FIFA 22 will no doubt be better than FIFA 21 in terms of graphics and realism of players, stadiums and crowds, as this improves with every new football sim that EA creates. Advertisement click to enlarge
Why FIFA 22 is the best FIFA game?
The animations on the pitch not only look good but they also feel smooth and the strides of the players as they run, physical and aerial battle; lob passes and goalkeeper dives are better than ever before. When you add in the outstanding stadium renders and superb lighting, FIFA 22 looks like watching an actual football match.
Will FIFA 22 be more than just an update?
There is no doubt FIFA 22 will continue to reign supreme in its genre, but it remains to be seen whether fans will be happy with a game that feels more like an update. Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia.
Should you buy FIFA 22 career mode or FIFA 23?
FIFA 22 is a great option for the general experience but if you are looking to buy this game solely for Career Mode then best save your money for FIFA 23 or at least until it goes on sale. The changes to Career Mode are so-so and much of the fun that comes from that experience will largely depend on your own personal ideas to spice things.
Is FIFA 22 Ultimate Team worth buying?
FIFA 22 recreates everything special about a beloved and complex pastime, as well as its greed and superficiality. The game succeeds and fails in the same way the sport does, and nothing encapsulates this like FIFA Ultimate Team.
Gameplay
When it boils down to it, the thing we want to do most in a football video game is score goals — but the manner it's accomplished is often up for debate.
Career Mode
While the ever-popular Career Mode has remained relatively the same as FIFA 21, there are a couple of additions that make the experience more enjoyable.
Ultimate Team
Ultimate Team is FIFA's most popular online mode where gamers build a team with real-life players that are represented as cards. The base ratings of these cards hinge on a player's current ability, but they can grow if the players perform well in real life.
Verdict
While the gameplay does feel more authentic, and there have been several solid additions to the game modes, FIFA 22 is not a huge departure from its previous version. Like most editions of the game, FIFA 22 is a slight improvement that builds upon its predecessor.
World in HyperMotion
With no alarms and no surprises, EA Sports has pumped out yet another incremental update to its football simulation series. FIFA 22’s graphical upgrades and new animation technology make the beautiful game feel better, with goals demanding a more deliberate and rewarding playstyle.
What We Said About FIFA 21
Through small tweaks and refinements, FIFA 21 plays as well as it has done in recent memory, but lacks the relatively big features that are usually used to justify a new version of an annually released game.
Score: 7
FIFA 22 is a slower game than FIFA 21 as a result, but that doesn’t mean it’s all about defence. There’s not a lack of goals; you just have to earn them with careful passing play and a healthy dose of vision. Patience often seems to trump pace, which is very refreshing.
Microtransaction Reaction
Despite increasing pressure from regulators, pay-to-win microtransactions are still a problem in FIFA 22. Loot boxes appear in the form of card packs as part of FIFA’s popular Ultimate Team mode. You can purchase FIFA Points in bundles, starting at £0.79 for 100 FIFA Points and rising to a staggering £79.99 for 12,000 FIFA Points.
The beautiful game in motion
Let’s start by outlining what’s changed in FIFA 22. The biggest addition to this year’s game is the introduction of HyperMotion technology on next-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Less is more
As for the game’s other major gameplay additions, it’s a mixed bag. FIFA 22 doesn’t waste time letting you know about them, either.
Career highlight
For many, the more exciting updates are to be found in Career Mode. For the first time ever, you’re now able to create your own team, crest, kit and stadium from scratch, a long-awaited addition that works well in some places, and not-so-well in others.
The usual suspects
The rest of FIFA 22 is a case of small improvements. Volta returns with a few new modes and abilities to try, though they don’t do enough to make EA’s street football sim worth any more of your time than before.
Verdict
All in all, then, FIFA 22 is less about its new modes or mechanical bells and whistles and all about the actual experience of playing FIFA. HyperMotion is the biggest and perhaps only faultless improvement to this year’s entry, but it’s enough to propel FIFA 22 into the annals of the series’ very best games.
Share this article
Every year soccer fans have only one question: FIFA or PES? Which game’s the best? In 2021, this question is just slightly different, as Konami thought it’s a good idea to change the franchise’s name – a move EA is apparently mulling over, too.
Ball control
Ball control is an area where eFootball 2022 has you fighting against gravity more than playing soccer. Konami’s title is too heavy on movements, and that doesn’t provide you with a better vision on the pitch but only causes you to miss the right timing for a pass. FIFA 22 has introduced new animations instead.
Pace
FIFA 22 still can’t simulate the real pace of a match. A soccer game is not only about attacking and counter-attacking for 90 minutes straight. Right now, the pacing is closer to what you see in Premier League matches, but still very far from how soccer really works – you know, it’s not played by the fastest wingers alone.
Shots
Shots are equally controversial in both games. FIFA 22 keeps relying on finesse shots, almost the only solution at your disposal if you want to score. You already know how’s it gonna end when you’re in front of the goalkeeper, if you use it from a good angle or go for a regular shot.
Distinct match phases
FIFA 22 got slightly better at this, but it still plays so fast that you can’t distinguish different phases in a match. Every match is a constant ping pong between the areas: there’s no room for a study phase, nor moments where players look tired and have to take a breath.
Pitch
The entire PES series and eFootball 2022 offer much better pitch proportions compared to FIFA. EA Sports’ franchise sees players skating through the pitch most of the time, as a side effect to how fast they are.
Referees
FIFA’s referees have never given signs of unreliability, with the sole exception of bugs. eFootball 2022 stays true to PES’ tradition, where refs whistle and give you a yellow card every time you go for a sliding tackle (even if you barely touched the ball).
