In general, there are a lot more loose ball situations this year, and you'll actually have to manage your player switching quite a bit to go after errant passes and weird deflections. Still, you will see plenty of header opportunities, and you'll likely score some smooth-looking goals off your dome. I found crosses and headers to be slightly less effective than before, which is probably a good thing, since FIFA can get kind of bogged down in corners and headers. It's also noteworthy that the added animations affect how headers will look and play out, as players will turn their head and contort their body in really specific ways that haven't been seen in previous FIFA games. I wouldn't say that this occurs every single time, but it looks really cool when it does. Headers have received a similar buff, as now multiple players - at least four - can go up after a ball. This created more dynamism in the offensive scenarios, and everything just feels great when releasing a wicked shot from outside the box. I still found that finesse shots could be potted in the same fashion as most FIFA games of the past, but the added fidelity and framerate meant I could plant and manuever in the box with more purpose than before. Since there are many new animations and reactions, players will actually adjust their body and their feet before releasing a shot, creating a much more believable release the has the appropriate velocity and impact if it hits the bar or ripples the net. Shooting, for example, feels quite a bit different, even though it's rooted in the familiar meters and presentation that users will be accustomed to. Every player moves with an enhanced level of fluidity when compared to the current-gen version, and it's readily apparent when you watch the game back in replays. Since the shackles of have been taken off the developers at EA, they've been able to use custom animations for many more scenarios, including through passes, lobs, shots, headers, pivots and off-the-ball reactions. The biggest change in FIFA 14 on the new hardware, which I've outlined in my previous impressions, is the way it moves and plays thanks to the added animation fidelity and blistering framerate.
If you own the game on current-gen platforms already, it's probably a tall order to convince you to plunk down a bunch more money to play this version.īut if you find yourself in the market for a PS4 or an Xbox One (especially in Europe, where you could get FIFA for free), FIFA 14 on next generation hardware acquits itself rather well. While the new Ignite engine that's powering EA's next-gen efforts is certainly in its early stages here, this is still a strong “launch” sports title, and there's plenty to be happy about when you start playing it.ĭon't misunderstand: this FIFA experience on next-gen reveals itself to be quality, but only once you play it. To be truthful, FIFA 14 for next-gen consoles isn't a sports title that's going to instantly make your jaw hit the floor - certainly not in the way that NBA 2K14 has managed to do - but once you start looking at it and playing it on a nice television setup, you start to realize that it's an incredibly versatile and smooth version of the FIFA brand that has satisfied millions for years now.