FIFA 21 is the latest game in the Electronic Arts soccer simulation series. Released on August 9 for PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox One, PC (Steam and Origin), and Nintendo Switch, the game brought updates such as gameplay and graphics improvements, as well as new features in game modes. The game will also offer a free enhanced version for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S if the buyer switches to the new generation of consoles.
On the other hand, the soccer simulator is very expensive and has no demo, which has generated complaints from players. With this in mind, Techidence has prepared a list pointing out the main pros and cons that should be taken into consideration before buying the new game. See, below if FIFA 21 is worth it.
Positive Points
Gameplay Improvements
According to EA, the new game has the “most intelligent FIFA gameplay to date”. The gameplay improvement has given the player more ways to be creative with and without the ball. For that, five aspects were included in the game: Agile Dribbling, Positioning Awareness, Creative Runs, Natural Collision System, and Fundamentals of Football.
“Agile Dribbling” – opens up more possibilities for different moves in one-on-one situations against an opposing defender. In addition to dribbling, new body moves have been added. In the case of “Positioning Awareness” – the game improvement was about the artificial intelligence of attackers, making them hold the run so as not to get in an offside.
The “Creative Runs” offer a new influence on how players move and run around the pitch. The “Natural Collision System” improved the impacts and made more natural the collisions between players. Finally, the “Football Fundamentals” feature improved the artificial intelligence of passes, blocks, response time, and manual headers of virtual soccer players.
New Features in Game Modes
The game modes, which were already popular, also received interesting new developments in FIFA 21. Ultimate Team has new ways to play, among them the FUT Co-op, which allows the user to join a friend to face other players (alone or in pairs). The customization options have been expanded, and now it is possible to choose a nickname for the team, in addition to creating unique uniform looks.
EA has also tinkered with team management, allowing players to choose between spending more time managing the team or playing matches. The new Career Mode features include interactive simulations of matches, improved player development, game pace, and active training, calendar planning, improved artificial intelligence of opponents, and new transfer options.
Concerning Volta Football, a tribute to the old FIFA Street, there are 21 new ways to play: now, with new fields, a match can be located in São Paulo, for example. Also, another game mode highlight worth mentioning is the unusual exclusive collection of pieces designed and developed by the Spanish full-back Hector Bellerin, an Arsenal player.
Version Guaranteed for the New Generation of Consoles
As with The Witcher 3 and other Microsoft games with the “Smart Delivery” system, FIFA 21 buyers will get a free upgrade if they migrate to the next generation consoles. In other words, whoever buys a copy of the game now, for PS4 or Xbox One, will be able to download an improved version of the game on their respective successor platform.
EA calls this system “Dual Entitlement” and reveals that the game will be available as soon as the new consoles are released in November. The user will be able to redeem their copy until the release of FIFA 22, and all progress of the game on the current platform can be transferred to the next generation of video games. The company also points out that the game’s upgrade will take advantage of the new machines’ full potential.
“New innovations revealed with the strengths of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, such as ultra-fast loading times, deferred lighting and rendering, improved animation technology, and humanization without the ball, will take the world’s largest game from the visual to the visceral, enabling a superior feel every time you step on the grass,” said EA.
Negative Points
Few Advances in Graphics
Usually, during the transition period between consoles generations, developers know how to request a maximum of the generation to be replaced. In the current scenario, the games for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have already reached their apexes in terms of graphics, and FIFA, the series seems to have reached its limit as well.
This is clear in FIFA 21: the graphic evolution of the game was very subtle to its predecessor. Although there are occasional improvements in the lighting and visuals of players, especially the most famous, it is very difficult to notice any visual improvement in the game.
High Price
FIFA 21 reached the market with a 25% increase in its price, compared to the previous edition of the series. While FIFA 20 is currently available on the official store for $59.99 but can be seen on Amazon for as low as $23.89 in its standard version, the latest version of the game is also costing $59.99.
For subscribers to the EA Play service, FIFA 21 is with a 10% discount. The special versions of the game, Champions Edition, and Ultimate Edition, are even saltier, costing $79.99 and $99.99, respectively. The price of the game has become a laughing matter, with several complaints on the internet. Humorously, social network users even questioned if the attacker Neymar would come along with the game.
The Game has no Demo
For the first time in this current generation of video games, a FIFA series game was released without a demo. EA announced this decision on September 21 and justified saying that the developers’ focus was on “delivering a complete game experience to the consoles of this generation and the next”.
Electronic game demos are good opportunities to check out the details before investing good money in the complete product. Without this possibility, there is no way for the user to test FIFA 21 to know whether or not it is worth buying the game.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.