FIFA 22 Review – Successful Repair

At the turn of September and October, Electronic Arts with iron regularity gives players a new part of the FIFA series. The established rules in this direction do not change this year with the number 22. After last year’s unsuccessful work, developers have something to fix. However, I can already say that FIFA 22 performs better than its predecessor and after years of waiting, it finally brings some serious innovations in the area of ​​gameplay in particular. However, it is worth considering the fact that the most important news will please only the owners of new consoles.

• Platform: PS5 (peer review), XSX/S, PS4, X1, PC, Switch (legacy)
• Publication date: 30. 9. 2021
• Producer: EA Canada (Electronic Arts)
• Genre: sport
• Czech location: Yes
• Multiplayer: Yes
• Data to download: 50 GB
• Price: from 1449 CZK (Xzone)

Focused on core gameplay

Before the release, the authors were attracted by serious achievements in the gameplay. Despite initial skepticism, I must admit, after my own experience and time spent in the game, that they did not lead us by the nose in this direction. I honestly don’t remember the last time a FIFY new year brought so many changes and improvements in this direction. We can start with a technology called Hyper Motion. Thanks to its implementation, the movement of all players on the field has changed at first glance. Running and handling the ball no longer feel as mechanical and monotonous as it once did. Thanks to the new animations, you will also be able to solve individual game situations and moments in a more diverse way. Hyper Motion also had a positive effect on fights and contacts with opponents. The result is a more fluid and natural playing experience.

Compared to the rival series Pro Evolution Soccer (now eFootball), FIFA has been the most arcade football in recent years, based mainly on speed and a certain helplessness of the defensive lines. These orders partially change the new year, as it significantly slows down the gameplay. It’s not enough to run down the sideline anymore. The game forces you to combine more, move the game from side to side, and come up with more original combinations in total.

Don’t expect a major revolution in terms of graphics.

In addition to well-developed physics, this is also due to smarter artificial intelligence, which will no longer let you in at sixteen as easily as before. In general, the new FIFA has become closer to real football. Instead of mindless sprints and cycles, it encourages you to bring players together and use different tactics. Ironically, thanks to these features, FIFA 22 was able to attract players who have owned the PES brand in the past. However, as I pointed out in the introduction, the vast majority of the new features described only apply to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions.

Evolution of Graphics and License Dragging

Don’t expect a major revolution in terms of graphics. Compared to last year’s work, this is a lighting evolution that you will recognize, especially from the better lighting and more sophisticated audiences in the auditorium. Players on the new consoles will also benefit from lightning-fast write speeds and, in the case of the PS5, DualSense driver features. In addition to the duo of commentators Derek Ray and Stuart Robson, the audience is complemented by spectators who push their team to victory with chants or club anthems. After all, the presentation as a whole has always been at a high level in the FIFA series, which only confirms the new year. You’ll recognize high production values ​​from the detailed modeled faces of individual players, pre-match animations, and goal celebrations.

In short, FIFA is struggling to find competition on these points. Aside from the occasional audience glitch in the auditorium, this year’s edition was also successful in terms of optimization. In short, it’s nice to play football that works in terms of gameplay and technology. Licenses are traditionally an integral part of the game. Although FIFA is far ahead of the competition in this regard, it cannot be said unequivocally that the new year has everything. Nashintsy must continue to negotiate with the long-absent Czech league, which is represented by only three clubs in the form of Slavia, Sparta and Pilsen. I don’t even have good news for Italian football fans. Only under a fictitious name can one find the clubs Juventus, Roma, Lazio and Atalanta, which were won exclusively by Konami for their eFootball 2022.

What is important is the overall score that the coach will give you after the match.

There are no licenses for the Russian and second Italian leagues. But you’ll find the top clubs in this and other competitions on a menu called Rest of the World. You will also recognize some of the missing licenses in the national teams list, where I mostly miss some of the representatives from the last European Championship. You would look in vain for the Slovak national, for example, on the menu. The Brazilian national team is present in the game, but it only has fictional players. Apart from these exceptions, but in the current work, football fans will find everything they need, including the Champions League.

Successful career and troubled Ultimate Team

Looking at the offer of game modes, ordinary players of the series should not be surprised. In addition to different types of Kick-Off, Season and Cup Matches, the building blocks of FIFY Career Mode and FIFA Ultimate Team are the building blocks. Let’s start with the career in which I usually spend the most time. You can manage the career of one specific real player or create your own. Then all you have to do is choose your home club and your football career can begin. Its direction, of course, will depend on your work. Before each match, you will receive three tasks from the coach that you need to complete before the final whistle.

Sometimes the coach wants you to score a goal, and sometimes a certain number of successful passes or assists. The overall score that the coach will give you after the match is also important. During the game, I sometimes wondered how the game evaluates your actions. Although in some matches I, as a striker, for example, scored or scored the decisive goal, the game still assessed my performance negatively simply because I did not complete some tasks that were not important for the result of the match. Except for this affliction, however, the career mode in the player skin was my favorite of all the modes. I liked the emphasis on training and the very thin line between the basic set, bench press and going to hosting. The game just puts constant pressure on you and keeps you insecure.

Volta mode is ready for fans of lightweight gameplay.

As part of your career, you can also work as a coach for the entire team. Recently, you can even create your own team from scratch, which I definitely welcome. It’s kind of the single player equivalent of the Ultimate team. You just don’t have to deal with microtransactions and loot boxes in it. Regardless, Ultimate Team remains the most important mode for developers, at least financially. It would be foolish to think that after the criticism, EA will somehow significantly revise the financial structure and composition of this regime. Ultimate Team still uses microtransactions. If you just want to have the biggest stars on your team, without additional financial investment it will be quite difficult. However, since the contents of the individual packages are hidden, you always buy a hare in a sack. However, I would definitely not say that FUT is only for payers. You will eventually get worthy players for the team, even without paid packages. Of course, it will only take time and a certain number of unequal matches against players who have invested in one of the best packages. Otherwise, FUT is traditionally divided into divisions. However, now in the form of seasons with weekly rewards, hints and a focus on long-term results.

Forget history

Volta mode is ready for fans of lightweight gameplay. Street soccer has moved even further towards arcade gameplay full of loops and individual skills. The more traditional 4v4 matches on smaller pitches are complemented by various specialty mini-games such as football or pitching against the wall. But you’ll love Volta the most if you manage to form a team with a few other friends. EA finally launched the story mode. A hint of history awaits you only in the first half hour, where you stroll through the streets of Paris, and then head into the bowels of the Parc des Princes stadium, home of the recently closely watched PSG club. However, this prologue only works like a tournament where you touch the gameplay and create a character. Personally, I would welcome the return of a more robust story mode. The older parts with the character of Alex Hunter still had something in common and represented a kind of animation and pleasant content for players who, for example, not only own the Ultimate team, but prefer a single player game.

The FIFA series has made a successful overhaul after last year’s failed performance. The most significant changes concern the gameplay, which was needed after many years of stagnation. The developers have successfully implemented Hyper Motion technology, reduced the speed of individual players and the games themselves, improved artificial intelligence and, thanks to innovative lighting, slightly improved the graphics. In terms of game modes, I especially appreciate the opportunity to create my own team in my career. After all, I consider the career mode the most successful, despite the sometimes illogical assessment of the player’s performance.

Consideration must be given to significant differences between versions when making a decision.

For supporters of the multiplayer game, there is traditionally a regular in the form of the Ultimate team, but there is still a clear desire to get more money out of the wallet. On the contrary, Volta’s street mode has a purely light and arcade note. However, when making a decision about a possible purchase, it is necessary to keep in mind the significant differences between the individual versions. While gamers on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S can take full advantage of the above news and innovations, PC and older PS4 and Xbox One owners are missing out on most of them and will only get a slightly tweaked version of last year’s new roster. as a result. . Traditionally a separate group in the then version for the Nintendo Switch with the nickname Legacy, which offers a somewhat summery part with new roster. Therefore, the rating below is for the tested version for new consoles.