It’s unreal to think that the first FIFA released almost 30 years ago. In that initial release pixelated blobs ran around the small field with fake names and crazy antics. You could run away from the ref when receiving a yellow card, you could figure out how to score the same goal over and over.
Brazil’s yellow and blue kit was as effervescent then as it is now. It was all kinds of wild to be playing a football game on the TV in my living room.

It’s come some way then – FIFA – over the years. Annual releases, new engines, numerous modes and mechanics. It’s hard to imagine there is a single other game that has gone through so much prototyping to get to where it is today and mostly for good. So it’s the last year that FIFA will exist in name as EA’s last hurrah gets us kicking off in the beautiful game one last time before it changes its name.



It’s fitting that the last “FIFA” game has finally had some real changes to its most profitable mode – Ultimate Team. FUT, as its known, is the build-your-team-from-scratch game which has you linking various players into different systems while overcoming objectives and completing puzzles to hopefully end up with the best possible team. It’s an addictive, trance-inducing ride that has you checking constantly for updated players and prices on the market.

It’s fitting that the last “FIFA” game has finally had some real changes to its most profitable mode – Ultimate Team.

This year sees several changes, mostly for the better. One of FUT’s biggest annoyances in recent years was its chemistry aspect. This provided big upgrades to players the higher you got, but also meant that almost everyone had the same setup to the point where every match just felt the same. The new method sees less focus on specific links in positions, and rather just ties to same country/league/nation in a line-up. The chemistry rating is also largely reduced meaning it’s a more meaningful impact if you get it right, and less of a disadvantage if you couldn’t be bothered.



The other major gameplay aspect relates to EA’s hypermotion technology and new in-game mechanics. Sadly, these are only on new gen, but it does balance the playing field and increase the number of usable players greatly from years gone by. Previously, slow players with low agility and balance were largely a waste of space as opponents would simply blitz past them without a blink. Thankfully, the new tech allows these slower players to utilize their other attributes making them far more usable than ever before, and even advantageous in some instances.

Lastly on the FUT side is the inclusion of Moments – which has a separate currency reward that is only obtainable through progress and thankfully takes away the money issue of FUT. This mode has you playing through specific, key moments in a player or club’s history while picking up stars for completing the challenges. The stars can be used against a catalogue of items to help improve your team. It’s a great addition, although the loading in and out (even on new gen) is a bit of a lull.



With all the marked improvements of FUT and the depth of it all, it’s still dogged by the same issues – toxic opponents, annoying AI and a plethora of ridiculous microtransactions. It’s sad that the mode’s addictiveness is played on so much that you almost feel forced to spend money if you want to get the best players. Sadly, nothing looks like ever changing here and EA’s monetisation of the mode is clear to be seen.

Career mode now includes far more decision-making requirements than ever before...

Career mode sees the greatest improvements as EA has continued to focus on its single player mode over the past few years having neglected it for almost a decade. Career mode now includes far more decision-making requirements than ever before, making sure you get the full feeling of what it’s like to be part of a club and its status in one of the big (or little) leagues. You can control just about every aspect of your club and the season, with well thought out objectives, media mini-sections and of course the road to glory.



While Career mode and FUT have seen some useful improvements, Volta, Pro Clubs and the other standard modes remain relatively untouched overall. Volta is now no more than a tacked on “also-ran” that has replaced the awful story mode sections in the years before its existence. It still has its fun-factor, but it totally lacks any kind of depth to it that makes it worth spending time on. Pro-Clubs on the other hand continues to be the most underutilized mode that FIFA has going for it, but it’s unlikely to change any time soon.

The visuals in FIFA 23 are noticeably better than FIFA 22 but perhaps only just. Some improvements to stadium outlays and player movement help add to the authenticity of the experience, as well as the immersion, but it’s far less evident compared to the previous year. The same can be said for the gaming mechanics. This is less of a surprise as FIFA 22 was a strong outing for EA and minor tweaks to the gameplay were needed and seem to be largely addressed. For the first time in my memory, FIFA feels as though it has less of a ping-pong tempo to it and more of a strategic relevance. Slower players have more impact on the outcome of matches, while player movement feels like it largely makes sense when related to the real-life game.



There are still instances where players simply don’t react, turn slowly and make passes that are in no way the direction you are aiming, but the most part it all feels far more realistic. The slower pace of the overall game makes it feel more measured than ever, and the lack of reliance on ridiculous skill moves and skill combos and a focus on what many would consider “good football” is a welcome adjustment.

As always, there are certain mechanics that will always be exploited when playing online and even against the AI, but for now these seem few and far between in comparison to previous years. The inclusion of the “power shot” works well compared to the previous “driven shot” and the zoomed in animation when taking this type of shot on adds to the splendour.

The slower pace of the overall game makes it feel more measured than ever...

Perhaps it’s just me, but the commentary in FIFA seems to get worse every year, or maybe it’s just the same and I am tired of it. It feels unnatural and odd at the best of times, and annoying and please stop at the worst of times. Thankfully the sound aspect is brought up significantly given the awesome soundtrack and stadium sounds that accompany the matchday experience.



For a final edition, FIFA 23 provides a strong outing in the catalogue of football games. It’s focused on a lot of aspects that needed work and provides a fun and full experience that gives veterans something new to aim for and newcomers to the game a good jumping on point, even if the next game will have a different naming convention. For football purists, it’s overall a great experience considering the general flow of the game, while others looking for that specific arcade feel might not be as impressed.

Microtransactions will always leave a sour taste, but there’s a much greater balance in the game’s main FUT mode, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be more focus on getting transactions away completely.

FIFA 23 is relatively without competition these days but those buying the game can be content knowing it’s a fun and entertaining game that portrays the real thing better than ever before.