They think it's all over… it is now. On September 29, FIFA will receive its last rites as the series introduced in the Sega Genesis days morphs into EA Sports FC. Or, as it's more likely to become known, FC 24. The changes are sweeping, although one of the biggest is undoubtedly the addition of women players to Ultimate Team, enabling you to build mixed-gender squads and earn extra chemistry for lining up Samantha Kerr (Chelsea women) alongside Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea men). More on that shortly. Firstly, we need to talk FC 24 gameplay.
I've played FC 24, and the biggest shift on show here is player individuality. The general speed of matches is noticeably slower, affording you a touch more time to utilize specific abilities – Or 'PlayStyles', as EA has taken to labeling them in game. There are 34 in total, bearing names such as Jockey, Speed Dribble, or First Touch Control – much like Madden 23 X-Factors. These show up in a player's profile with an orange or blue icon. Blue is the standard version, orange the super-charged 'plus' version. Developer EA Vancouver's aim is to ensure players stand out for more than their attributes – and initial signs are encouraging.
Kevin de Bruyne was good in FIFA 23 – but not the game-changer of real life. That feels different now. Playing as Manchester City against both AI teams and fellow journalists, I wanted him on the ball at every opportunity. His orange 'plus' Pass Into Space Playstyle (each player can only have one of these), makes the Belgian devastating with slide-rule deliveries to Jack Grealish out wide, or Erling Haaland through the middle. De Bruyne's blue Playstyles, meanwhile, encompass Bullet Pass, Lob Pass Expert, Outside Foot, Whipped Crosser, and Set Piece Specialist. Every time de Bruyne got the ball, there was a deadly option. Much like in reality.
World in HyperMotion
Those PlayStyles aren't the only authentic step forward. EA Vancouver is also heralding HyperMotion V, a volumetric mo-cap method which took footage from 180 real matches – although standard mo-cap is still used for supplementary animations. Married to Simian tech, which sees body forms mimicked accurately, these 1.3 billion frames of new data means players run, dribble and flail their arms uncannily like their real-life counterparts. Haaland's huge sprint stride and whirlwind elbows make him exhausting to try to defend. Adama Traore's breeze-block shoulders and formidable rear are a world apart from Grealish's sashaying twinkle-toes. Enjoyable stuff.
Do these solo tweaks come together to mold effective team play, though? On current evidence, yes. FIFA 23 felt like a return to form, but still descended into basketball style I-attack-you-attack mayhem at times. FC 24's slower pace, improved physically, and individual stylings add up to a cerebral experience – the kind that made Pro Evo so great in its heyday. It's a thrill to unpick defenses with the new precision pass (LT + RB + Y, on the Xbox controller), which brings up an aiming arrow showing the potential ball route. All this may change if the community bangs its drum for the return of 6-5 goal-fests, but these are promising pre-release signs.
The other huge step forwards is in presentation details. Stats overlays are ingenuous, with welcome visual treats – the last five shots shown in 3D as a keeper waits to take a free kick, or little circles highlighting the most tired players when the ball goes out for a throw. There's a cool ref-view camera for yellow and red cards, and loads of extra details before, during, and after games: commentators appearing on-screen, dressing room footage, managers being interviewed, and so on. Guy Mowbray and Sue Smith also leap aboard as alternative comms options, with the latter an immediate upgrade on Stewart Robson.
Still wanting to know about that Ultimate Team overhaul? I know, I know, but let's whistle through some other modes first. Pro Clubs has been rebranded as Clubs, and will now operate in six-week seasons, with leagues decided by a play-off series at the end of each campaign. Player Career is all about selecting an agent and aiming for your dream club, with the ultimate individual prize on offer for the first time: the Ballon d'Or. Manager Career, meanwhile, is about building a club identity around one of seven tactical visions, such as Tiki Taka or Park The Bus. I'm not sure any of these are transformative, but can judge that upon release.
Breakthrough in equality
Come on, then. FUT. The biggest mode in gaming has been overhauled for FC 24, with that addition of female players changing its landscape entirely. 1,600 women footballers from 74 teams across six competitions are being added to the database, building on the breakthrough made by NHL 23. They're mixed in with the men, enabling you to build integrated teams of both genders. A 91-rated Sam Kerr will be on par with a 91-rated Karim Benzema. It's a step forward in equality that has surely been coming since the Chelsea striker became the FIFA 23 cover star.
Inevitably, sadly, it isn't going to be for everyone. We've been here before with the all-female Ghostbusters cast, Jodie Whittaker as Doctor Who, and so on. So here's the thing: much like you're not forced to build an all-bronze Danish team, there's no decree that you need to include female players in your squad. Just want to stick with the famous male players you know? Do it. There will be other players out there embracing this welcomed addition. You do you, and let them do them. I've been playing FIFA since those Genesis days, but now have two daughters – and this may be the breakthrough in getting them involved. There's no downside to this.
FUT is evolving in other ways too. Literally. Evolution cards enable you to upgrade players by completing objectives across the season. The example given was Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko. He starts off silver, but by playing two matches and scoring two goals upgrades to gold. Complete more complex objectives and he can upgrade again. Position switches in this way are also possible too, with the tempting possibility of moving Virgil van Dijk from CB to CM. EA has clearly been experimenting with campaigns like FIFA 23 Shapeshifters, with the end result that this looks like a truly creative year for both FUT, and FC 24 in general. Particularly for those open-minded enough to enjoy Reece James and Lauren James lining up in the same eleven.
