As for whether it's a substantial enough improvement over FIFA to warrant plunking down $60, I would say that FIFA 16 clears that bar with relative ease. The on-field play is noticeably better than last year, and all the little changes to the A.I. and the presentation rapidly add up. Paired with a bevy of already outstanding gameplay modes, I would say that FIFA 16 easily has a couple hundred hours in it even if you've already put time into previous versions. I certainly have every intention of continuing to play FIFA 16 into next year and beyond. FIFA’s most played (and, doubtless, its most profitable) game mode doesn’t remain untouched either. FIFA 16 Ultimate Team has a couple of new additions that warrant a mention, as well as a whole new attribute on every card to bring the new physicality stats to the fore. The first is the addition of loan players which you can now add to your team for a handful of games. You can choose to use these star players, acquired via the game’s catalogue, at strategic moments to enhance your chances of a successful season. You might want to utilise your loanees during the new Friendly Seasons mode, which is a 1v1 version of Seasons, or simply as a way to test a player before saving up the coins to buy him.
For once, the players feel unique, though. A quick winger will be muscled off the ball by a strong-arming defender; likewise, a slow centre back will be left for dead by a Navas, Walcott, or Messi. The more lifelike physics mean that if you mistime a tackle, that player is out of the game. Ray Wilkins would love FIFA 16, because it’s all about staying on your feet and making it count. If you aren’t sure you’re going to win the ball, then you need to contain the attacker instead, or bring in a second player to hustle them away from goal as you step in for the tackle. One touch that is most welcome is the ability to switch to the receiver when taking a corner or a throw-in. A flick of the right stick allows you to command a player and call for the ball. With throw-ins this seems a far more effective way of actually getting the ball, though corners are hit or miss; though this led to me taking a lot of short corners and calling for a runner.
Both games have their flaws but finally, the playing field has been leveled with PES now a serious contender amongst football fans. It might be hard to separate the two games, but that’s where this list comes in. FIFA 16 excels in several key areas but it’s the amazingly detailed presentation that stands above all other offerings. The EA Sports juggernaut simply sparkles from the minute you hit the menus. The design of the UI is simple with menus and modes clean and easy to navigate through - something that Konami are only now trying to emulate. The player screen that is the centrepiece of PES 2015 is a classy touch and the new tabs system is a step in the right direction.
Everything else remains in stasis. FIFA 16 Ultimate Team is still wonderful, but marred by inexplicably shit menus that make every moment of management a tedious chore. I’ve yet to spend any real money on players, but I did last year and likely will again. I haven’t played the Be A Pro mode - sorry, but it’s never been my thing. I hear it’s broadly unchanged. Which brings me to some sort of conclusion. FIFA 16 is still great. I still love playing it. It’s exciting and tense and skillful and rewarding. There’s no better local multiplayer game, when all the above mentioned frustrations can be turned against and inflicted upon a friend, making them upset and angry for unfair reasons. FIFA 16 Ultimate Team’s RPG systems and collectible card systems are still absurdly moreish. This year’s tweaks to pace and goalkeepers and so on do marginally improve certain things, though I miss some of defensive nous.
As someone with a very fleeting interest in soccer, I found that FIFA 15 did a great job of getting me excited about soccer, whether it was figuring my team chemistry in the Ultimate Team or trying to line a penalty shot late in the game. The interface is clear and effortless to navigate, which has always been the bane of many sports games franchises. Doing some fancy dribbling past two defenders while shooting a goal from 20 yards away made me jump in celebration. Even though I really welcomed the changes that came to this iteration, I did wonder what it would be like if the game shifted focus to a defense-minded approach. The updates to the goalkeepers is a great start, as it feels more in service of making your goals look great in replays.
