FIFA 23 Review: The Good, The Bad, The Bottom Line

Games FIFA 23 Review: The Good, The Bad, The Bottom Line Brian Mazique Contributor Forbes Games Reviews Contributor Group Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Oct 9, 2022, 12:46am EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin FIFA 23 Credit: EA If you’re wondering about the calling card for FIFA 23, it’s easily EA’s enhanced usage of HyperMotion technology. Yes, this is the final year the game will be called “FIFA,” but many gamers are more interested in the experience they will receive once they start, more than the name of the title.

With that said, here is the good, the bad and bottom line with FIFA 23. The Good An Acquired Taste and Appreciation During the first 5-10 minutes of gameplay with FIFA 23, many users may miss the impact of HyperMotion 2, but I found the more I played, the more of an appreciation I gained for the engine improvements. Machine learning–a major portion of what makes HyperMotion a potentially attractive piece of tech in all sports games–still has its limitations.

After all, there are only so many instances that can be captured in a series of 11-v-11 matches. MORE FOR YOU They Inherited Billions Upon Billions: Meet America’s Richest Heirs Today’s ‘Quordle’ Answers And Clues For Sunday, October 9 Hey Tech Lady: Network It, Baby! And How To Do It Translation: there are still some wonky instances where the animations don’t match the situation. However, when it works and there is an on-pitch scenario that is captured accurately, it delivers some gorgeous sequences from the beautiful game.

HyperMotion is about one or two iterations from being the game-changing tech it already claims to be, but it is still a clear plus in the overall gameplay experience. Ball Control This has been an issue for me in previous FIFA games. I’m far from an expert, but there is something about the tools offered in this year’s game that has made it a bit easier to understand and grasp.

Accelerate movements divided between controlled, explosive and lengthy animations manifest themselves as excellent tools for a higher level of gameplay and offensive control. Protecting the ball against defenders feels more natural in FIFA 23. Authentic Women’s Matches EA should be applauded for their inclusion of women’s matches, clubs and stars like Sam Kerr who joined Kylian Mbappe as a cover athlete.

To take things to the next level, EA has mo-capped women’s matches to ensure there are nearly as many examples of authentic women’s action as you’ll see in the men’s games. There’s also the women’s World Cup alongside the men’s version of the event, which adds more value to the overall package. Presentation is Fantastic Big matches in EPL, La Liga and other major leagues look and feel outstanding.

They offer a TV-style presentation that augment the career mode. Your seasons of play have all the fixings with player and manager personalities. FIFA still does a good job of adding some life into the experience with an animated news ticker on the mode’s main menu and enough tasks to link you to your team’s journey and your virtual world of football.

Playable Highlights Initially, I didn’t think I’d like the option to simply play the highlights in a career mode. However, FIFA’s answer to Madden’s Play the Moments and MLB The Show’s Critical Situations, works nicely in world football. It’s not the way I’d choose to play through an entire career experience, but it’s a cool way to change things up a bit.

Cross-Play Cross-play is in FIFA 23. Though it is only available on the same platform generation, it still closes the gap between the major gaming consoles. Cross-Play is available on the following modes: FUT Division Rivals (except Co-Op), FUT Champions, FUT Ultimate Online Draft, FUT Online Friendlies (except Co-Op), FUT Play a Friend, Online Friendlies, Online Seasons (except Co-Op Seasons) and the Virtual Bundesliga This list of playable modes gives a good bit of variety, though still misses the mark in a few areas.

VOLTA is Spectacular One of, if not my favorite modes in FIFA is VOLTA. EA has expounded on what was a limited, but promising mode in FIFA 22. With more arcade-style games and depth to the concept, VOLTA is one of the quickest, yet rewarding ways to play FIFA.

Short of the open-world concepts, it does as good of a job as any other sports title in existence in its attempts to add an NBA 2K, park-style vibe to go with its simulation experience. The mixing of VOLTA and Pro Clubs into a shared journey or sorts turns out to be a cohesive marriage of previously unrelated modes. The chase for XP doesn’t get you weary or bored, and the action on the street pitch offers a different brand of entertainment.

I’d recommend gamers who may not love the traditional FIFA gameplay to give this brand of VOLTA a spin. FUT is Deeper Than it Has Ever Been The two biggest additions to Ultimate Team this year are the FUT Moments that carry some solid rewards while you play through historic moments from the careers of Jurgen Klopp and Mbappe. FIFA has followed the lead of MLB The Show’s Diamond Dynasty which has long used its collector mode to tell stories from historic moments in baseball.

The presentation and setup for the moments are strong, and it weaves in nicely with FUT’s built-in chase for top cards and rewards. The other major add is the chase for a top chemistry grade for your club. The number 33 is the objective as FIFA’s in-game chemistry metric might take some time to fully grasp.

However, it helps this year’s version of FUT accomplish what every collector mode should aim for, and that’s to add a bit of intrigue and challenge within the primary goal of building a strong fantasy squad. The BAD The Mix of Career Mode With Franchise Mode is Tired The time has come for FIFA to stop trying to parlay their career mode off as an all-in-one franchise mode experience. The two concepts are not the same.

Because FIFA doesn’t have a traditional franchise mode, you cannot run an entire league the way you can in just about every other sports video game in the world. This omission feels like a philosophical undervaluing of a traditional sports video game concept, but it’s a minus in my book. Visually Underwhelming FIFA 23 isn’t an eyesore, but I’m not sure it qualifies as one of the better looking sports games on the market.

Because of the money it generates and the widespread appeal of the game, an improvement in visuals is a realistic expectation. Unfortunately, you probably won’t see a major difference in the way this game looks compared to the last two entries of the series. The Bottom Line There is less to dislike with FIFA 23 than there was with last year’s game, but I also wasn’t blown away with the advancements in several features such as career/franchise mode or the visuals.

While it’s technically a better game than FIFA 22, it may not seem like it to those who don’t spend most of their time in FUT or VOLTA. Color me satisfied, but not overwhelmed. Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Google Stadia (PS5 Version Reviewed, code provided by EA) Developer: EA Sports Publisher: EA Released: September 30, 2022 Price: $59.

99 for the standard edition, $99. 99 for Ultimate Edition Review Score: 7. 75 out of 10 Follow me on Twitter .

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