FIFA 22 review: 'A return to form for the legendary franchise'
By Jordan Middler // Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ The Social contributor // 27 September 2021
FIFA 22 feels like a proper first step into the next generation for the iconic game, even if some of the rough edges remain.
The toughest task for FIFA each year is to provide some reason for the people who bought the last one only 12 months ago to part with their £70 once again. This becomes extra difficult if the person in question spent 11 of them getting annihilated by teenagers with access to their mum’s credit card.
What FIFA 22 does so well is instead of making the game revolve around a pool of 10 players that are viable to use, a reduction in the pace of the game and an emphasis on passing makes the variety of effective players much larger.
FIFA 22 review
The next generation of the iconic football game is here, will it live up to expectations?
Ultimate Team returns and while there’s still the gambling in all but name pack opening system that will once again make EA a ridiculous amount of money, there’s also an abundance of ways to earn cards without spending a penny, but of course this comes at the cost of your time.
Ultimate Teams main competitions, Division Rivals and FUT Champions have also received a fresh format, with less games required for the biggest prizes. This is a great thing as it lessens FIFA’s vice-like grip on the lives of the people who love it, myself included. However, a downside is that the ultra-competitive Weekend League is set to feature a much smaller pool of high-level players, meaning the top tier rewards will remain the property of those who play the game as a full-time job.
Career mode, both manager and player, have received some fresh coats of paint. In player career, your goals that’ll ensure your spot in the first team are now clearer, as before each match you’ll be given a series of missions to take care of, such as scoring, keeping a high match rating, or making a certain number of passes. Manager career is a lot of the same from last year, but the menu system feels less like a battle, and more willing to actually let you get on with playing the games.
New this year is the ability to create your own club from scratch. Everything is customisable from the kits, the logo, your stadium, even down to the crowd chants and what the ethos of your club will be. This is a great, and long overdue addition to add a lot of depth to career mode, if you can overcome the urge to name your team something ridiculous that is.
FIFA 22 is a huge improvement over its predecessors and seems poised to establish itself as the definitive FIFA on the new generation of consoles. Like with FIFA 15 back in the day, FIFA 22 feels designed with the PS5 and Xbox Series X in mind, and it’s a much better game for it.
If you can get past the rough edges, and the lingering smell of Ultimate Team, it’s an excellent football game, something that’s been long overdue for some time.
