FIFA 22

Developed by Electronic Arts Vancouver & Romania, and published by EA Sports, FIFA 22 is the 29th entry of the FIFA franchise. This year’s game has players excited again, firstly there are currently over thirty new mechanics and improvements divulged. Secondly, the roster changes that occurred in real life are bound to make for an exciting season that sees new teams in prominence, which subsequently makes for an exciting game. Set to release on October 1st, FIFA 22 will be available on PC, Playstation 4 & 5, Xbox Series X|S & One, Google Stadia, and Nintendo Switch.

Same Game, New Video Game

Changes announced for FIFA 22, are plentiful and encompass the entirety of the game. For gameplay alone, things like new attacking tactics, improved ball physics, explosive sprints, rewritten goalkeeper AI are some of the changes made to the game.

Yet, nothing has gotten players more excited than the Hypermotion technology implemented by EA. This technology essentially meant that high-performance 11v11 matches in real life were captured to provide intel to a machine-learning algorithm that creates new animations in real-time. This brings over four thousand new animations, making the game more organic than previous iterations.

A revamped Career Mode is also available, previously players could only take over existing teams, but now players can create a club from scratch. Customization options go from the club crest, and uniforms, to your own stadium and grass pattern on the pitch. This is exciting news since it adds an entirely new layer of immersion, players can truly create something uniquely theirs for their career mode. Small details like being able to be pulled from the bench into the field, have made their way into career mode improving, even more, the realism that FIFA offers.

Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die

Fans of the sport have been notoriously known for their passion, love for their clubs and their idols. As the years go by, players retire and are often never to be seen again in soccer games unless they are legends, but well-established players loved by fans make a comeback in FIFA 22 through FUT Heroes cards. Players will have more options when building their ultimate team to compete online, between the new Hero Cards, and the addition of new players into the Icon category, creating your dream team is closer than ever.

The recently added VOLTA mode returns in FIFA 22 with new mechanics. Volta has now Seasons Mode, a six-week battle pass that allows players to earn in-game cosmetics. It also has an arcade mode, which offers players multiple mini-games that mimic the countless adaptations soccer has made between players in leisure moments, such as Foot Tennis. Players can also expect an incentive to play Volta in the way it was designed to, with incentives through the Skill Meter, added Signature abilities, and more Skill Moves added. On top of that, Volta requires less of a grind with players having good base stats to participate from the get-go.

Conclusion

FIFA is a well-established franchise, and soccer’s most acclaimed title in recent memory. As a pioneer FIFA has to keep things fresh and search for improvement constantly, and that seems exactly what FIFA 22 will deliver this year. With added mechanics, improved AI, realism, and a bigger roster of new, current and iconic players, gamers can expect an improved title.

PROS

• Hypermotion Technology
• Improved AI
• Revamped Career Mode
• Added FUT Heroes Cards
• Organic Real-Time Animation

CONS

• Marginal Improvements Might Not Justify Buying a New Game
• Volta Game Mode Isn’t Convincing Enough
• Micro-transactions Will Still Be a Big Part of FIFA