Various members of the FIFA online community have had access to early versions of the upcoming FIFA 21 Ultimate Team mode, and so far, the game looks very similar – but who would have thought anything else from EA’s biggest sports franchise?
From scouring hours of footage released over the past couple of days, it really does seem like FIFA 21 is a clone-copy of FUT20. Even the menus look very similar, a factor that at least somewhat changes from game to game…
However, there are a few changes here and there that I’ll go into below. Some are noticeable, some are a little more hidden behind-the-scenes.
First up, one of the significant changes is how fast the gameplay seems. Sure, the cards the YouTubers were using were cards from the very end-cycle of the game (99 Messi, etc), but it does look very slick.
Multiple streamers and YouTubers commented on the fluidity of the agile dribbling. FIFA 20 did feature an upgraded dribbling and skill system, but FUT21 takes that to another level. It’s so fluid it almost looks unrealistic.
Others commented on the passing, a facet of FIFA 20 which was more than often completely frustrating. Passes would often go in the wrong direction entirely – something hopefully fixed in the new FIFA.
Shooting is also a big focus in the new FIFA. Like I mentioned above, the cards these players were using are from the very top-end, but there were some pretty crazy goals scored – including a button dedicated to flair shots.
Long-range shots are still not to previous FIFA power levels, but heading does look improved. Corner goals with a header are scored in real football, so why not in FIFA?
The new player lock system is also a pretty big change. You can now let the CPU AI take control of your on-ball player so you can make a run with an off-ball player, which looks extremely useful.
Another pretty big change is the fact that you can now skip through replays, even when you concede a goal. This isn’t a massive change but it definitely speeds up the game and keeps your head cool in frustrating situations.
Of course, there are still complaints from the community. Considering this is an early build, there is still a lot that is subject to change. It should be noted that server performance is always going to be better during these small sample sizes of players.
No matter the supposed improvements of gameplay, if the servers are as poor as they usually are, FIFA 21 will still be a disappointment to many.