FIFA Ultimate Team (affectionately known as 'FUT') is massively addictive once you're into it, as you buy player packs and hope to land a Messi or a Ronaldo. But the prospect of the massive investment of time and extra money to get the team you want can be daunting. FIFA 16 doesn't remove that aspect of FUT, but it does give you quicker access to the best players thanks to a new side mode: FUT Draft.
This offers a more immediate, arcade-like experience. You must select one of five preset formations, then a captain. After that, you're presented with five CPU-selected players from which you must select one to fill every position on the pitch. Any players can appear in these suggestions, including legends and in-form players from that particular week. You can auto-fill the subs bench, but even they can affect your team's Chemistry rating so it pays to choose carefully. Once you've chosen your squad, it's time to test them either offline or against the world.
While the mode is separate from your standard FUT squad, it isn't completely disconnected. You can still earn coins and rewards from using it, which can be spent on your main team. Better still, there are special rewards earned from playing well, with the best available if you win four online games in a row with your Draft team. As EA puts it, a FUT Draft series has an entry fee of 15,000 coins, 300 FIFA Points, or 1 Draft Token (available in FUT packs). Even if you lose your first match you’ll still receive a reward that matches the value of the entrance fee. The further you progress, the better rewards you get. Sounds good.
To see how it works in practice, I do recommend you check out this video of Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher having a go on the new mode at Gary's house. Seriously, watch it – it's probably the best promotional video for FIFA that EA has ever made.
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