FIFA 22

I have spent enough Saturday nights passing a controller around to know that the first question any group of mates asks is not 'is this realistic?' - it's 'can I score a screamer and rub it in?' FIFA 22 answers that second question well, and it does so across a surprisingly wide range of modes. The on-pitch feel is slower and heavier than previous entries, which turns out to be a good thing. Passes require patience, defenders are harder to breeze past, and the new Explosive Sprint mechanic rewards you for picking the right moment to burst away from a marker rather than just holding the sprint button from kick-off. Improved goalkeeper AI means cheap near-post goals from previous games are less automatic, and matches have a genuine ebb and flow that makes them more watchable from across the room. For group play, the split-screen and local co-op support is there when you need it, and the Volta Football mode adds a scrappy, shorter-format street game that works brilliantly as a quick warm-up before jumping into proper matches. The Volta Arcade games - think footy-tennis, dodgeball-style variants - are chaotic fun, though EA's decision to lock that Arcade content to weekends only is the kind of arbitrary restriction that makes you scratch your head mid-session. Pro Clubs lets up to 11 people play together online in coordinated team matches, and Kick-Off quick games with House Rules options keep casual sessions moving fast with minimal setup faff. Career Mode receives a genuinely welcome addition in the form of create-a-club, letting you name your side, design a crest and kit from scratch, pick your stadium and set your budget before starting a league campaign. It hooks you in a way that generic manager saves often don't, because you are invested in the team from minute one. Player Career is less satisfying - there is a skill-tree system for upgrading your attributes, but outside of matches there is very little to actually do, and most players will drift back to the manager chair inside a few hours. The elephant in the room for PC players is HyperMotion, the motion-capture animation system that EA used as the flagship selling point for this entry. It is locked to PS5 and Xbox Series X versions. The PC version does not get it. The game still looks sharp and plays well, but if you have been sold on the idea of 4,000 new animations making every touch feel unique, that is a next-gen console exclusive experience. What PC does get is fast load times between matches, responsive controls with a gamepad, and perfectly adequate visuals - just manage your expectations against the console marketing material. FIFA Ultimate Team remains the mode where the community spends the most time and EA spends the most development attention. The card-collecting, squad-building loop is deep and genuinely absorbing, but the pay-to-win atmosphere in online competitive play is real and well-documented. Grinding for coins through the transfer market has also been made harder this cycle, with pack prices adjusted in ways that push players toward spending real money. If FUT is your primary reason for buying, go in with eyes open. If you care more about Career Mode, Volta, Pro Clubs, or sofa co-op, you will get a lot of football for your money without touching FUT at all.

Riley · Scout Team

Sports & racing

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