FC 25 Review (PS5)
Summary: Buoyed by a new strategy engine (FC IQ) an emphasis on 5-on-5 (Rush), and women's modes, FC 25 is a nice upgrade from FC 24.
4.3
High FC IQ
If Pro Evolution Soccer and Football Manager had a next gen console lovechild, it would likely appear as FC 25. To explain, FC 25 is the series’ first toe dip into bonafide simulation and strategy, and with it finally remedy the often-confounding AI-controlled player tendencies that could drive one up a wall.
From the jump, EA embraces its new identity via legendary French champion and coach Zinedine Zidane, who greets new players with an offer to walk through all the new FC 25 strategy centric modes. EA terms this technology ‘FC IQ,’ an AI-driven spacing and preference engine that likewise appears as player development options in Career, Ultimate and Manager modes.
What this means in actual play is every player in FC 25 can now be matched to an abundance of realistic play styles, chained to much deeper team strategy options and career development nuance. It’s an impressive and organic facelift that adds welcome diversity to the franchise, a welcome boon for those with preferences to simulate over longer seasons.
Semi-mirroring MLB The Show, FC 25 also and somewhat surprisingly added real legendary players (‘icons’) into Career, a very nice addition and escape from solely microtransactions to unlock and play as such legends. Another nice addition is insertion of women’s leagues, managers and players into FC 25, something long overdue noting and surprisingly absent until now.
Menus – akin to Madden – receive a much-needed refresh, with everything now a lot easier to navigate and select. This includes a welcome ability to quickly Kick Off an array of match types, including simulating multiple Euroleague environments and their fan atmospheres (based on match significance).
FC IQ is omnipresent in-game as well, with quick tactical adjustments no longer requiring deep dives into paused menus to pull off. Everything is now logically mapped to the D-Pad for on-the-fly changes. Noting I’m playing an early release (prior to major patches), I did experience some nit-nads in selecting these options (as they didn’t always take, peculiar movements of menu items once something selected).
5-on-5 Rush, somewhat hidden behind the Volta wall in FC 24, gets a lot of love in FC 25. It’s now a featured mode to include robust online play options, inclusion in a new Clubhouse social setting, and playable in Ultimate Team. For online players – much like NHL’s overtime format – Rush (with less players at a time, limited stoppage, more breakaways) will no doubt be the game option of choice. It plays faster, is simply more fun, and easier to dive into. Speaking of Volta, we barely knew you. It’s now generic 3-on-3 but everything remains.
Disclaimers for FC IQ notwithstanding, FC 25 gameplay is a near-carbon copy to FC 24. Referencing the Pro Evolution Soccer mention, it is slower than FIFA in deliberate ball advancement favoring through balls and controlled lobs the name of the game. The midfield remains a contested space and attempts to beat more than one player at a time almost never ends well. FC IQ says hello, as traditional passes without quick one-touch sequences are often intercepted. Defending AI players thankfully now more intelligently roam to close off would-be passing lanes, and challenges are more deliberate versus all or nothing (leading to multiple 1-on-1’s with a goalkeeper).
Testing out the on-the-fly FC IQ surprisingly produced actual differences for AI teammates. Struggling mightily to advance the ball through a staunch Mexico midfield, I opted for a Tiki-Taka switch to take advantage of my striker’s speed and open up the pitch. I won’t declare an astronomical AI adjustment with teammates organizing like FC Barcelona via this switch, but it did allow for a nice counterattack producing a goal a few minutes later.
While too many goalposts remain a thing, FC IQ ensures goalkeepers don’t wander and/or play weird angles for no reason. The odd rebounds off keeper hands so frequent in prior versions of FC and FIFA are seemingly no longer here. FC 25 also does a much better job in near sideline challenges, as balls more frequently go out of play versus magically stay on the line during contested challenges. Finally, corners now have cleaner menus and both spin and tactical options at one’s disposal.
Once more noting this a pre-patch release, kick timing and power windows are slightly off…and it can be super annoying when goal kicks end up in the worst places and ground passes far too weak. This will no doubt be corrected soonest.
Overall, FC 25 does not significantly improve in its overall pace from FC 24, and ends up feeling a bit stuck in an identity crisis between trying to be FIFA also Pro Evolution Soccer. It wants to embrace the pace of the former while allowing for physics and deliberation of the latter. This is not, however, FC 24. FC IQ is solid, and Rush awesome.
Finally and worth mention (reflected in overall score): FC 25 is visually and audibly spectacular and persists with the best darn soundtrack on the planet. There is simply no better looking or sounding sport title, period.
Final Thoughts
In FC 25, FC IQ provides a welcome strategic overhaul for several FC modes, and Rush is apt to be a big hit for FC online community now with more social options. FC 25 is not a largest leap from FC 24, but definitely a step in the right direction for the franchise.
About the Author
Paul Stuart A gamer for over 30 years, Paul Stuart has an unhealthy obsession with Assassins Creed, God of War, also sport and virtual reality titles. In his spare time, he teaches Muay Thai kickboxing, runs WrestlingInFlorida.com, and drives his toddler crazy.
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