Set an opinion on a FIFA franchise title it's always very complicated. At its launch, FIFA 21 pleased me a lot, but throughout the year its changes and problems weighed negatively, with the experience not being as good as it was at the beginning of the long "season".
Longtime fans know how much certain updates have changed some titles in the franchise, making them less interesting than they should have been. More speeds, changes in goalkeepers... Updates that bring changes to the gameplay always give FIFA players chills.
In this scenario, we have the arrival of FIFA 22, which brought the HyperMotion Technology as its big news. The analysis of a FIFA is always a shot in the dark, since a few months later the title may be presenting something different from what was seen right at its launch. In other words, EA doesn't have a very positive track record of updating its annual game, often making the wrong choices.
However, letting hope guide us and believing that this time the developers will keep the game on the initial course, we must accept that FIFA 22 can be the best franchise release in the last years.
HyperMotion Technology is good news
FIFA 22: Minimum and recommended requirements to run on PCA HyperMotion Technology arrived to allow much more realism offered by the title. With the news, EA Sports broughtand 4000 new animations for FIFA 22, with the number being much higher than in previous titles. Motion captures were performed with 22 athletes performing a match on a real field, with real situations of ball dispute, creation of plays and everything else being captured for the new game of the franchise.
Over the years, we've seen titles that delivered major changes, while others changed little. FIFA 22 is the one that offers the most innovation in its gameplay, whether in ball control, game rhythm or even the positioning of the teams on the field.
More realistic than ever, FIFA 22 matches feature elements that are very faithful to what we see on real pitches, even if slips get in the way of the title.
Block positioning is featured
While promoting their new game, EA Sports hit the same key saying that the defensive positioning would be much more realistic in the new franchise title. Excited about the possibility, I sometimes had doubts about these statements, as broken promises are already part of the franchise's history.
However, with FIFA 22 in hand, it didn't take me long to realize that the game actually delivers the best positioning ever seen in the franchise. As a team well assembled by its coach, the title delivers a defensive block movement that offers few spaces and "holes".
There is a very natural movement between the markers, with each athlete seeming to understand exactly what their role is on the field, as well as tactics are always highly respected by each of the players, who seek intelligent positioning to cover spaces. This is also how EA Sports managed get around the stuck balls problem, something that almost always resulted in extremely dangerous shots in FIFA 21.
Unlike previous versions, in FIFA 22 it is necessary to have much more patience to open spaces and pierce the opposing defense, since the movement of defensive midfielders, wingers and defenders does not present the old problems, such as runs in wrong directions, players out of position and movements that seemed to "purposely" open holes in the defense.
don't attack, the movement also looks more realistic, with players well spread and respecting their positions, looking for a positioning that can generate good plays. However, it is in the defense that the positioning of FIFA 22 draws the most attention, with this being the point that left the most to be desired in previous titles.
No glitched moves or appeals
Due to the fact that the defense is positioned well, together with the fact that the game delivers in this version a much more realistic pace of play and ball time, the FIFA 22 seems to have ended with appealing or "buggy" plays. It is now extremely difficult to use "wormholes", running wildly between markers and passing through them all. Moves that in 21 happened frequently now almost always end up with a marker appearing in front of the attacker and regaining possession of the ball.
This point also contributes to FIFA 22 being the most realistic title we've seen in the franchise, at least in recent years. While previous games allowed "spectacular plays" to happen frequently, the current title makes these moments rarer, just like in real life.
Bugged dribbling also seems to have lost the almost unfair and absurdly unrealistic effectiveness of other versions, with FIFA 22 delivering a ball fight that shows itself much more faithful to what football really presents.
Goalkeepers are featured
Calls for some or more realistic for others, FIFA 22's goalkeepers are certainly one of the highlights of the title. With new animations, the defenses are much more interesting visually speaking, while the performance of archers is also superior.
Between FIFA 21's goal-filled matches and FIFA 22's goalkeepers perform miracles, I must say that the second option pleases me more because it offers more realistic results, since routs are not that common in football.
more cadenced
Although other versions have already been released with the same positive point, but later modified by EA, FIFA 22 was at least released as a title more cadenced than its predecessors.
EA Sports seems to have finally advanced considerably when we talk about game rhythm and ball time, with FIFA 22 gameplay being a bit slower and requiring more patience, which makes it pleasant.
The positioning of the athletes on the field also contributes to this, as does the ball control proves to be more responsive and realistic than other versions, as these and other elements result in a very interesting gameplay, above what was being delivered by previous titles.
more immersive
In addition to innovations in gameplay and artificial intelligence, the title also features improvements in player behavior. With new animations, we see athletes interacting much more on the field.
Players vibrate more, show more discontent and even talk to each other, making gestures, asking for the ball and performing other movements, thus making each game much more immersive.
Career mode and Ultimate Team
Career mode finally received EA's attention in FIFA 22, including the possibility of create your own team from scratch. The novelty was something fans had been craving for some time.
It's possible create name, shield, uniform and many other elements of your team, as well as you also choose the style of fictional players that will be formed for your squad. Options like editing your stadium completely, choosing the crowd anthems and literally creating "everything" about your team leave the much more attractive and immersive way.
In Ultimate Team, the essence of the mode is still the same, but interesting new features of squad customization have also emerged. You can edit the look of your own stadium, even choosing songs and decorations that can be purchased with coins in the store or in the famous packs.
A somewhat considerable change is the WL format, which has returned to play-offs. The new Weekend League structure is a plus in my opinion, but it might upset some players.
The verdict
FIFA 22 is the version more realistic franchise in recent years. If it doesn't receive modifications that spoil the experience, the game should be recognized as the best title made at Frostbite, as well as It can be considered one of the best in the franchise in general..
Very enjoyable - we hope it stays that way -, the game delivers a fair gameplay, without many of the problems that totally broke any attempt at realism offered by previous versions. FIFA 22 may not be perfect, but it's a better simulator than any FIFA in recent years has managed to be.
Some problems are still present, such as the fact that the handicap remains an unnecessary problem in some matches. However, in general FIFA 22 manages to please, being perhaps the return of the franchise to absolute success... that new updates do not spoil a really interesting title!
It is worth saying that the game shines only on the new generation of consoles, as HyperMotion's improvements and innovations are not available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Game reviewed on PlayStation 5, with a copy provided by Electronic Arts*
FIFA 22
8.8 Pros- Pleasant gameplay
- Excellent defensive positioning
- "Apelona" plays do not occur as often as before
- good artificial intelligence
- Most realistic title in the franchise in recent years
- Good player animations
- Some gameplay bugs happen
- Handicap still seems to be present in certain matches
