Though FIFA already received the next generation visual enhancement in last year’s title, FIFA 15 really works to add further polish to an already impressive presentation. The player models have been touched up ever so slightly. Fine details like facial stubble, the ruffling of a jersey as a player jogs onto the field and other small pieces have received lighting tweaks to make them appear more clarified and authentic. The pitch itself looks vibrant and seems truly alive. Of course, the most vibrant, living spectacle in any FIFA match is the crowd. Fans chant and sing as passionately as ever, flailing the scarves of their beloved clubs the whole time. All of these franchise staples continue to make playing FIFA one of the most immersive experiences in sports games.
Goalkeepers should also catch your eye with impressive saves thanks to the new animations designed specifically for them. Keepers leap, twist and stretch in all manner of ways to stop shots. Eluding their reach is tough as they will smartly flail whatever limb is necessary to deflect a shot. Even if they are falling backwards or completely airborne. And this new range of motion makes them quite difficult to beat.
Keeping with the subject of keepers, they will also display a wider range of emotion thanks to the new ‘emotional intelligence’ that they and the rest of the players on the pitch now possess. This is effectively a contextually appropriate animation designed to further enhance the presentation by adding another layer of realism in how players respond to in-game moments. In short, when they are frustrated by something in-game that is understandably frustrating (ie, being stripped by the same defender for the umpteenth time in a match) they look frustrated. Or thrilled if circumstances were more consistently positive. Honestly, though, this had little if any impact on the experience.
What does impact the experience, though, are strange hiccups in the passing game. This seemed largely due to dopey teammates failing to appreciate the in-game situation. Too often I would find myself advancing the ball and upon recognizing a teammate with an opportunity to create space and push the attack forward, I would pass to said teammate…only to watch the ball roll into the area where he should have moved to receive the pass. This generally resulted in an opponent grabbing the ball and leading my defenders on a wild goose chase toward our goaltender. This happened too often and had me wishing for a game where the players were given more strategic intelligence than emotional intelligence.
Where intelligence is lacking, chemistry is not. And that is a huge component in the Ultimate Team mode. For those new to the concept, Ultimate Team gives you the chance to put together your own custom squad using players from leagues all over the planet. Getting them to play well together involves taking into consideration the position in which they are played, their nationality and the professional clubs of their teammates. Pairing fellow countrymen in your midfield naturally results in improved play up the middle. The effect of working to unite players from the same nation and/or real world club yields a sense of improved cohesion on field. My team really seemed to be in sync and played much better when I was considerate of these details. And for the micromanagers out there, fostering positive chemistry does not simply stop at nation of origin or team affiliation. Player roles, team formation, etc. all impact the overall chemistry of your club.
If Ultimate Team was not already enough of a time drain, the introduction of loaner players gives managers new ways to experiment with their line-up. Want to grab a star on a short term basis? Say 10 matches to run with Man U’s Rafael? The option is now open to you. You can also create and save custom squads to see how rearranging your personnel affects chemistry. In these options, you see FIFA 15 encouraging players to get creative as they explore the game on a deeper level.
