FIFA 14 has arrived for next-gen consoles, and the promise of new tech and a fresh start is a welcome sight for many players. We previously reviewed the current-gen versions of the game on this site, but I thought it would be good to give some quick impressions on what I'm thinking about the next-version.

I was fortunate enough to play the game back at E3, and I really liked the promise of what I saw. There was a crispness and fluidity in how the action unfolded that created a bit more pace without actually speeding up the action. I think a lot of this has to do with the improved framerate and animation fidelity, but the improved shot release and altered momentum seems to be a benefit as well.

What Works

Smoothness — There's no doubt that this is the slickest and smoothest version of FIFA to date. The action moves from one moment to the next with minimal hitches and an awesome framerate.

Animation Fidelity — The uncompressed animations for next-gen FIFA are apparently obvious the first time you boot up the game, especially when seen in close-up and replay. From contorting headers and slick step-overs to some incredible roll-off animations when shaking a defender, there are some pretty moves in this game.

Solid Gameplay (With A Few New Wrinkles) — While most purists are still going to lean towards PES, FIFA still plays an incredibly solid game of football. There have been some nice additions this year, though, with a better shot release, which creates a few more scoring scenarios, and some better pivoting and momentum when trying to get around a defender.

What Doesn't Work

Next-Gen Doesn't Include All Features — It's unfortunate that certain modes haven't carried over (cups and tournaments), and the omission of guests for online play and one of the current-gen commentary teams is a bit bothersome as well.

A Start, But Not The End — There's some great new tech with the living worlds concept and the more immersive stadiums and crowds, but it's clear that EA hasn't spread that effort across all teams and leagues. That will take time, but it doesn't make it any less bothersome when you've got lesser teams getting less focus. Also, the gameplay will continue to evolve, as it still holds onto some of the legacy features of the past, even though its a lot less robotic than previous current-gen versions.



Look for some extended thoughts on FIFA 14 on Xbox One in the coming days.