FIFA 16 Hands-On Preview

[ChaseB]

Soccer fans want to believe their sport is the most creative game in the world. Having a moniker like the "beautiful game" sort of touches on that point, but what's hard about living up to that ideal is that it flies in the face of video games and how people play them much of the time.

In short, people have always tried to figure out how to "beat" games. And in the sports world, much of the time that means figuring out what works and then doing that over and over to succeed. In FIFA's world, that means using the fastest players, hitting an elevated through ball behind the backline, swarming on defense while not worrying about fouls, or being really good at right stick dribbling.

Now it would be unfair to say that's all there is to FIFA, but the point is you still see a lot of the same tactics on the field game to game. Personnel, play style and formations are things that perhaps should matter more and could matter more if you made them worthwhile. But that can only happen if you make the ways you currently "beat" the game less successful.

In short, it seems the folks working on FIFA 16 are looking to create more beauty on the pitch while simultaneously uglying the game up by combating some of those well known tactics you use to score and defend. The developers want to create beauty while creating muck.

So after the jump, I’ll talk about the couple hours I spent with FIFA 16 and how the game is coming along at this point.

Read More - FIFA 16 Hands-On Preview

[ncaafootball14markus]

ooooo i been waiting for this preview since E3 LOL!

[ncaafootball14markus]

great write up! so many things that you covered and this is easily the best critique of the game so far on the net.

i'm just really glad that they're finally trying to address the midfield. i think people that only play this game casually, and don't watch the real sport and/or prefer arcade over simulation are going to dislike the increased awareness of defense this year...

i'm just HOPING that having a stronger defensive midfield will in turn open up greater counter attacks....say an arturo vidal grabbing a steal in the mid and pushing forward with the counter. fifa 15 was, as you said, strictly a final third part of the game....and i disliked that so much because most real games aren't a ping-pong sort of style, that is often accustomed in NBA games.

also, great analogy comparing the ramires/pirlo, "who'd you rather have" scenario. as you stated, i'd take ramires every day, despite the fact that pirlo has better passing ratings, simply because passing differences are MARGINAL in this damn game. speed kills, and that sucks when you're playing with say a manchester united (slow/average speed strikers) vs. a fast team that dominates (like friggin AS ROMA with ibarbo, doumbia, and gervinho). i mean, come on....when i would RATHER take doumbia over a van persie, something is CLEARLY wrong w/ the game. im not saying that you can't have better shots w/ van persie if he has space....but i am saying that its FAR too easier to have a doumbia take through balls down the mid w/ simple finishes. THIS MUST BE CHANGED, because slower players w/ better passing ratings should have their advantages too! pirlo should be just as dangerous w/ his passes, as ramires is w/ his speed.

one of my fears is that speed will be TOO NERFED. if, going back to that vidal analogy, an interception is made mid field, and say i have a sergio aguero ready to receive the pass on the fast break, no way in hell should a received through-ball to aguero be nullified by a big *** central defender (say mertesacker) because he CAUGHT UP TO AGUERO. speed kills in fifa 15, yet somehow in the final third, CBs catch up to guys like messi/aguero too often. perhaps this is strictly a HUMAN v. CPU phenomenon (i dont play online).

[dubcity]

Sounds like the midfield play will be more like FIFA 14, with (hopefully) realistic defensive shape and formations. If you compare the radar at kickoff in 15 to 14 you see how ridiculous the difference is.

I'm sure people will complain that it's too hard to score, which means crosses and headers will be adjusted and made OP via an update or right out of the box.

[Matt10]

All of it sounds great. I love it. I know I've said it before but, so far, everything we have discovered in the OS Sliders thread has been addressed. Coincidence? I think not. EA's watching

[jb12780]

I like it. Having a solid central midfield will be key it seems.

[DBMcGee3]

The defensive AI improvements will be HUGE for this game. I loved many things about FIFA 15, but the inability to remotely rely on my CPU teammates was always a big negative for me. I play on-ball D mostly anyway, but even the teammate pressure button was ineffective in my experience, as guys take bad angles and don't always come from where they should.

I'd still like to see less scripting as well. I can understand the CPU playing more aggressively when down a goal late, but to me it's ludicrous how often goals are scored in the 45th and 90th minutes, by both user and CPU, and while it may just be paranoia and sour grapes on my part, I always feel like the CPU gets the benefit of so many little bounces in those situations. Suddenly completing short, routine passes becomes difficult, fouls seem to go uncalled, and I swear the ball is just magnetized to the CPU's feet when they are in desperation mode. Am I crazy?

All in all, I'm very much looking forward to both FIFA and PES this year. They are so different from one another, I thoroughly enjoy switching back and forth for a few weeks at a time, so neither game gets old over the course of what is literally a year round season with International ball in the summer.

[qinedotvvc]

as guys take bad angles and don't always come from where they should.