As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours on the virtual football fields of FIFA, I must say that EA FC 25 is a game that both thrills and leaves me a tad disappointed. The graphics are nothing short of breathtaking, and the matches feel as real as ever. But it seems like EA has missed a golden opportunity to truly elevate the gaming experience.
In football, they often say, “Don’t fix what isn’t broken.” EA FC 25 sticks with this timeless advice. While introducing a fresh game mode and some beneficial updates in the background, the core gameplay remains reassuringly consistent.
Initially, there was much anticipation when the FIFA franchise decided to change its identity to EA SPORTS FC. Long-term players were eagerly waiting for a significant transformation in the series. However, FC 24 opted for caution over revolution. It offered quick and enjoyable gameplay, maintaining its position as the leading football game, yet it didn’t disrupt the established norms.
After a year, Electronic Arts Football Club 2025 continues to offer an outstanding representation of the beautiful sport, playable in a digitized field. It introduces thoughtful improvements, yet fails to fully capitalize on its strongest concepts.
EA FC 25 key details
- Price: $69.99 / £69.99
- Developer: EA SPORTS
- Release date: September 27, 2024 / September 20, 2024 (Ultimate Edition)
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
- Reviewed on PS5
Safety first
Stepping into a match of EA FIFA 25 is just like slipping on my go-to jersey after a lengthy offseason – there are spots where it fits a bit snugly, but the sense of familiarity and comfort is unmistakable.
As a die-hard football fan, I can confidently say that no other video game out there comes close to Electronic Arts’ Football Club (EA FC) when it comes to simulating the beautiful game. The level of detail they’ve managed to achieve is nothing short of amazing. From the electric atmosphere within the stadiums to the beads of sweat trickling down the players’ brows, they’ve masterfully captured the electrifying feeling of a real matchday.
For longtime series enthusiasts, the fundamental action may seem immediately recognizable, but it’s been deliberately paced more slowly and meticulously this time. Passes necessitate a bit more force to prevent being intercepted, and players appear heavier, unlike the swift, agile wingers from last year’s version that could dance around like a mosquito.
During the majority of FC 24 games, crosses and headers were a common occurrence, but they’ve now been tweaked for a more engaging experience. Instead of laser-precise balls into the box, you’ll find whipped passes that can be tricky to execute perfectly if timed incorrectly.
One significant gameplay enhancement is FC IQ, a revamp of the strategy system providing greater versatility. This update enables managers to select particular Player Roles for each position, thus enabling you to emulate the intricate strategies employed by top-tier coaches.
If you’d like your full-back to control the game by moving into midfield similarly to Trent Alexander-Arnold, choose the ‘Roaming Full-Back’ option. If you want your wingers to stay closer to the center to create room for an attacking left-back, select ‘Centralized Winger.’
This upgrade significantly alters the way you prepare for a game, offering a fresh approach. For quite some time now, I’ve been meticulously adjusting my strategies in search of an ideal equilibrium for my squad, mirroring the tactics of my admired coaches.
As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but feel confined at times by the restricted number of Player Roles per position and formation. Although I understand that this rule is probably designed to prevent newcomers from causing chaos with mismatched tactics, I can’t help but wonder what incredible strategies die-hard fans like myself could dream up if we were given the opportunity to craft a system from the ground up.
What a Rush
In Electronic Arts’ FIFA 25, a significant new feature is Rush, a fast-paced, five versus five game mode that has been prominently showcased before the release. At first, I had doubts about how much time I’d spend on these quick matches, given that I neglected my Volta team for years.
Right from the start of my initial match, it was evident that this wasn’t merely an upgrade to Volta 2.0; instead, it stands as one of the most impressive new features introduced to EA SPORTS FC or FIFA in quite some time.
In a nutshell, Rush is an exhilarating game mode where teamwork is key, especially when played among friends. Without offsides outside of the last third, each match becomes a chaotic and fast-paced affair, as the team that was moments away from conceding could swiftly switch to attacking the goalkeeper in the next instance.
In this scenario, you’re often required to act quickly by determining which players should advance and which ones should retreat, underscoring the importance of clear communication if you aim for consistent victories. However, even well-prepared strategies can unravel into confusion. This is particularly true when a player gets a blue card and is temporarily excluded from play, leaving the remaining three to fend for themselves while the clock ticks down.
Instead of introducing Rush as a separate experience, EA wisely chose to integrate it smoothly into their current game modes. This way, I can progress my Pro Clubs character or collect rewards from Ultimate Team simultaneously. This dual benefit, absent in Volta previously, encourages me to keep playing, preventing the decline that ultimately led to its demise.
Career criminal
Where new signings like Rush have been given the room to shine in EA FC 25, the fan-favorite Career Mode has been left to rot on the bench. Unfortunately, there a very few meaningful changes to freshen up the tried-and-tested formula.
Navigating a lesser-known team through the ranks remains as gratifying as always, but the climb from poverty to affluence follows the same pattern as before. Although the updated menus give a modern feel, it’s still a matter of recruiting players, managing my squad, and overlooking board expectations, just like old times – with Women’s Career Mode being a welcome new feature.
Presenting Rush as a fresh method for nurturing your young team is quite appealing, indeed. Engaging them in matches adds a personal touch that goes beyond merely seeing them as names on a screen, making their development more engaging for me. However, it didn’t significantly alter my strategy when managing a Career Mode save.
Not quite Icon status
In the realm of FC 25, I’ve noticed that the Player Career mode appears to have received a significant boost this year on paper. However, when I dive into the game, there’s a palpable feeling of keeping afloat rather than making progress. The most intriguing novelty is Origin Stories, which aim to weave a bit of background for my silent player before they embark on their journey through the divisions. I could be the progeny of a past great, striving to emulate my parent’s achievements, or a seasoned vet coming back from a long spell on the sidelines due to injury.
The problem is the only tangible things these options do is determine the age, rating, and Skill Points available to your player at the start of the save. There’s no extra narrative or different scenarios available based on your choice, making Player Career feel frustratingly shallow once again compared to the choices offered in NBA 2K’s rival mode.
The news that Icons are now playable in Career Mode also generated buzz within the community, but this long-awaited addition also feels lik a missed chance. While stepping into the boots of Thierry Henry or the Brazilian Ronaldo sounds like a dream come true, the novelty soon wears off when you’re dropped into a current-day squad and treated like any other player.
Remarkable legends, such as Zinedine Zidane, possess illustrious and epic careers brimming with unforgettable incidents. It seems unfair that there’s no means for fans to revisit their most spectacular games.
More bang for your buck in Ultimate Team
In every Electronic Arts Football Club 25 review, it’s customary to discuss Ultimate Team. However, once more, the developers have chosen to implement minor improvements instead of a significant overhaul on their primary revenue generator.
In Future UT (The Game), despite it still having microtransactions that can empty your wallet, this year there are more chances to earn in-game currency without spending real money. The changes made to Division Rivals now offer both untradeable and tradeable prize packs, making the effort you put into it each week more rewarding because of these new incentives.
In recent years, the primary competitive mode, FUT Champs, has been modified to make it significantly harder to access compared to earlier versions. After accumulating 2,000 points in Rivals, you must then win three out of five qualifying matches just to participate. Once qualified, you have to play through fifteen more games over the weekend to establish your final rank and receive your rewards.
In this setup, each game carries significant weight as never before, making every player’s performance crucial, and those who excel with talent and perseverance are appropriately recognized.
This season, Squad Building Challenges have become smoother due to the incorporation of a Duplicate Storage function. Previously missing from the game, this feature allows you to save any cards obtained multiple times for use in future SBCs. Thus, eliminating the frustration of losing a high-rated duplicate after investing time and resources to earn it.
Verdict – 4/5
Although EA FC 25 may not have delivered the groundbreaking advancements some fans expected, its top-notch graphics and authentic gameplay solidify it as the premier football simulation today. Regrettably, certain promising new features haven’t been fully utilized, but this game lays a robust base for EA SPORTS to improve upon in future releases.
FC IQ offers an engaging dimension to team development which has the potential to significantly transform franchises, but there’s room for more detail and expansion. If nurtured and developed over time, the fresh Rush mode could potentially establish itself as a defining feature of the series.
On the other hand, longtime players of Career Mode and Ultimate Team might perceive a sense of being overlooked, given that the gameplay on the field seems to be largely unchanged from past versions.
In a continuation of their successful strategy, EA FC secures a well-earned, though somewhat expected, victory by three goals.
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2024-09-25 17:19