Fifa 13 Review

Fifa 13: Reviewed

Over the years, EA Sports’ FIFA franchise has gathered the attention of football fans around the world… To a point of making it the most popular sports game series of all time.

Recently EA came out with FIFA 13, and needless to say, I was impressed. The controls were silky, the graphics were refined, the likenesses and the game modes were fantastic… But once again, reviewers and football fans alike baffle themselves with the same question...

Has EA sports pulled a “same shit different year” on the fans?

Gameplay:
This is what EA does best. The controls feel ‘just right’, the tricks and the shooting make sense and there is absolutely no micro lag in gameplay (like FIFA 12). Besides those few things we expected from EA, there’s more! Fifa Ultimate Team is now far more refined, enjoyable and flat out addictive and the insanely popular Career mode has once again returned with minor improvements making it even bigger and far better than Fifa 12; things like more realistic transfers help in this field.

This is all fantastic, but; remember the first touch in Fifa 12?
When every player had insane Steven Gerrard like abilities to always receive a pass beautifully...Even if you were using the likes of Mertesacker or Santos?
Luckily, that easy First touch system is no more. It is now harder to obtain the ball, and for once, interceptions actually feel like a challenge. This has shown to be a good thing and a bad thing for the franchise, but I think it’s fantastic and genuinely brilliant.

Solid 9/10

Graphics:
I feel EA hasn’t tried their level best in this department as the graphics haven’t seen much of an improvement since the last game. Admittedly there aren’t many things one can do to help a football game’s graphics, as they are never really… Needed.
Graphics can make or break a game, and I take graphics awfully seriously, but in this case, I couldn’t care any less.
There are few moments in where you get to take in the graphics, as this game is fast paced fun and all you see is little bodies, like you do on TV. Sure you see the players close up in some celebrations, bookings, injuries… Tut that’s about it
Although having said all of that, the game has rather good graphics. Never did I say they were bad, I just said they hadn’t improved.

Close Enough! 7.5/ 10

Multiplayer:
Playing people online and kicking some ass is always fun, and OMP doesn’t only exist in the common find a match fashion, it is also possible within the amazingly fun Fifa Ultimate Team.
With that being said, the lag is bloody unbearable in a whole lot of cases, and gosh! Is it annoying! The privileged few may be able to find some good games with little lag, but again, that is rarer than Downing netting the ball against a classy team.

An unfortunate 6.5/10

Finally, A list of the Additions to the New Game:

EASFC-Play matches with ratings, form and injuries adjusted to actual football.
Eg. If Giroud has had a good run of form in real life, his game rating will boost by 2-3 points.

Career Mode Transfers: Now there are player+cash for offers. Now you can get rid of the Downings and Chamakhs of your team! Also you can request a sum of money and counter offers you get.

First Touch: It’s actually realistic for a change… enough said.

Skill Mini Games: Test your skill with these mini games that test your skill. These are a lot of fun and rather addictive.

These additions are simple and not to an unbelievable amount, but they are still quite awesome.

Additions: 8/10


The Verdict:
Once again, EA has not failed to impress the masses with it’s age old formula… but this makes me think, have they again managed to pull off a “same shit, different year on the fans”?
Either way, this game is crazily addictive and a whole lot of fun, and shouldn’t disappoint.



Gameplay-9/10
Graphics- 7.5/10
OMP- 6.5/10
Additions-8/10

Total 31/40 – 78 % - B+



Tchubbs