EA Sports FC 25: Hands-on Report – PlayStation.Blog

Authenticity and style are hallmarks of EA Sports FC’s take on the beautiful game, and that’s on full display in EA Sports FC 25, launching on September 27 (with early access starting on September 20 for those who pre-order the Ultimate Edition).

I got the chance to check out the stars of this latest football addition by spending some time on the brand new pitch, testing out the new tactical options and experiencing the appealing, fresh Rush 5v5 experience.

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Polish and presentation improvements

The polish you’d expect from EA Sports FC is fully present, with some tweaks to the TV-style presentation, as well as the style of matches. The referee and player point-of-view camera for replays and stoppages is used more, offering an up-close and personal first-person perspective on goals. Player runs make a return for pre-match cutscenes too, and there are some nice little added in-game touches such as improved shirt animations.

There are a few classic elements that remain, too. The feedback from the DualSense controller is responsive enough not to be overwhelming when reacting to fouls and shots, while the built-in speaker still picks up referee whistles and the oh-so-satisfying thud of the ball hitting the net.

In addition, many clubs keep some of their key anthems alive, such as Manchester City’s Blue Moon, I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles for West Ham (and yes, the real bubbles floating around the pitch are back too) or Allez, Allez, Allez from the stands at Villa Park.

Meanwhile, the emphasis on stats is as impressive as ever, with on-pitch overlays appearing to show details such as shots taken in and around the penalty area, and who the most tired players are. As before, they remain informative and – most importantly – unobtrusive to the action.

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The gameplay and tactical flow feel good

One of the big things EA is emphasizing in EA Sports FC 25 is FC IQ, which addresses the tactical and moment-to-moment elements of the game. Player roles give each footballer a wider range of behaviors on and off the ball, with skillsets determining how they behave when placed in different positions. In short, understanding a player’s strengths is even more important. So you could have an excellent goalscorer, but sticking them in a false 9 will only diminish their effectiveness.

This means there is a greater emphasis on tactical diversity. It is even more important to ensure that you harmoniously develop tactics that suit your players and their familiarity with the role you have given them, helpfully indicated with a detailed breakdown of each, with a + indicating a skill and ++ indicating that they are world class.

To keep up to date with an ever-changing match, tactical suggestions and pre-sets are now available to select during dead ball situations or breaks such as replays and celebrations. Players move into their new positions in real time, with a zoomed-in ‘chalkboard’ preview available to see how your team’s shape is affected.

Making quick manual or suggested substitutions and tactics in-game is extremely easy, with my changes being noticeable both visually and from a gameplay perspective, and even the match commentators noticed significant tweaks to my team. EA Sports FC 25 places less reliance on defensive AI, meaning midfield transitions are even more important and mistakes are punished better.

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A selection of game modes and more options for women’s football

Traditional game modes from Cup Finals to the match rule-changing House Rules are all present, including the world-dominating Ultimate Team and the all-encompassing Player and Manager Career modes. The latter two are now available for the women’s teams too, with the WSL, NWSL, D1 Féminine, Liga F and Frauen-Bundesliga all playable, as well as the Women’s Champions League.

It’s an important and welcome addition to EA Sports FC, bringing valuable parity across all game modes, with the same level of detail in the men’s league managers, financial models, player likenesses, and more now extending to the women’s league options as well.

Running Rush Mode

Another big addition to EA Sports FC 25 is the 5v5 Rush experience, integrated into all of the core game modes, which I can see becoming a fan-favourite for those who want a quick game with another level of pomp and circumstance. Essentially professional five-a-side football, with a polished, neon-green presentation and even more energetic commentary, Rush is EA Sports FC, arcade-style.

In Kick Off, you pick a team from your favourite team, put them on a smaller pitch and go for goals. To reflect this change in the norm, you’re presented with a completely different kick off experience with all players running towards the ball as it’s launched from the side of the pitch. There are no red cards, replaced by a blue card which results in a 1-minute off-field penalty for the player. And offsides are different too, instead of being called from the halfway line, they’re called from the new attacking third line. Aside from that, you still have access to all your skills and techniques from 11 per side. However, the gameplay is so fast, compact and intense that they’re harder to pull off… and therefore more rewarding.

Replays are limited to goals rather than highlights, and everything moves at a pace that’s refreshingly brisk and engaging. It’s reminiscent of ‘attack, attack, attack’ football on the playground, where you can play solo rather than passing it around to your team, but where’s the fun in that? And that’s not to mention the fact that constructing quick, successful team moves on the smaller dimensions of the pitch is even more satisfying…

With the option to play across Ultimate Team, Clubs, Kick Off, and Career modes, the Rush experience could be an instant classic with like-minded friends. Either way, EA Sports FC 25 has plenty more to offer for you to unleash on the pitch when the game launches later this month on September 27.