EA Sports FC 25 Review — Slow & Steady with a Hint of Drama

At this point, EA’s FC franchise (formerly FIFA) has basically perfected the moment-to-moment gameplay, with minor and major tweaks over the years to create something pretty flawless in terms of fun and playability. So, as expected, FC 26‘s gameplay was always going to feel slick and well-designed, but it’s the extra attention to other elements of the traditional experience that make FC 26 a worthy upgrade. And that’s saying something, because entries in recent years have not felt that way.

The biggest gameplay adjustment has been the ability to switch to a new gameplay style called ‘Authentic’ mode, which basically ups the need for tactical play and levels some of the higher-skilled players to make it a more challenging playing field. You won’t be able to run through the whole defence as you do when you control Mbappé, for example. Instead, you’ll need to use your formation and passing ability a lot more decisively, as AI opponents move more realistically and put up a tougher task when trying to breach them.

You can still play the classic style (known as Competitive Mode), but it’s nice to see EA introducing an emphasis on more strategic, slower football to the FC franchise too. Die-hard football fans who like some good build-up play and tactics will appreciate the new style.

As for Career Mode, EA has tried to introduce a lot of peripheral elements into the management side of a football club. Player morale, economic curveballs, and surprise events will keep you on your toes and add some unexpected twists to the usual grinding formula. You could be on a good wicket with your team, then suddenly your star player chooses to take a leave of absence for personal reasons. It’s an interesting addition and definitely injects a level of drama into the mode, which, let’s be honest, definitely exists in the real-world football management world.

Visually, some of the more awkward and janky physics and animations seem to have been nipped in the bud, although some do still rear their heads here and there. But with that said, the game is stunning in motion, and the additional detail to the crowd and pre- and post-game animations and cut-scenes just rounds out the already immersive experience.

Ultimate Team hasn’t seen much change, and still is a heavily monetised element of the game, but from a pure enjoyment and gameplay perspective, EA FC 26 is one of the better iterations of the franchise that has finally received some welcome improvements to make each match, goal, and moment a whole lot better.

EA Sports FC 26 is available on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, Switch 2, and PC.