After watching the Xbox conference at Gamescom, I was left intrigued, above everything else, at the new features and ways to play FIFA 16 – especially new details on the most popular game mode for FIFA fans… FIFA Ultimate Team.
EA have stated that the newest addition to the ever-growing franchise will “deliver innovation across the entire pitch” and this was shown the best in new additions to commentary. This means I will not hear the same bit of commentary twice in five minutes, instead I will hear commentators comment on the history of my club bringing a more in depth experience to your standard match.
But that pales into the background when compared to the real big news. FUT…where I really get into the heart of the packs and players. Very recently, EA released card designs for FIFA 16 and I must say they look brilliant. But who cares about aesthetics when you have 16 brand new legends – 8 of which have been released – including the likes of George Best and the Welsh Wizard Ryan Giggs?
Still, on the topic of legends, each legend can now have a strong link chemistry wise with another player if they share the same nationality with them. And all FUT players know how chemistry can make or break a game. For example, if we take the legend card Ryan Giggs and put him next to Gareth Bale in a team, they would have a strong link as they are both Welsh. This feature is very useful as it has been very hard to incorporate a legend into a team with full chem.
But the thing that made me personally get excited for September 25th when the game drops onto the shelves in Europe, is the exciting addition to Ultimate Team called FIFA Ultimate Team Draft – perfect for beginners and regulars alike. In this mode, players select from five formations the game gives you, then you pick a captain for your team from five choices and then proceeds to give you five players to choose from for each position. So you have to account for chemistry and your overall team rating. You will then take your team into battle – on the pitch – and play online tournaments for rewards. FIFA Ultimate Team Draft will test your skills while also providing help for a gamer new to the franchise. To be entered into this mode, you must pay 15,000 in-game coins, 300 FIFA points gained by micro transactions or one token found in packs. And whatever happens, you will get more or equal to what you paid. Win Win situation!
Aside from FUT, the things that make FIFA such a well-recognised and popular game are the little details that make you feel like you are really at the Etihad or Old Trafford. We now have more stadiums than ever before, more clubs in the game than ever before and more fine-tuned details to FIFA 16 even right down to the finer details like where you strike the ball, affecting where the ball goes and how much curve and power is put into it.
Career mode is a much underrated game mode in FIFA, and is one mode which opens up the world of management or playing matches to the gamer. However, take control of a small team like, for example, Newcastle United (sorry Geordie fans!), and you may have a small budget to buy players and achieve whatever you are trying to achieve. EA have realised this need and have included a tournament for your team to play in the preseason part of your career which will help build wages and allow your players to gain experience.
There is a lot of information to take in but if, like me, you simply cannot wait for September 25th, you can always get the game a week earlier with EA access.
Did EA nail it with the FIFA 16 details? Well, it should just be the best football game ever!
