It seems like only yesterday that we found out that EA Sports and FIFA were parting ways, granting the long-running football franchise a seemingly new identity. Name change aside, EA Sports FC 24 does its best to freshen up many of the game’s nuanced mechanics and motion capture, in ways that feel new and exciting, all while remaining familiar and accessible to fans of the franchise. Our hands-on time with EA FC 24 gave us a good look at the general presentation and gameplay, leaving us excited for the full release.
HyperMotionV
While our hands-on time gave us access to online matchmaking, it was a little tricky to find an opponent, given that most others going hands-on were based in the US and UK. But we did have access to the primary Kick-Off mode, which gave us a solid look at EA FC 24’s presentation and revamped gameplay mechanics. The biggest upgrade this time around is HyperMotionV, the latest motion capture technology, which is now built on volumetric data acquired from real games.
Exclusive to current-gen consoles (sorry PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch), the technology has allowed EA to capture 180 matches worth of data to substitute traditional motion capture, giving players an incredibly accurate level of realism and detail in the way they move and react during games. While previous FIFA titles had touched on this through motion-captured players, there’s a certain level of authenticity and natural tenacity you get by recording candid in-game actions.
This means you’ll get players like Haaland for example, that wreck defensive lines with their larger build and physical presence, accurately recreating his unmistakable running style. As a Chelsea fan, I spent most of my time messing around with Premier League teams, but I simply can’t wait to see how this impacts other lesser-known leagues and players that are usually left by the wayside.
While we didn’t get to try it here, it’s worth noting that PlayStyles is also an upcoming feature in which players can take advantage of special and otherwise signature abilities in the game. Be it dribbling styles, shot types and general movements and interactions like sprinting and touch control of the pass, players can now replicate their favourite players with iconic moves seen in real games.
Gameplay
I feel as though every so often, these games swing back and forth between a faster, more arcade-like experience, and a slower more deliberate simulator. EA FC 24 feels like the latter of the two, shaping things up with a little more weight and feel. Passing feels tighter, while shots feel more responsive and satisfying, should you put your player in a position to rip an unstable missle. FIFA 23 came close, but I still felt as though general positioning and placing your strike on their preferred foot yielded some wonky results, where shots would lack either power or finesse.
Passing also feels much cleaner, with players now able to take advantage of ‘Precision’ passing. You can now hold the shoulder buttons for unique and precise passes, depending on the situation. Holding the R1 and lob buttons for longer balls, or the R1 and through ball buttons for slipping defensive players on the counter feels incredibly satisfying to whip out when you need to even the odds.
General player interactions also give way to more detailed contests, where players can stumble in a jostle depending on their physicality and even be run off the pitch into the side walls, where they’ll naturally brace themselves. Run them into these walls hard enough and they’ll even flip over them. It’s not necessarily a huge change, but it’s nice to see HyperMotionV affecting more than just the on-field gameplay.
Presentation
With the FIFA name now gone from all aspects of the experience, EA FC 24 has not missed a single beat in terms of delivering a realistic experience that almost feels televised. While the menus, pre-game pop-ups and scoreboards do feel a little bland, pre-game warmups and celebrations feel more accurate and lifelike than ever, even going as far as to cut to single out interactions with players and referees when calls are inevitably missed.
While it remains to be seen just how various leagues are presented in-game, there’s no denying that EA Sports needs to get creative here, as that Premier League template and scoreboard in previous entries fooled a few people walking by into thinking I was watching an actual game.
Final Thoughts
FIFA’s name branding has done little to hold EA Sports back in any meaningful way. Be it the new HyperMotionV technology or Playstyles feature, players will be able to interact with teams and superstars on a whole new level. While we only got a taste of EA Sports FC 24, we can’t wait to take a whole bite.
EA Sports FC 24 will launch on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on the 29th of September, 2023. Stay tuned for our review closer to release.
