EA Sports FC 24 may not roll off the tongue as well as FIFA 24, but that’s all you’ve got to worry about with EA’s rebranding of its popular FIFA football game franchise.

Long ago, the diehards would dismiss EA’s FIFA games as commercial sellouts, a rudimentary football arcade game compared to Konami’s superior Pro Evolution Soccer. PES fans, dismissing the familiarity of the licenced clubs in EA’s FIFA franchise would, instead, have to pick the likes of “North London” instead of Arsenal, or “Merseyside Red” instead of Liverpool. Teams made up of phonetically named players similar to the real ones but spelt differently for licencing reasons added to the cringe. The inevitable (unofficial) patch would then be released, post-launch to rename all the teams and players properly. But this was back when the FIFA licence was worth something and Pro Evolution Soccer ruled the roost.

Things change.

EA Sports has long got to grips with its digital rendition of the beautiful game, the annual FIFA games rarely leaving the top ten of the best-seller list. Whilst each iteration was never a revolution, over the years, the developers have transformed the game into a technical marvel, perfectly capturing the essence of what makes football the world’s game.

So, when EA’s FIFA licence wasn’t renewed, it wasn’t the big deal that the global football governing body thought it would be. Unlike Konami back in the day, EA Sports secured all the teams, players, tournaments and cup licences to continue their franchise without the blessing of FIFA. All that’s missing is the FIFA World Cup, which is no loss, to be honest.

What we have with EA Sports FC 24 is, effectively, everything that a FIFA 24 game would have been, with just a different name.

EA has taken this opportunity to spruce up the menus a bit, but they are still as unintuitive as most EA Sports titles. So, if you are familiar with the usual EA Sports arse-backwards menu systems you’ll still feel right at home.

As well as the rebranding, the game has all the usual visual tweaks and stat updates that are the bread and butter of annual sports games. The game uses a new version of the Frostbite Engine and something called “Play Styles” that better interprets players’ real-world abilities into the game.

FC 24 does look good and the player animations are incredibly realistic. This is likely down to the big improvement this year- the implementation of Hypermotion V Technology. I don’t want to sound like I’ve been drinking from the EA fountain, but the game really does have a next-level vibe to it. Whereas recent FIFA games have used data captured from real players, Hypermotion V Technology uses the captured volumetric data of entire 11-person teams from over 180 elite-level matches.

All the game modes that you’d expect are included. You can jump straight into a quick friendly against a computer control opponent or friends, locally. There’s the player career mode, allowing for a more personal journey through FC 24, or you can get involved in the details of running a club with the manager career mode. There are all the competitive online modes and, of course, the collectable card game/fantasy football mashup, Ultimate Team.

For the first time, EA Sports FC 24 Ultimate Team brings male and female players together in the same team. Despite the new franchise name, I was pleased to be able to bring my currency across from FIFA 23 and start fleshing out my own Ultimate Team with new card packs. Still massively deep, it’s easy to sink lots of time (and cash) into building up your perfect squad.

For those that like their football short and sweet Volta Football offers players quick Futsal-type matches on open and fences courts. Volta now offers online cross-play, the same as other online modes, with players using the same generation of hardware (i.e. PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC) all being able to play together.

All the above is for nought if the players are not responsive on the pitch, which they very much are. As with its FIFA predecessors, FC 24 perfectly captures the nail-biting excitement of football. Missed goals and fouling opponents will have you shouting at the TV, with perfectly-timed offensive attacks rewarding you with exhilaration. FC 24 is a beautiful game, both visually and in its gameplay.

EA Sports FC 24 is the complete package continuing the legacy of EA’s FIFA franchise. The amazing gameplay, and incredible on-pitch visuals, all wrapped up in the signature EA TV broadcast-style presentation make this a must-buy for FIFA fans.

The post EA Sports FC 24 (Xbox Series X|S) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

FIFA 23 marks the final game to be released by the partnership between EA Sports and FIFA. EA Sports will be back, next year, rebranding their football games as EA Sports FC, with all the same leagues, teams and players, just not with any mention of FIFA.

No matter what the title, it’s EA’s investment in their football franchise that is likely why FIFA 23 remains such a strong game. EA have no intention to let the fans down or produce anything other than a top-class football game. Whilst I’m a little concerned at what they will do next year, without having to get FIFA’s sign-off, this year’s FIFA is the game we know and love, but just that little bit better.

Iterative sports titles can be a bit of a nightmare to review. A revised player line-up and a bit of polish are usually all we get. The release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S has given the developers a bit more power to play with, making my job a bit easier of late. FIFA 23 boasts Hypermotion 2.0, an AI technology that supposedly increases the realism of the players on the pitch. Marketing jargon, aside, the players are incredibly well-animated, moving realistically both with the ball and defensively. This is especially apparent during the broadcast-style replays.

Something has also been done to the way the players perform on the field. Against an evenly-matched opponent, the on-pitch battle seems a lot more volatile this year. The cheesy moves I’ve been using to get myself out of strife since FIFA 98 were simply not enough. The game made me work to clear defenders and punished me for the slightest fumble. Losing possession went from an inconvenience to a game-changer in moments. Having Liverpool give my Arsenal squad a run for their money is one thing, but just scraping a 1-0 victory against Brighton was humbling.

As you’d expect, FIFA 23 is packaged with an overwhelming amount of game modes, tournaments and leagues. It’s a game that caters for all fans of the beautiful game, from casual couch play to online tournaments.

The Volta Football mode introduced a few years back is still included in the game, offering a quick game of five-a-side etc. with minimal rules and big scoring potential. It’s OK for a distraction, but EA has made it into a big part of the game- a lot bigger than I feel it deserves to be. It stops short of giving us a single-player Volta league option, that would be nice. The Volta tournament mode remains a bizarre campaign/RPG mix that may appeal to some but doesn’t to me.

It’s with real football that the meat of FIFA 23 lies.

The game features all the world’s leagues that matter, including the Australia A-League. Pitting Sydney against the likes of Arsenal is always good for a laugh/challenge. Rolling over from last year’s inclusion, Ryan Reynold’s AFC Wrexham, who you can follow in the Disney + documentary, “Welcome to Wrexham”, is also included in the “Rest of World” geographic location. Even the Welsh underdogs can give Sydney FC a good hiding.

Joining AFC Wrexham in the “Rest of World” geographic location is another novelty team that probably doesn’t belong in the game, Richmond AFC. This fictional English Premier League team is from the Apple TV show Ted Lasso. In the show, the titular US America Football coach takes on the management of a UK football team. The FIFA squad includes scanned faces of the characters from the show, allowing fans to field the likes of Roy Kent, Jamie Tartt and Dani Rojas, with Ted Lasso, himself, standing on the sidelines. Unlike Wrexham, this fictional team is actually quite formidable on the pitch.

The European Champions League licence is put to good. Fans have the opportunity to partake in this opulent contest of champions that pits the best against the best. There are no second-rate teams here, with every match rather a joyful challenge.

The Champions League is joined by the CONMEBOL Libertadores South American club tournament. Massively popular in Latin America, it’s a tournament that’s often overlooked in favour of European-focused football.

The Women’s International Cup seems doesn’t build on what’s gone before. I’m sure a lot more could be done to increase the profile of women’s football in the game. The women’s teams offer up fast and nimble on-pitch action and are definitely worth a look. Unfortunately, this year there are no New Zealand Football Ferns or Australian Matildas. It’s still a good tournament but I feel under-utilised by the game overall.

EA’s FIFA Ultimate Team continues to be engrossing and, for many, the lifeblood of the game. The pay-to-win aspect of FUT still doesn’t sit well with me, but I can understand the appeal. Opening packs, selling players and buying your favourites to build your ultimate team is very moreish. It’s easy to spend hours bidding and building your squad without actually playing a match.

With a massive number of modes and gameplay options, the menus can be less than intuitive and a bit overwhelming. They follow a similar menu style used across all of EA’s sports titles, which are all probably in need of an overhaul.

All of the above is tied up in an unrivalled slickly presented package with a cracking soundtrack. The visuals both on and off the pitch are astounding. As the graphical prowess of the consoles increase, some of the close-ups of players’ faces are entering the uncanny valley, in that they sometimes look a bit off. But, from a distance, the gameplay looks like a TV broadcast.

FIFA 23 is a worthy conclusion to the series that pulls no punches. EA has crafted a game that is still the ultimate football game. Be it solo, online or on the couch with mates, FIFA 23 brings all the excitement of the world’s game to your home.

The post FIFA 23 (Xbox Series X|S) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

For the second Formula One game under EA Sports’ stewardship, Codemasters drop the ’20’ to simply give us F1 22.

But it’s not just the name format that’s changed. EA Sports iterative sport games are a license to print money. Each year, dedicated fans splash out cash for the new games that usually feature a slight graphical scrub up, refined physics, new teams, liveries, strips, uniforms, players, drivers, tracks, stadiums and rules. To the casual observer, each iteration looks eyebrow raisingly about the same as the last.

Of course, that’s not the case otherwise fans wouldn’t buy them and EA Sports titles wouldn’t be the best-sellers that they are each year.

With their Formula One games, Codemasters peaked with their graphical prowess a couple of years back. And, as you’d expect, F1 22 still looks utterly amazing. The cars, the circuits, the crowds all look superb.

The other important aspect of the game that, again, Codemasters have refined to perfection is the car handling.

Gone is the snatchy handling of the earlier games. Of course, a racing wheel is preferable, but even when using a game controller, inputs are positive and you really feel in control of the powerful cars.

The breakneck speeds and technical circuits create a very hazardous driving environment the requires precision and discipline. With the numerous driver assists turned off, its not an easy game, but never once did I feel myself fighting against the controls. All my crashes were of my own doing.

A perfect lap, is still so satisfying. F1 22 adds quite a few features. The “F1 Life” driver and lounge area customization was wasted on me. Why anyone would want to dress up their driver like a Barbie Doll or use the game for interior decorating is beyond me.

The game is riddled with microtransactions with in-game currency (that can be topped up with real money) mainly unlocking cosmetics.

Whilst I’m not a fan of this sort of thing, its easily ignored.

There are some supercars that you can add to your garage and even take for a race around the circuits. This was interesting, although the Aston Martin wasn’t really tuned for the Formula One circuits making the experience a little frustrating. The whole F1 Life feature is a curious addition, though, to be honest.

On the more positive side, year’s game also boasts updated physics, safety cars pitstops and formation laps. The game has a beefy list of racing modes for players to choose from. They are all based around the 23 real Formula

One circuits included in the game, but offer a bit of gameplay variety. As well as the teams and drivers from the Formula One 2022 season, the game also features the same from the Formula Two 2021 season.

The game features a single and two-player career mode allowing friends to race together or against each other. Players can choose to race for a real F1 teams or create their own.

The solo mode allows players to make their own custom Grand Prix championship, partake in time trials and try their hand at the Pirelli hot lap challenges. The Pirelli hot laps feature supercars rather than Formula One cars and require players to maintain set speeds, do some drifting, race through checkpoint navigate though cones and compete in head-to-head duels.

The multiplayer options let players compete in social and ranked races, take part in weekly events and create or join leagues. The game even caters for split screen and LAN multiplayer. For many, this community aspect of the game will be the reason to sign on for this 2022 edition.

For PC owners, especially those that REALLY want to feel immersed into what it’s like to drive an Formula One car, EA Sports and Codemasters have cranked things up to 11.

They dabbled before with the likes of Dirt Rally, but for F1 22, for the very first time, players can experience the entire game in virtual reality. Owners of a suitably-powerful PC and a compatible Oculus, Index or Vive VR
headset can experience the game in VR.

I tested the game with a Vive Pro 2 VR headset. The PC was running an Intel Core i9 12900K in an MSI Z690 Carbon WIFI motherboard with 32GB of PNY DDR5 memory and a PNY RTX 3090 GPU.

The above spec ran the game easily at max setting in 4K, but VR is a resource-hungry experience known to bring even the most powerful machine to their knees. Thankfully, Codemasters’ optimised VR code made the game run blisteringly fast.

In VR, the menu screens are still flat, like on a projector screen. It’s only once in a race that the 3D world envelopes the player in immersive VR. The game places the player in the cockpit of a Formula One car for a racing experience matched only by the likes of the Project CARS games.

The Project CARS developer, Slightly Mad Studios was acquired by Codemasters in 2019, and is perhaps a
catalyst for this VR mode.

Playing F1 22 in VR is the next best thing to actually racing in a Formula One car. It’s absolutely breathtaking and almost overwhelming. Virtual Reality transforms F1 22 from a game into a Formula One simulator. With my Thrustmaster T300RS I was transported into a Formula One car.

The level of immersion and depth perception gave me a better “feel” for the car, allowing for more precise and cleaner racing. It felt more like driving the car rather than controlling the car.

The whole F1 22 VR experience is incredible and thoroughly recommended. Its so far removed and immersive compared to the console or PC-with-monitor gameplay that its almost another game entirely.

For F1 fans getting the game is a no brainer. On the surface, it may seem tweaked iteration of last years game. It’s got a bit more polish and the handling feel a bit tighter, but still as unforgiving. The driver AI seems a little sharper as well.

For me though, it’s the VR implementation is what makes the game. For PC owners with a decent VR set-up F1 22 is a great game that is made into something amazing in VR. PC VR racing fans should not miss out on buying this game.

For everyone else, this is a solid Formula One offering that ticks all the right boxes. The comprehensive solo gameplay along with robust multiplayer options makes F1 22 the complete package.

The post F1 22 (PC / VR) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The beautiful game returns with this year’s iteration, FIFA 22.

As FIFA fans will know, each yearly release of EA Sport’s FIFA franchise at least brings with it updated teams and a few tweaks here and there. FIFA 21 for PC and last-gen consoles was one of those releases. A solid game that looked amazing and, as usual, a lot of fun to play.

Late last year owners of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S were treated to an exclusive version of the FIFA 21. This was no update, but a total reworking that propelled both the visuals and the gameplay physics to a new level.

This year, at release, there are two versions of FIFA 22, one for PC and last-gen console and another for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Understandable to a point.

Xbox One and PlayStation 4 owners should appreciate that their, still quite awesome, consoles have peaked. Rather than go down the route the CD Projeckt RED did with their infamous Cyberpunk 2077 game, EA understand the limitation of the older hardware and opted to provide players with a version of the game that still shines on their systems. The result for PS4/XB1 is a game very similar to FIFA 21.

Unfortunately, PC owners also get the “last-gen” version of FIFA 22. EA has said that this is to ensure that the majority of PC players can play the game on their hardware.

EA are, no doubt, better placed to know the average spec of their FIFA PC player base. It would seem that most PC FIFA players are not running machines with the latest PS5 and Xbox Series X beating RTX GPUs and top-end CPUs. To a point, this is fair enough, but disappointing for PC players with machines more than capable of running the next-gen version of the game.

Whilst my disappointment is real, the PC and Xbox One versions of FIFA 22 are still bloody good games. If you’ve been buying FIFA for the last few years on those systems, you’ll likely want to buy this one as well.

The last-gen version of the game drops players straight into the European Champions League Cup Final with Chelsea vs. Paris SG. Next-gen owners get a much more fleshed out intro.

From the moment FIFA 22 starts up on the Xbox Series X EA Sports want to let players know that they are in for something different. It’s a star-studded intro featuring the likes of David Beckham, Eric Cantona and even Louis Hamilton in cameo appearances. They even sneak in a bit of Song Two for us FIFA 98 vets.

Players kick a ball through the Parisian streets with French world champion freestyle footballer, Lisa Zimouche, to Parc des Princes, home of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club. There, players receive further tutelage under the watchful eyes of Thierry Henry and FIFA 22 cover athlete, Kylian Mbappé.

It’s only after this lavish intro that players embark on the compulsory Champion’s League Cup Final as PSG against Chelsea.

FIFA 22 looks absolutely stunning on Xbox Series X. The PC and Xbox One versions look good, but the Xbox Series X next-gen visuals look amazing. We already had a preview of all this with last year’s Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 update. The whole package is just so slick.

On the pitch, the next-gen players display more agility with the proceeding feeling slicker and running at what feels like a higher frame rate. New for this year is the PS5, XBSX|S and Stadia exclusive HyperMotion technology. According to the blurb, this uses AI to sift through millions of frames of motion capture to create new organic animations on the pitch.

I think this is what I’m seeing and feeling on the Xbox Series X. The gameplay flows a lot nicer than on PC. There’s also a lot more characterisation in the players as they motion and chat to one another.

It seems that the control of teammates has been cleaned up a little bit. As someone that still plays FIFA 22 the same way he played FIFA 98, I actually found triggering strikers to move up the pitch almost manageable.

Aside from the iterative nature of yearly sports titles, the only real problem with FIFA 22 is the legacy issue with the menus. Players simply transitioning from last year’s game will have no problems, but the menus are still unwieldy and a pain to navigate.

Whilst FIFA’s Champion’s League licence is the big promoted tournament, Players can set up their own. Be it the English Premier League, the A-League or even the World Cup, the very flexible tournament mode can cater for most players.

The ever-popular Volta Football returns, but without a single-player campaign mode. It seems this fun diversion is limited to single matches for solo players.

Players wanting an online challenge, however, are fully catered for across a range of Volta options including a new arcade mode with rotating multiplayer variations on the Volta theme. I find Volta a great mode to dip into for a bit of fast and frantic five-a-side, with the Sydney Harbour backdrop.

FIFA Ultimate team continues to be my favourite element of FIFA. The collectable fantasy football team mode is just as engrossing as you build up your own team of players and pit them against online and offline opponents.

FIFA 22 offers PC and Xbox One owners very little over FIFA 21 other than the usual seasonal stats update. Lucky next-gen console owners get the definitive version of the game with new AI, fresher animation and more fluid gameplay. Whatever system you are playing on, however, FIFA 22 still delivers.

The post FIFA 22 (Xbox Series X) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

EA’s tentpole sports franchise gets it’s 2021 edition. It’s time to take to the pitch for FIFA 21.

Say what you will about FIFA, you can’t fault EA Sports for providing an all-encompassing simulation of the world’s favourite game. FIFA 21 is packed with over thirty leagues and all the top football tournaments, including the UEFA Champions League.

Notable omissions are Juventus and AC Roma from the Italian Serie A football league who have, rather ironically, signed exclusively with Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer. Turning the tables, FIFA 21 has had to “do a PES” and include the teams with the fictitious names, Piemonte Calcio and Roma FC, as well as custom kits and emblems. Player names and likenesses are included. A truly bizarre bit of exclusivity in favour of PES, thankfully not shared by the rest of the handful of real teams that are in Konami’s game.

There’s some additional hoo-har with other Italian club teams and the countries Serie B league being absent well, along with no official licensed national Portuguese or Italian teams. Who cares, though? The English Premiership is there (including Arsenal and Manchester United, both of whom also have shoe in the PES camp) and, if you want to be a bit more patriotic, the Australian A-League.

Having been a bit impressed with Konami’s PES 2021, my turn on this year’s FIFA bore an extra bit a scrutiny. Whilst PES may have the edge on ball physics, unfortunately for Konami, the bright lights and polish of FIFA have me every time. EA Sports have perfected their craft in bringing a smooth, relatively faultless game of football to our screens.

The game features all the modes that have been baked into the franchise for years. Players can select their favourite teams to play in leagues and tournaments, both real and customised as well as partake in a quick friendly. The FIFA Ultimate Team mode provides the fantasy football/collectable card mashup for players wanting to create their dream team.

The physics seem to have had a bit of a tweak this year. I found players less likely to fall over their feet with every challenge and have a bit more weight than in the past. The change seems subtle, and hopefully not just in my imagination. You also get the choice of playing on or accepting a free kick after a foul by actually pressing buttons rather than just stopping you run.

The visuals are superb. Playing as Arsenal, I recognised all the players. Similarly, the animations are all so polished, although I did notice some clipping during replays- I thought we’ve moved on from this sort of thing.

Everything with the game feels right. I didn’t even notice the sometimes-iffy ball physics I have on previous iterations.

Whilst the commentary does repeat a little too much for my liking, it sounds good. The crowd roars, though, are perfectly timed to increase the excitement and drama as the ball enters the goal area. The game’s soundtrack isn’t bad, either.

FIFA 21’s secret weapon that absolutely blows all the competition out of the water and, in my opinion, makes it the best sports game ever, is the return of Volta. Providing fast-paced alternative ways to enjoy football, Volta add a bit of spice to proceedings. As a well as a pseudo campaign in the form of a team world tour, players can take to the Volta courts in 5-a-side and other various rules.

In Volta, the camera is closer and the action a lot more frantic that regular football. The smaller courts from around the world, including Sydney, allow for players to really show off their skills. Playing with or without walls adds a further dynamic to the action.

As the curtain falls on this current generation of consoles, FIFA 21 is another title that Xbox One owners will be able to enjoy, free-of-charge, on the Xbox Series X/S. This means fans don’t have to wait for their new consoles and can instead start playing on their Xbox One and continue with their next-gen Xbox when they get it. The same goes for the PS5.

Be mindful, though. If you buy a physical version of FIFA 21, but are planning buy a digital-only next-gen console, you not be able to get a free upgrade of the game, as it will still need the current-gen FIFA 21 disc to play. Also, whilst progress in Volta and FIFA Ultimate Team will transfer to the new consoles, Career and other modes will not.

At first glance, FIFA 21 seem really not much more than a stats refresh of FIFA 20.To a point, that is the case. I think that the bulk of the developer’s efforts have been on getting the next-gen game ready. Regardless, FIFA 21 continues the franchises incredible run of intense and exciting football titles, proving that the EA developers are at the top of their game.

The post FIFA 21 (Xbox One / PC) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Electronic Arts launched the first wave of 25+ EA games on Steam, with more on the way.

Starting today, players can explore BioWare’s award-winning Role-Playing Games – Dragon Age: Inquisition and Dragon Age II, experience high-speed, white-knuckle driving action in Need for Speed Heat, Need for Speed: Rivals and Need for Speed (2016) and battle it out in the wacky, fun and over-the-top shooter, Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville. A selection of the bold and innovative games from EA’s indie development partners like Unravel, Unravel II,  Fe and Sea of Solitude will also become available. Additionally, these games and many others will be available as part of an EA Access subscription on Steam that will launch to players later this summer.

“We want to make it easy to play the games you love, wherever you want to play. Delivering games to the Steam community is an important step in achieving this goal,” said Mike Blank, SVP, Strategic Growth. “Not only are we excited to have our games on Steam, but we look forward to bringing them even more value when our subscription becomes available in the Summer.”

New EA games developed for PC will also launch on Steam alongside other platforms, including the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection which launches tomorrow, providing mod support with the Steam Workshop as this game is one of the first major RTS franchises to open source their source code under the GPL.

The compilation, which was made for and with the help of the community, is comprised of Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn, Command & Conquer: Red Alert and their three expansion packs – Covert Ops, Counterstrike and The Aftermath.

Future releases will release on both EA’s own Origin store and Steam.

Everyone that works on STG is a volunteer. If you like the site and it’s contents please think about donating. Even a small amount helps keep the servers running.

The post EA LAUNCHES 25+ GAMES ON STEAM appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The beautiful game, the world’s game. Whilst not so much in New Zealand or, here in Australia.

EA’s FIFA franchise remains the top sports video game in both countries. And for good reason.

This year, on top of the usual visual tweaks and improvements, EA Sports have added somewhat of a game-changer to their premier sports title.

FIFA 20 has the 2019 / 2020 season’s roster update across some 29 countries. The game features licenced football leagues from the English Premier League to the Australian A-League. The licenced UEFA Champions League, introduced last year, returns again for FIFA 20. There’s also loads of licenced cup tournaments, such as the Emirates FA CUP. The Women’s International tournament is included, yet again- but it would be nice to see Women’s football expanded to feature club sides, as well. 

Whilst I’m not hardcore FIFA fanatic, I found FIFA 20’s ball handling and player control absolutely sublime. Any mistakes in the pitch where of my own doing. Never once was I fighting with the controls.

Player attributes really matter, the difference playing as Arsenal compared to the likes of Sydney FC is very noticeable. The Gunners’ surgical skill with the ball comes across vastly superior to the comparatively clumsy matter in which the Sydney team handle themselves on the pitch.

The same level of high-fidelity player controls is matched by the on-pitch visuals. The game looks superb. In fact, FIFA 20 is probably one of the most polished game presentations on the market. Player animations and the even player facial modelling (which in the past has been a bit hit and miss) is pretty much spot on. Everything from the pre-match intros to the final summary is as it should be. The commentary sounds great, with little repetition.   

Fans expecting a continuation of the narrative campaign movie-within-a-game, “The Journey”, present since FIFA 17 will be disappointed. With Alex Hunter’s story concluded in FIFA 19, EA Sports have taken the campaign mode in a different direction with Volta Football.

Volta is the most interesting addition to FIFA in years. Basically, it’s FIFA Street, a hip urban take on the game played by hipsters and street urchins alike, or some it seems from the intro animation and premade player rosters.

Volta is played on surfaced basketball-sized courts, with or without a walled boundary, and features small teams of up to five-a-side. The faster gameplay is presented more zoomed in, with players rendered larger than in regular matches. There are a number of different rule variations, but on the whole, it’s a lot looser than regular FIFA. To avoid scuffed knees, there’s no sliding tackles, but there’s also no red cards, either.

I could easily dismiss Volta as “soccer” for an American audience that still has trouble with a 90-minute ball game potentially ending in a draw. Even the idea of a 2-1 win after that long feel geriatric to average Yank who expects any team playing for that long should really have a score in double digitals. So, Americans and those that can’t sit still for too long and that feel a 100m long pitch is a bit of a drag, welcome to Volta.

Volta is integrated into the game as a separate mode of its own, centred around a career mode. Whilst I could select Volta as a game option for a quick match from the main menu, I couldn’t see any way to set up a Volta tournament for some couch multiplayer. This is a bit weird considering the game’s tournament mode is so easily customisable. For instance, whilst not officially in the game, I could easily set up a World Cup tournament from group stage to the final.

As in extra, though, Volta adds to an already feature-packed package. As usual, you can play a licenced season for pretty much any league on the planet, as well as local licenced tournaments and cup competitions.

The career mode lets you take the role of a manager of a rookie player, starting out with your favorited team. In the player career you can play as the whole team or concentrate on just controlling the player.

FIFA Ultimate Team, a favourite of mine, is starting to get a bit long in the tooth. The fantasy football/collectable card mash-up is still fun, but I’m not so inclined to part with the real cash required to avoid the grind. Having to start from scratch each year is a bit harsh.

If there wasn’t enough to do, the game’s multiplayer integration extends the action online with almost every mode having an online portion. Of course, you can also play local multiplayer, FIFA traditionally being the king of couch multiplayer gaming tournaments where I come from.

FIFA 20 gives the franchise it’s annual polish but also, in Volta, something a little extra. Whilst some fans may lament the loss of the narrative campaign, “The Journey” and whole new way to play football, does almost make up for it. If you’re are a fan, FIFA 20 is a no-brainer. If you are only a casual FIFA fan or missed the last few iterations, you may find that FIFA 20 offers a lot more that your usual yearly release.

The post FIFA 20 (Xbox One / PC) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

NOW CLOSED – According to new data insights from fully impartial price and product comparison site, PriceSpy, gamers appear to be enjoying the latest influx of new games releases – with four of the top five most popular launching within the last four weeks.

Interestingly, when FIFA is releases around the world, it typically causes quite the stir. In New Zealand however, NBA 2K20 (PS4) (which officially launched on 6th of September 2019), pipped it to the post – claiming overall top spot for September 2019.

The overall price points of all five top games also appear to sit under $90 mark and despite first launching on 9 September 2018 (over a year ago), Marvel’s Spider-Man (PS4) continues to sit strong, alongside four brand new games.

PriceSpy has teamed up with STG to Giveaway the top two most popular games for the month of September; NBA 2K20 (PS4) and FIFA 20.

To stand a chance of winning these two games, you will need to correctly Answer this Question:

What NBA star is on the cover of the regular edition of the game NBA 2K20?

A: Lebron James

B: Dwayne Wade

C: Anthony Davis

You can give us your Answer by placing a Comment below, hitting us up on Facebook, Tweet to us, or Email Us.

Download the PriceSpy app here.

www.pricespy.co.nz

* Winner(s) will be randomly selected from those that Comment below / Facebook Comment / Email in accordance to the above Question.Winner(s) will receive a new retail boxed copy of NBA 2K20 on PlayStation 4 and FIFA 20 on PlayStation 4. NBA 2K20 is rated PG and FIFA 20 is rated PG. Competition ends on the 6th of November 2019.

The post PriceSpy reveals Kiwis on the look-out for new games appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) and Electronic Arts (EA) today announced that the E-League will be once again be a member of the EA SPORTS FIFA 20 Global Series on the Road to the FIFA eWorld Cup 2020.

This builds on the E-League’s existing status as a member of the EA SPORTS FIFA 20 Global Series, with the competition now being aligned to EA’s wider global calendar of tournaments.

The latest season of the E-League will feature an all new format, full details of which will be revealed in January 2020. The season itself will begin in February and conclude with a Grand Final in May.As always, a selection of the best FIFA 20 competitors from Australia will compete for the E-League title and the opportunity to represent themselves and the Hyundai A-League at the highest levels of competitive FIFA.

Players competing in the E-League will receive FGS points which will give them a chance to qualify for the FGS Playoffs and FIFA eWorld Cup depending on their FUT Global Series standings. On top of this, two competitors will earn the right to represent Australia at the FIFA eNations Cup 2020.

“The E-League has already established itself in the burgeoning eSports market as one of the most prestigious in the Australasian region,” said FFA Head of Leagues, Greg O’Rourke. “We are proud to continue our strong relationship with EA Sports and look forward to another exciting edition of the E-League next year,” concluded O’Rourke.

“EA SPORTS FIFA 20 is a key part of the football experience for the younger, digitally-connected football fan, as it teaches them the game and builds their affinity to the beautiful sport,” said Deputy FIFA Competitive Gaming Commissioner Sam Turkbas. “Australia is an incredible hotbed of EA SPORTS FIFA talent, including eWorld Cup competitors FUTWIZ Marko and Melbourne City FC’s Markus Gomes. E-League will provide a direct opportunity for Australian Fans to see some of the best to go head-to-head in the EA SPORTS FIFA 20 Global Series on The Road to the FIFA eWorld Cup 2020.”

Further details on the E-League can be found at the Official E-League website.

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Today Electronic Arts Inc. announced to us here at STG that it is bringing EA Access to the mighty PlayStation 4 (PS4) console.

Starting this July (2019), players can sign-up for a monthly subscription or an annual subscription through the PlayStation Store. With the addition of the PlayStation 4 console to the already existing membership services on Xbox One and PC via Origin, EA now offers its subscription services on more platforms than any other publisher.

“As we continue to invest in digital and subscription services, bringing our games to even more people across both consoles is an exciting opportunity for everyone,” said Matt Bilbey, Executive VP of Strategic Growth. “Our goal is to give players more choice to try and play our games wherever and however they choose and we’re happy to bring the service to PlayStation 4.”

Membership in EA Access lets players experience Play First Trials, where they can play up to 10 hours of most new EA games. Subscribers also enjoy a 10% discount on full game purchases, expansions, in-game items and more. Additionally, players can jump into a growing library of EA games, including the best of EA with franchises like Battlefield, EA SPORTS FIFA, Star Wars Battlefront and more. 

The post EA EXPANDS ITS SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE TO PS4 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.