Platform(s): Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, PC
Genre: Football game from EA, but with a name change(?)

When you’ve reached what is perceived by many as the pinnacle of what’s possible, topping that achievement seems like a fool’s errand. Take Manchester City’s treble achievements last season for example. What next for Pep & Co.? Or something closer to home, EA Sports’ repackaged and rebranded football franchise, ?F?I?F?A? ?2?4?  EA FC 24.

Known throughout the years as the de facto football game in the market, with their standing challenged only for brief periods, EA Sports’ annual football game received perhaps a much-needed rebranding this year following its separation from the football governing body, FIFA. While this may affect the brand of the game in its early days – people will inevitably still refer to the game as ‘FIFA’ for a considerable period – it allows EA Sports reason and rhyme to steer the game into new directions and even attempt bold moves.

Pre-Match Jitters?

So what has changed between FIFA 23 and EA FC 24? Those who transition from the ‘old’ franchise to this new one would find the ‘improvements’ incremental more than anything else. If you very much dominated in FIFA 23, your tried and tested go-to strategies and approaches should be transferable to EA FC 24. In fact, the changes brought forward may even bolster your game overall.

Those who played a ton of FIFA games in the past would immediately realize how ‘physical’ EA FC is compared to past games.

A ton of big words were tossed around when we were at the EA FC 24 junket in Sydney last month. ‘Volumetric Capture’ was one of them and what we feel, the most significant in this iteration of F?I?F?A? EA Sports’ new annual football game. By (more) accurately capturing a player’s unique physical attributes such as gait and prowess, the authenticity of the game is improved significantly over FIFA 23.

From downtown #EAFC24 #XboxSeriesS pic.twitter.com/5CczbKQU6Z

— Kenn Leandre @ 2023 Asian Games (@kennleandre) September 20, 2023

As a result, it made Erling Haaland – a beast of a player- probably the scariest striker to face in the game. Not only is he able to out-muscle your defenders, his antelope-like strides ensure he gets to the loose ball sooner than your flailing defender. And once he’s off to the races, good luck in catching up. Your best bet is an onrushing goalkeeper to narrow his striking angle.

But it isn’t all about scoring goals. FIFA’s auto-tackle feature, coupled with added physicality baked into the game which we mentioned earlier make the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate literal brick walls. Good luck trying to get past them head-on. More physically challenged players may have a hard time too since strengths and weaknesses are amplified accordingly.

Style or Substance?

Navigation around the game feels more simplified and streamlined as well. The interface feels much clearer and the matchday presentation is something the folks at EA Sports rightfully be proud of. In the case of art imitating life, each pre-game montage feels closer to the real thing and is varied enough to reflect the different stadiums the matches are being played in. We highly recommend making your team of choice play as the away team to fully experience the various pre-game montages EA FC 24 has to offer. Although if you, like us, play the game a ton, these montages – in spite of their variety – do get a tad repetitive soon enough.

As for player models and likenesses, it is hard to imagine if the devs are able to capture anything more realistic than many of the players you will see in-game. Couple this with the improved physical attributes in which Opta had a hand in contributing, EA FC 24 may very well be the most realistic football game ever created.

In terms of modes, all the classical modes synonymous with FIFA return to EA FC 24 but with added depth. You can better chart your virtual players’ professional journey and even vie for the coveted Ballon d’Or if you do well enough. However, I do hope that the game tones down on the transfers of my other teammates when I’m playing the career mode. Even if they are to pull off a transfer, please make it something realistic. Nothing is more frustrating than suddenly seeing Virgil van Dijk being sold to, of all clubs, Manchester United. This definitely took me out of the game. Literally and figuratively.

First match on #EAFC24

Typical pic.twitter.com/0iAwL5OdjP

— Kenn Leandre @ 2023 Asian Games (@kennleandre) September 20, 2023

Those who prefer to take the seat of a manager and run their favourite football team can take the same crack at it. Recreating ‘what if’ scenarios and situations is always fun especially completing transfers which faltered in real life. * cough * * MOISES CAICEDO *. However, like in FIFA 23, do not expect the depths and detail as seen in Football Manager series. EA FC 24’s main focus is the action on the field. And excel in it they did.

You probably have read some of the comments and complaints online regarding the mixing of male and female players into the Ultimate Team mode. While yes, it is bewildering at the start to see some female players’ cards show stats higher than the likes of leading male players, this brings an unprecedented new take to the mode which has gone stale over the years. Female players tend to be zippier and faster on their turns making them a hassle to deal with once they’ve sent you the wrong way. We honestly think there’s a meta involving speedy players with a low centre of gravity just waiting to be unearthed. Imagine playing against a team of prime Raheem Sterlings and voila. No one’s gonna complain about a player’s gender in Ultimate Team.

The ‘Player Evolutions’ feature which is baked into EA FC 24 would allow team owners to nurture their players to better fit specific roles. For example, improving the jumping and vertical abilities of certain strikers to improve their lethality in front of goal, or making a brickwall-of-a-defender a mobile fortress by improving attributes related to pace.

Post-Match Report

All in all, EA FC 24 is more than ‘just a FIFA 24 name change’; it’s an evolution of a long-standing franchise which is attempting to appeal to new, returning and current players alike. Have they done a good job? From what we’ve gathered from our time reviewing it, yes. Yes, they have. Do we wish for more substantial improvements to really differentiate itself from the FIFA franchise EA Sports has been associated with throughout the years? Definitely.

But will it satiate the present-day needs of having a football sim which closely reflects the current climate of the game? Sure.

Final Score: 70/100

This review is based on an early review copy of EA FC 24 provided by EA Sports and was reviewed on the Xbox Series X.