro, Ultimate Team’s turn to welcome footballers. For the first time, it is possible to compose mixed teams. In the first edition of the team of the week, the Parisian left side Sakina Karchaoui was thus selected.

• Simplified mechanics in Ultimate Team

Perhaps to alleviate certain frustrations to miss new cards, or also to simplify the experience of occasional players, Ultimate Team has an evolving system. By fulfilling objectives in match, the attributes of a card can be improved. Marking two goals could for example grant +6 in its Randal Kolo Muani card shots. With this system, several points in general note can be obtained. In addition, another modification brings simplicity: it is no longer necessary to apply a “job change” card to use the secondary position of a player.

Revolution FIFA 23, The possibility of playing matches with different console players extends to Club Pro and Volta. Once again, the generations of platforms are partitioned: users of PS4 and Xbox One can now play together in these two modes. Ditto for PS5, Xbox Series and PC users. Note also that the Pro club benefits from a recommetic of divisions, with the introduction of a seasons and playoff mechanism.

• Real coaches can be embodied

It is now possible to play Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti or Jürgen Klopp, among others, in career mode. Immersion is pushed to the point where a match can now be watched in a “spectator mode” since. the sideline. Many touch -ups have been implemented, in particular in relation to the management of training and tactics.

EA FIFA

2023 sounds time for change for the EA Sports sports simulation. Following a financial dispute with the International Football Federation, FIFA lost its name to transform itself, and released its EA SPORTS FC 24 officially in a week, September 29. But fifa’s soul has really disappeared ? Our answer in this test.

PS4 and Xbox One versions ?

The test was carried out on PS5 and Xbox Series, but we also gauged the Old Gen versions of the title on PS4 and Xbox One. The latter have the same content, and the gameplay gap is now quite minimal, which is very appreciable. The content is identical, which means that the versions have the same note despite the necessarily longer loading times on the old generation consoles.

Licenses: FIFA has lost only its name

Let the players be reassured: Losing the FIFA license and therefore the name does not mean losing team licenses, quite the contrary. The team roster with the right names and the right jerseys are still as complete, from the 4 major male European championships to the exotic leagues, including the famous Saudi Pro League and its stars like Ronaldo or Benzema. But on the other hand, still no Napoli, AS Roma or Atalanta Bergame under license in Italy. Unlike the past season, The title integrates the American NWSL, one of the biggest world championships when we talk about women’s football, A very good complement to those already in place (English, French. )). We imagine that the dispute with FIFA will limit the license of EA Sports when it wants to set up game modes related to the World Cup, but it will be necessary to wait 3 seasons before causing it.

The Bein Sport Duo Benjamin Da Silva – Omar Da Fonseca is renewed, with some additional comments for the French public signed Laure Boulleau. The Canal+consultant, former PSG player adds a little more thickness to the tirades of the “Team Dada” and the legendary Folies of Franco-Argentinian. Finally, even if we would have liked rumor that all the French stadiums would be in the game, we will note the arrival of Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille OSC Lille like other new foreign stages (Ibrox Stadium des Glasgow Rangers. )).

Gameplay: a devastating deep game

Attention, new identity of gameplay ! Like the game menus, less square than usual, EA Sports FC 24 changes its rifle on certain points. If the animations are still as varied with the Frosbit engine and Hypermotion technology (to capture players’ movements and transcribe them in the game), they are supported in the gameplay by the “Plastyles”. These are actually capacities for some players, unlockable during a match if they carry out special actions, and activate them shows that the player has an asset on this point. For example, Haaland has an acrobatic Playstyle, marking or hitting in a spectacular way is more effective makes him a monster in the exercise. We will therefore adapt our way of playing with this or that player according to his PlayStyle after being informed: 34 game styles are in the game, and we take pleasure in seeing which player has which PlayStyle.

From a collective point of view, The speed and game in depth are much more effective than in previous years, which will not appeal to defenders ! It is now very difficult to catch up with a vini jr. Leaving at full speed, when it was easier in other years, without forgetting that it is difficult to manage the placement and timing of the tackle standing against a dribbler. On the other hand, the defensive system leaves fewer spaces than before in the back, to compensate, and Pressing followers will like recovery game in the middle, intuitive enough to cut the passee lines. The architects of the midfielder will therefore have to redouble their efforts to launch an attack proper. This year we find the powerful strikes, the type of terrible but harder to gauge to frame, and slower to arm. Once the shooting button is in a hurry with the first triggers of the controller (L1+R1 or LB+RB), an animation of the camera activates (zoom in on the player) to prevent shooting. It is well calibrated, just like the kicks stopped more precise and exhilarating with the preserved system of FIFA 23: visual indications, stats and placement of the foot at the balloon are announced, a treat.

Ultimate Team evolves and explodes its number of cards

What about the flagship mode of the license, FIFA Ultimate Team ? Already well reinvented in FIFA 23, the formula is revolutionized this year with a major addition, and a necessarily suitable name. We stay on a sober “ultimate team” to stay in the logic of other EA sports simulations (Madden, NHL) and We now integrate all the players of players present in the game. Knowing that the latter are noted according to their hierarchy in female sport and not in comparison with their male penchant, this gives a perfect balance of the thing and a new step in the equality of the representativeness of the sexes. And for that, thank you EA SPORTS !

Ultimate Team Cru 2023 is therefore the most varied and complete released to date, and retains the system of links between players launched last season. It is enough that the players of the same league, nationality or club are in the 11 holder to improve the collective. But you have to be careful that the position is exact or equivalent so that the player does not have a zero collective (materialized by an exclamation point on the card). On this subject, the title is more transparent by making it possible to search on the market or in the collection the equivalent cards and more accurate. Furthermore, Evolutionary cards appear like the NBA 2K Myteam mode, and we can upgrade them by fulfilling objectives.

The career: a well -deserved golden balloon ?

The little disappointment of the title in the end, it is the few news offered in terms of career content, certainly very complete, but with too few innovations unlike last season. In manager career, we can now assign specific coaches on the various positions, trying to stick with the game system advocated as a coach. For the player career, an agent is now there to set “objectives” to be transferred or renew his contract. By achieving these objectives during the season, the embodied star can easily change teams or extend. And the greater the salary requested, the higher the objectives. A useful salary for performing actions off the field between the matches (paying the bus for the team, buying ties, making donations in favor of animals) and unlocking personality points to improve your player via a three -way archetype : virtuoso, reliable or lonely. But these objectives are sometimes far from realistic, which disappoints a little (mark 5 strikes of flight during the season. pardon ?)).

The Grail being The Ballon d’Or, the supreme award for a player, under license this year and therefore visible at the end of each season ! But it is a very meager consolation for a mode struggling to reinvent itself on EA SPORTS FC 24. We would have liked the possibility of launching a career with a player or manager of a female team for example, like the efforts that NBA 2K do with The W on this subject.

Pro clubs becomes clubs, but increases its lifespan

Rebelote this year, the Volta game mode, similar to Fifa Street from the Belle Époque, is connected to the club mode, formerly Pro clubs. After having created his customizable avatar from head to foot, we engage the latter in one of the two modes. A shop to add personalization elements to the avatar links the modes: clothing for volta, tattoos or hair for both modes. In Volta, nothing moves in content: between mini-games, match against AI or online in team 3, 4 or 5 in the most beautiful Street fields in the world, We would have liked a personal touch to relaunch football 2 rue on EA Sports FC.

On the other hand, clubs moves on certain points, and in good ! Much appreciated by the players, where we only control our avatar in a team up to 11 against 11, he adds the crossplay option to be able to play between consoles of the same generation. Unfortunately at the exit and on time we write this test, The club free match system (matchmaking with 3 other players to face up to 4 other players) is unstable and launching a match is for some impossible with the Activated Crossplay. We will wait for a correction on this subject, Because it is a real plus. By joining or creating a team with friends, we chain matches to set up divisions in divisions, by chaining this year qualifying games, championship phase and finally the playoffs: Null matches are impossible in this phase, and therefore there are more extensions and memorable penalties sessions. A member of the team can always control non-human players, also customizable as desired. Clubs is strong content, improved in small touches years after year, and 2023 is no exception to the rule.

Strong points

• Impeccable animations with hypermotion
• No loading time
• A gameplay to be reapprive but sympathetic
• Graying pro clubs with the new Playoff system
• The addition of women’s football on Ultimate Team
• Integrated “Playstyles” to highlight the players of the players
• Some new stadiums (LOSC, Glasgow Rangers)
• CrossPlatform between the same generation of consoles
• Xbox One and PS4 versions very close to the Next-Gen versions
• A more effective game with depth.

Weak points

• . who will frustrate the defenders
• The career (manager or player) and Volta does not really move
• Objectives to be transferred fairly strange to player career
• Some concerns of displays at launch.
• . and crossplay in free club match
• Always the absence of Italian cadors (AS Roma, Napoli. ))

FIFA 23 was undoubtedly the most complete title of the saga under the old name, and EA SPORTS FC 24 goes a little further despite the change of name. If the title does not really move furniture on career modes (whether manager or player), it drastically inflates the variety of ultimate team mode by adding the cards of women’s football or the principle of evolving cards. We will especially appreciate the well -reviewed gameplay compared to last season, with in -depth races and advantageous fast players, but a fairly clever construction and pressing system. Also note, the change of visual identity of the menus, some additions of stadiums like that of Lille to properly launch the line of EA Sports FC.