It’s about that time again, a new Fifa release is upon us. It builds up like Christmas with a great deal of marketing by EA in the month leading up. Fifa players around the world are eagerly awaiting what EA has done to their game. All while hoping it won’t be yet another pair of dull socks.
Let’s get started
Fifa 22 starts out with a cinematic introduction taking you from the streets of Paris to the PSGs ground Parc des Princes. Along the way, you’ll get introduced to the game through skill games giving new players a nice introduction to the game. Even though I like to think of myself as a seasoned player it felt nice to fresh up on some things before the game actually started. Previous games had you play a game featuring some big names from the previous season without actually getting learned the basics. This easing into the game was a nice touch. Throwing Beckham, Henry, Mbappé and even Lewis Hamilton in the cinematics looks cool but felt a bit tacky, to be honest. The introduction conveniently took about the same time as the game needed for a full install.
HyperMotion
I jumped right into a game to discover all those crazy adjectives EA started using to explain their new innovations. The first thing I noticed was a new default camera. Instead of the usual “tele broadcast” camera, I got presented with the “EA SPORTS GameCam” instead. It used the tele broadcast as a template but added some more dynamic movements which resulted in me missing a lot of passes and shots because of the new angle it forced when reaching the goal. I gave it a few matches to get used to but ultimately decided to switch back to the trusty tele broadcast.
The next thing I noticed immediately was the updated movement during gameplay. EA Sports talked about next-gen HyperMotion technology to describe this. Apparently, they used a new set of data to implement movements to feel as real as possible. Normally I laugh at all the expensive words EA Sports make up in the lead up to the release but the HyperMotion technology is definitely one to be applauded. The players moved more fluently than ever before. Runs were made that actually made sense. Players off the ball were actively pointing where they wanted the ball. The player on the ball felt much more in control making it possible to pass players with subtle movements instead of needing fancy skill moves. The gameplay does feel a bit slower than before which is needed to grant the ability for better control.
Ball physics
Another thing I noticed in Fifa 22 was how the ball was handled. Each year EA Sports announces better ball physics and each year a compilation can be found on Youtube of strange things happening with the ball. This time I feel they did a much better job. When a player on the ball gets challenges by a defender, the ball isn’t automatically handed over to the strongest of the two. Instead, the ball ricochets off both players like it would in real life. The way you defend and the way the attackers run to define the way the ball rolls often giving the challenge some more weight. More importantly, this made the game feel a bit fairer. There is an element of surprise but just like in the real game, great players know how to keep in control in these situations.
Volta
Volta is still a thing. Sadly a thing most Fifa players tend to play a few times before deciding to ignore it for the rest of the game’s life cycle. EA must’ve figured out how lukewarm the general public feels for this mode because the cinematic campaign is nowhere to be found. So no tacky cutscenes where Kaka decides to take a nobody up in his team in a favela in Brazil. Don’t get me wrong, Volta is a fun mode in Fifa 22 but it never grasps enough attention to justify all the forced hype EA tried to instill in the fans. A stand-a-lone Fifa street like in the good old days would be much better than this watered-down version. Also… Isn’t it time to bring back “the journey” EA?
Ultimate Team
There’s no way around it. Fifa 22 is, just as the previous installment, all about Ultimate Team. Opening packs – ahum loot boxes – and collecting players to make your own ultimate team to compete with is still the mode EA really invests in. This pay-to-win mode is so successful it makes up for a huge chunk of EA’s total earnings each year. People have spent their savings on fifa points to be successful which makes you think this is more than just some innocent fun. I live in Belgium and as such we don’t have access to Fifa points by law. Still, I try to be competitive in this mode by grinding the market and doing lots of squad-building challenges. Last year EA started making it harder on us by making SBCs temporary and not as valuable as they used to. This year they took the same route and opted to remove some standard bronze packs for now in favor of the more expensive premium packs. The start of Ultimate team doesn’t really bode well for my “Road to Glory”.
Conclusion
To those who skipped a few Fifa versions, Fifa 22 will be the next best thing besides sliced bread. Yearly Fifa buyers will probably be a bit offended when they notice they paid full price for an – arguably great – update.
