FIFA is widely regarded as the largest franchise of all time, and is certainly the largest e-sports game series in the history of gaming. For almost 30 years, since its launch in 1993, FIFA has brought an annual update to its football management simulator which always sees the game vamped up with better graphics, more detailed character models, and smoother gameplay. Now that the release date for FIFA 22 is almost upon up, let’s take a quick look at some of the new features boasted by this much anticipated release!
This year’s FIFA is special because it is now being released on next-gen consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Because of this, the graphics engine has seen a significant boost. This can be seen through the beautiful details put into the animations and modelling. From seeing the players kits crease and cling to the glistening of sweat on their foreheads, the attention to fine details in this graphics certainly surpasses any previous FIFA instalment. However, it must be noted that the beauty of these graphics have seemingly been reserved for the players, while the managers have not benefitted from such a leap in detail.
If you’ve played FIFA though you’ll know that graphics are great but gameplay is king. FIFA have certainly delivered on this front! FIFA 22 is the first to include their brand new motion capture technology, HyperMotion. HyperMotion is not a gimmick, either. It employs more than 4,000 new animations created from motion captures taken during real-life matches. This has resulted in a much more fluid and natural feel from the player’s motions, including more realistic reactions to the momentum and direction of the ball.
The metagame features have also seen some wonderful new additions, like the new expanded stats screen you can view during and after your matches. You can see a brief overview of your basics like pass accuracy and shots on target, yet delve further in and you’ll find detailed diagrams showing the angles of your shows, where you lost possession, and a host more incredible fine details to allow you to develop your playstyle.
Overall, FIFA 22 delivers one of its best upgrades yet. The graphics are exquisitely detailed, as far as the world-class players go anyway, and the gameplay itself brings a smoother and more immersive experience than ever before. The player movements are just that much more realistic and the player’s individual personalities and stats and brought out much stronger that in previous iterations. New features like the explosive sprint mechanic give strikers an adrenaline-induced speed boost while goalkeepers let fewer basic balls slip past their fingers.
On top of all of this FIFA 22 boasts one of the best FIFA soundtracks so far and some brand new additions to its game modes, including a create your own club feature. Player Career Mode also adds an extra layer of depth with match objectives somewhat reminiscent of RPG quests, completion of which progresses your manager relationship. Creating your own player comes with a plethora of attributes to upgrade and a skill tree that would interest even Skyrim fans. From physical attributes to separate skill trees for defending, dribbling, shooting and even club-wide perks to boost your whole squad, the customisation options are near-limitless! FIFA 22 hits stores on Friday, so you don’t have long to wait before you can grab your copy!
