FIFA 16

The FIFA series has been leading the way since the mid-2000s in terms of football titles as PES simply couldn’t keep up. Plus no other developer ever dared to make a pop at the champ either. Though FIFA 2016 is perhaps the pinnacle of mediocrity that comes with a company that has been at the top for so long. Like the best teams in the league, you still have to strengthen your squad from a position of strength and FIFA 2016 is quite content with what it has and fails to freshen up.

This game plays pretty much like any other title in the long-running FIFA franchise. Though you could argue that it plays like any other football game on the market so long as you simply jury rig controls for a little more familiarity. Games like PES or Sensible Soccer won’t feel too far off the mark in this respect.

Becoming predictable

The series has come under fire pretty much every year for it’s the inability to change and offer more to players. Though this may have been straw that broke the camels back, with The Journey soon to become a feature in an attempt to galvanise the franchise. This title would do what the franchise has done for a few years previous. It would remove the fast-paced and goal heavy gameplay and replace it with a more methodical and slow-paced game. The aim being marketed to focus on passing, improving defending and showcasing realism.

To the game’s credit, it does what it aims to do. Passing is a priority and the game adds a drilled pass option which offers variety. Defending is definitely stronger than what attackers can provide and realism in terms of real match tactics are present here. Though the fun factor suffers due to this. Plus, let’s face it, this has been done before only for the developers to U-turn the following year, bringing pace and through balls back into the forefront.

Token additions

One addition that truly is fantastic to see is an introduction to the women’s game. Players are now able to control any major national women’s team. Though that is it. There is no be a pro, no career mode addition, no FUT inclusion. Nothing. It just seems consistent with the view of the women’s game in reality. Often acknowledged to exist but not often more than that.

This seeps into the rest of the title. Career mode is unchanged, be a pro is as standard. Basically, every single fibre of this game that isn’t related to FUT is untouched. Which shows where the priorities of the developers and publishers are and have been for a long time now.

FUT steps it up again

Despite the view that FUT does drag the rest of the title down, which let’s be honest, it does. It really ups its game again this year. The new draft mode is a phenomenal incision that allows players that maybe don’t want to invest cash into the game to play with some of the best players in the mode. This along with its already fantastic multiplayer facilities from past titles culminates to give the best version of FUT to date.

Priorities, priorities

This game is the epitome of a formulaic and somewhat nefarious approach to money-making does to the overall gameplay. The base game outside of the multiplayer facilities remains about as good as it was four years ago, with no real strive to improve since the Be a Pro feature. Token additions do enough to entice players but offer so little in practice.

Pros

• Female representation
• FUT draft mode

Cons

• Slower, sluggish gameplay
• Lack of innovation
• Token additions
• Graphically much like the previous year’s title

FIFA 16 is a football simulation game published by EA Sports at the end of 2015 and it still holds up today. If you’re a football fan, you’ve definitely heard of this game and series, but what’s so special about FIFA 16 in particular? Well, let me tell you a bit more about the features you can expect to find when you start up this game for the first time.

A plethora of stadiums and teams

FIFA games are known for their diverse ranges of stadiums and teams, and FIFA 16 is no different. This game features 78 stadiums and over 600 teams from all around the world, leaving you with more choice than you could ask for. Most of the stadiums are based on real-world locations, too, so if there’s a famous stadium you have in mind that you want to play in, chances are it’s in this game.

Classic FIFA game modes

FIFA 16 features all of the fan-favourite game modes, including career mode and FIFA Ultimate Team among others. Let me tell you a bit about these two most popular modes in case you’re unfamiliar with what they entail. Career mode lets you take control of an existing club, managing it and playing matches in a typical season format. You get plenty of control over your team in FIFA 16 compared with other games like PES 2016 Pro Evolution Soccer, so make the most of it! If there’s a specific team you’ve ever dreamed of managing like Manchester United or Chelsea, then this is the mode for you.

FIFA Ultimate Team, on the other hand, is a mode where you get to create your own team using players from real teams across the globe. Build up your dream team and compete in tournaments both online and offline to earn in-game money which you can put towards buying even more players. Sound fun? Be sure to download FIFA 16 and get stuck in as soon as possible.

Women’s International Cup

FIFA 16 is the first game in the FIFA series to introduce women as playable characters, which is awesome and such a huge step forward for the series. If you’re a fan of women’s football, this is no doubt a dream come true, so enjoy it!

Online mode

No FIFA game is complete without an online mode, so expect to find many different ways to compete against others through the internet in FIFA 16. Online mode is one of the best things about FIFA games, so be sure to check it out.

Pros:

• A large range of players and teams, including women’s ones
• Improved FIFA Ultimate Team interface compared to previous games
• Excellent graphics
• Controls are easy to get the hang of

Cons:

• AI players on defence struggle a lot against fast players
• Control options are somewhat limited, so it would be nice to see a larger range of options and button combos available