EA Sports FC 25: A Familiar Game with New Twists and Old Habits
As we often say of legendary players, form is transient while class endures. I would extend this statement to EA Sports FC 25, too. There’s much to discuss this year and while its release under an unfamiliar moniker can sometimes feel like starting over from scratch compared to its FIFA predecessors — both positively and negatively.
Do not misunderstand; I don’t mean to suggest that this game is plagued with glitches and broken mechanics — because it isn’t. The game works and it has been polished, yet if something’s foundation is too predictable and predictability becomes an issue after just hours of gameplay then players may quickly notice.
Some aspects of EA Sports FC 25 appear similar to FIFA games of old; I can’t help noticing certain features haven’t changed at all since previous releases — such as Career Mode which, aside from some subtle updates and upgrades, continues to play out similarly year after year. While that might work for some people if something’s working well already — yet for longtime gamers like us it simply feels like more of the same with different packaging.
Buzzwords abound: every year EA unleashes its annual marketing terms that appear to come directly from artificial intelligence (AI), such as Hypermotion V, FC IQ, BallTouch, and Rush (all possibly made-up words; I’ll let you figure it out yourself!). Although they might sound revolutionary at first, once players step onto the pitch they seem utterly familiar.
Breaking Up the Monotony
Credit must be given where credit is due: EA Sports FC 25 does attempt to break away from its usual grind in several ways, most notably its Fast Pace mode — an enjoyable detour from traditional matches that feels more like a soccer-pinball hybrid. Quick, chaotic action ensues here as quick and enjoyable playback becomes part of its DNA; making for an engaging change when working through Career Mode can get tedious after hours on end!
Referring back to Career Mode, youth tournaments were an impressive addition. I liked them for several reasons. One is their high stakes matches with rising stars that enable you to put them under pressure in competitive environments; two is that it adds much-needed variety during what can often feel like an endless season grind; three, nothing beats watching your 17-year-old score a hattrick during youth cup final, similar to when their child finally takes his or her first steps — with more confetti instead of diaper changes!
Some Changes Are Subtle, But Effective
One of the more subtle improvements in EA Sports FC 25 is its passing system, which may not seem exciting to those unfamiliar with FIFA but will become appreciated after hours spent trying to ping a ball across a pitch with pinpoint accuracy. You might not notice right away, but after playing multiple matches you start appreciating its smoother flow; similar to trying on new shoes — they might feel tight at first but soon become comfortable — they become part of you and never want to come off again!
Still, some aspects of gameplay raise eyebrows; one such instance is when certain features seem slow and sluggish regardless of your playing style: regardless of aggressive vs passive tactics, or whether trying to sit back and counter. As though all tactics were stuck into one gear making certain matches feel less exciting; unfortunately, this issue has long plagued this series.
The RPG Element: Evolutions
EA Sports Evolutions, one of EA’s new mechanics that may surprise is Evolutions; while not groundbreaking, this RPG-infused sports game demonstrates they understand and respond to a growing trend: merging sports games and RPG elements together. Unfortunately, this feature is currently only available within Ultimate Team; any further implementation might introduce microtransactions which, while you might try your hardest not to notice them, tend to remind players they may need real money for better teams than them; Evolutions only scratches the surface of what could be an immersive RPG system within Ultimate Team; what could make the experience much deeper is open up within Ultimate Team than before: it could become deeper and more engaging RPG system inside that game itself!
Final Thoughts
EA Sports FC 25 feels like it is in transition, not ready to fully break away from FIFA yet trying to forge its own identity. There are flashes of brilliance here — like the fast-paced modes and improved youth tournaments — but, for the most part, EA Sports FC 25 plays it safe with some welcome improvements like sharper passing mechanics but with core issues still remaining that have plagued this series for so long remaining unsolved.
At first glance, FIFA 16 may seem to fall somewhere between revolution and disappointment; longtime fans of the series should find enough polish and new features to keep things interesting; for newcomers looking into it as an entry point it makes an excellent starting point — although those expecting something drastically different from its FIFA predecessor may leave feeling they have seen similar games elsewhere.
At its heart, soccer (or football, depending on where you’re located) remains comfortingly familiar; sometimes just want to kick around, and EA Sports FC 25 certainly does that with ease. Perhaps EA didn’t need to reinvent anything from scratch; perhaps sticking with what works can actually be beneficial?
