We tested a preview version of the game from EA Sports, which comes with new gameplay and modes.
FIFA 21 is coming. One of the best-selling games each year in Spain is preparing to land in October for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. After announcing its best players, it now comes with several new features that we have been able to test in recent days with access to a beta of the A game that allowed us to enjoy career mode and games in kick-off mode, the friendlies of a lifetime. The result? You have it in a reflection with gameplay captured by us in the video that leads this article, where we focus on the most important playable news and changes in career mode. Hit play if you want to know all the details, some of which we will detail below.
Creative unchecks and new agile dribbles
In our games we have noticed two equally relevant elements. On the one hand, that the title is continuous with respect to its predecessor, FIFA 20, and that is evident in many of the game mechanics and situations. It is true that we have been able to more dynamic situations due to new animations and changes in the collision system, as well as goalkeepers with a greater number of saves. But the development of walls, passes into space or the importance of the speed of the extremes remains intact, just as the use of L2 in defense is maintained to mark and follow the forwards with greater precision as key elements. But the changes are not minor.
The main and biggest change we see is that of creative unchecks. Three new types of unchecks: the first, indicate an uncheck and then, with R, the direction so that it is not always upwards. The second, give a pass and indicate where the pass issuer’s career is going to generate new spaces. The third, press L and R so that the player marked with a diamond gives a pass and we can move him where we want while the CPU controls who has the ball.
Of the three mechanics, the first is the one that least convinces us, due to some trajectories that do not always respond to what we set, while both the second and the third have allowed us to generate new offensive plays. Unchecks that hold the offside, others that open much more to look for the best space, others that pass behind to surprise, players that uncheck inwards to leave a free way to the wings … New situations are generated very powerful and that we detail in the video.
The other great novelty is the agile dribbling by holding down R2 (or R1, which is not the sprint), and allows you to move the ball from one side to the other to get out quickly. Something that in the face of the CPU has given us great results, it will be necessary to see how it works with humans but that a priori seems to us to benefit a lot from 1 against 1. To hold the ball and to dribble, in both cases the mechanics have surprised us. We will see how it integrates when the months go by.
Kick-off: modes and some new strategy
Kick-off mode returns with all its variety of options, which are detailed in different types of matches. From normal friendlies to standard house rules with modes such as king of the court, survival, head goals and volleys or the mystery ball. We can also do games set in the Champions League, in the Libertadores, a cup final, roundtrip games and the best to a specific series.
At the tactical level, we have found a new defensive style called “pressure on heavy touch”, which is something similar to the fact that the team maintains its formation, but if the rival offers an opportunity to press, they rush to do so. For example, if they lose a ball or make a difficult pass at the start. It adds to the constant pressure and pressure after loss, which were already in previous editions and allowed to press 7 seconds.
Career mode: new ways to train
Finally, as we show you in the video, we have also been able to test the career mode. We liked this separation between physical condition and ease: the first thing is the physical level of each player after training, playing, etc. And the second is the level of fluency that he has as he trains and plays. Two communicating vessels that must be balanced so that their performance in the field is the most optimal. In addition, we have new training plans for each player, being able to change their role and position, and we will be able to plan absolutely everything we want to do on the calendar: training days, rest days, recovery … All of this, of course, affecting to morale and relationship with the players.
In this mode we were also able to see the new simulation, which allows us to see the game in a schematic way, to change tactics and players and, just by pressing a button, going to play the game directly whenever we want, to then return to the simulation mode of fast and efficient way. We have hours left to see how tournaments, negotiations (now other players, transfers and formulas that go beyond money are incorporated) and other classic elements evolve, but at a first glance, the changes have convinced us.
If you want to see in detail everything we have explained, remember that you have it with its own gameplay in the video that heads this report.
