Soccer

EA FC 25 review: New five-a-side mode and a tactics revamp bring new levels of fun to the beautiful game

The Rush five-a-side mode has the potential to be the best addition to the series in years

EA Sports opted not to overhaul the core gameplay for EA FC 25, but to focus on two new features
David Gorman
Fri Sept 20 2024 - 17:00

For EA Sports, it is not in the name, as the game that was once called Fifa goes from strength to strength, at least commercially.

Two years ago, Fifa asked for $250 million a year for the use of its name licence, but EA decided to kick that deal to the curb and go solo. The gamble paid off, with EA Sports reporting in January a 7 per cent increase in revenue from last year’s game, exceeding their expectations. Fifa, meanwhile, are still scrambling to find a new developer, despite president Gianni Infantino’s promises. Rumours swirled around Take-Two, makers of NBA 2K, stepping in, but so far the pitch remains empty on that front.

With their dominance in sports video games secured, EA Sports opted not to overhaul the core gameplay for EA FC 25, but to focus on two new features: a new five-a-side mode called Rush and a tactical revamp.

“Maybe you think tactics are dull, boring? You are wrong!” says three-time Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane in a sleek introduction to FC IQ, a key change to the game’s tactical approach.

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Player Playstyles, introduced last year, had a significant impact on player performance, and this year, new player roles further influence how each player thinks, moves and behaves. Setting up a team now feels more like Football Manager, as players receive boosts when placed in the correct role. For instance, Erling Haaland will underperform as a false 9 but excel as a poacher, as in real life.

With 31 different roles, it may seem overwhelming initially, but for those seeking deeper gameplay, it is a welcome addition. These changes add a new layer to team-building, while tactical adjustments can now be made in-game with a simple button press.

Rush, meanwhile is like being back in the schoolyard, but in a good way. Without any outfield AI interference, there are goalhangers, headless chickens and kick-and-rush merchants aplenty taking part in drop-in games, but if you put a shape on a team and work together, it is immensely satisfying. Unlike Volta, which suffered from separate gameplay from the main game and the pitch being too small. Rush gets the dimensions and balance right.

EA's Rush 5-a-side mode

It also has a few quirky rules, similar to what the MLS might have come up with in the 1990s – mimicking the 1v1 penalty shootouts from that era – as well as a sin bin and different offside rules. Rush might have finally nailed football’s most fun format and has the potential to be the best addition to the series in years.

Rush is helped by being included in Ultimate Team, which is by far the biggest show in town and EA Sports’s main cashcow, through microtransactions. To build your so-called Ultimate Team, which includes new legends such as Gareth Bale, Lilian Thuram and Gigi Buffon, and keep up with the power curve, it requires either considerable time or money. Ultimate Team can be as much a card-collecting slot machine experience as a football simulator, with players often spending as much time in menus as on the pitch. But it is also rich with content, always evolving throughout the year, keeping it fresh for those who love to grind.

Anything is possible in EA FC 25, even Arsenal women coached by Pep Guardiola signing Denise O'Sullivan

A year on from women players being included in Ultimate Team, they are now included in Career Mode too for the first time, in player and manager mode, so you can live and control the career of Katie McCabe or Denise O’Sullivan, while a select number of Icons are added so you can control the likes of David Beckham, Ronaldo and Zidane there for the first time.

There were fears that Clubs, the popular mode where you control one player on a team, would be removed because of Rush but it is back with a few improvements such as the introduction of a team clubhouse, more customisation options and the return of relegation.

At some point, you might wonder why EA keeps releasing a new soccer game every year, especially at the hefty €70 release day price tag (although at least €10 down from last year). But despite the constant churn of annual releases, EA FC 25 delivers just enough new content and features to keep fans coming back. As long as the money rolls in, EA will keep kicking out games, and for now, EA FC 25 is another solid addition to the series.

EA Sports FC 25 (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 (copy reviewed), Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S). Price €69.99 for standard edition, €109.99 for ultimate edition

David Gorman

David Gorman

David Gorman is a sports journalist with The Irish Times