FIFA fans have felt somewhat underwhelmed by recent iterations of the football simulator. While the games will always sell and EA Sports’ Ultimate Team modes continue to generate billions of dollars, gameplay has arguably been disappointing and there has been a lack of love given to FIFA’s lesser-played modes like Pro Clubs or Career Mode.
Will FIFA 21 change all that? Well the embargo on reviews has now lifted, so with just a few days before the worldwide FIFA 21 release date, the world’s media has been answering that very question. The general consensus appears to be that FIFA 21 will be one of the most attack-minded FIFAs ever. In short, it’s a goal fest. However, there are concerns about its lack of innovation and the ever-present issue of Ultimate Team’s controversial pack system.
FIFA 21 has made some small improvements to game mechanics, but “largely underwhelms” off the pitch, according to IGN’s Simon Cardy. Bleacher Report’s Nick Ackerman identifies “hints of a better future” with FIFA 21, but reserves the right to be pessimistic as FIFA titles often “crumble” at some point in their lifespan. Elsewhere, GameSpot’s Richard Wakeling says that improvements to player responsiveness and passing make FIFA 21 a more exciting attacking experience than last year’s game.
The high scorelines being seen in FIFA 21’s early matches appear to be reflected by the equally high scores of the critics. Here’s a roundup of the scores that have been dished out for FIFA 21:
- Bleacher Report: 8/10
- DualShockers: 6.5/10
- Forbes: 8.25/10
- Game Informer: 7.75/10
- GameSpot: 8/10
- IGN: 7/10
- Video Games Chronicle: 4/5
So FIFA 21 appears to have not really broken any new ground aside from small improvements here and there. It is the FIFA experience we have come to expect over recent years, reskinned. While the scores are positive, history has taught us that FIFA games often start stronger than they finish.
Will it still sell? Of course. But with the next generation of consoles imminent, new innovations to the FIFA games will certainly not be coming with FIFA 21. Regardless, the game’s popular Ultimate Team mode means it’ll undoubtedly find a spot in our best Xbox One games and best PS4 games lists.