Unfortunately, while the FIFA and now EA Sports FC games have improved over time across multiple metrics, some features have been lost over the years, with some being removed more recently and others disappearing into the abyss over a decade ago.
How to Save Almost Every Penalty in EA Sports FC 25
If players have good reactions and a good keeper, they can use a certain technique to save most penalties in FC 25.
It would be great to see some of these fan-favorite FIFA mechanics return in FC 26, or future installments, seeing as development is likely being wrapped up on the next game.
7 The Old Practice Arena With One Player That Can Be Hopped Into Instantly
Ideally Accessible From Any Game Mode
While FC 25 has a more advanced training arena found via the Learn To Play menu, with tonnes of customization, it would also be great to have a quicker mode to jump into. For example, a mode in the style of old FIFA games where just one player is controlled, allowing players to instantly practice skills and shooting.
Ideally, such a feature would be available in all game modes, allowing players to hop into the action at the press of a button.
6 Other Scores Being Shown At Halftime In Career Mode
Particularly Useful On The Last Day Of The Season
When playing Career Mode, particularly at the business end of a season, it's important to know how other teams are doing in their own games, or players may just be curious. However, the simple feature of showing the scores at halftime is no longer available, despite being a staple of past FIFA games.
EA Sports FC 25: Best Live Start Careers
With the following live start points for Career Mode in FC 25, players can try to save teams from relegation or chase titles that seem out of reach.
Ideally, players would be able to see other scores, not only at halftime, but also at any point by pausing the game. This would be particularly useful for the last game of a season, with a live table also being helpful. This could tell players whether they need to press on for a win or to increase their goal difference, or instead to hold onto a draw. Annoyingly, in FC 25, scores at the end of the game are only visible for a second or two as well.
5 Signing Deals With Sponsors Each Season In Manager Career Mode
This Adds More Customization & Players Must Manage Their Finances Better
Old FIFA games used to have a feature where, each season, the club must sign with different sponsors, who give them money per game, a loyalty bonus for signing on again, and various other bonuses for winning the league or going on deep cup runs. As teams climbed the leagues, they would get more high-profile sponsors, thus raking in more money. This was arguably at its best all the way back in FIFA 08.
Unfortunately, this hasn't been included in any recent iteration of Manager Career Mode. Something similar could also work for Player Career Mode, as high-profile stars often get their own sponsorship deals, appear in adverts, or have custom boots made with their name. Similar sponsorships are available in the NBA 2K games.
4 Bring Back Ticket Prices, Shirt Prices, & More Realistic Attendances
This Makes Managing The Club's Finances More Complex & Fun
While players may be given objectives to make more money from shirts by signing elite players and having them perform well, and they are expected to sell more tickets by winning games, they have no control over prices.
This wasn't always the case, with players able to demand more for shirts and tickets if everything is going super well on the pitch, or reduce prices when interest is low. One reason this feature may have been removed is because a manager wouldn't be involved in these decisions in real life. However, more customization is almost always better, and settings can allow players to opt out of such features. Lastly, all of this should also be tied into having more realistic attendances.
3 Injury List
This Not Only Showed Your Team's Injuries, But Other Teams Too
In FC 25, it's currently awkward to find out how long your injured players have left before they can return to action. However, old FIFA games used to have a simple Injury List menu, which made everything clear. It even added some extra flavor, such as showing if players are going through physiotherapy or if they have progressed to gym work.
The Injury List even allowed players to scroll through other teams in the league, which could be good before upcoming games or to see why a certain player was missing from the previous fixture.
2 Custom Set Pieces
Players Were Able To Control Where Players Stood & Moved
While FC 25 allows players to assign targets for set-pieces, such as who should be at the front and back posts, this pales in comparison to the freedom of the old Custom Set Pieces feature of past FIFA games.
EA Sports FC 25: Best Mods
The following mods for FC 25 add new content such as player faces, additional kits, and even fan chants, or they tweak and improve the gameplay.
Previously, players were able to head down to the training pitch and create a sequence. They would begin with which player would be standing where, and then create runs for each, allowing for some incredibly creative set-piece routines. As this feature was optional, there's no reason not to bring it back for those who enjoy this kind of depth.
1 Internal Memos
Random Scenarios Throughout The Season That You Had To Respond To
FIFA games from well over a decade ago used to have Internal Memos in Manager Mode, where random events would happen to the club, the training facilities, or individual players, for example. The manager would then have to choose from a selection of responses, which may in turn please or upset different entities, such as the board, fans, or players.
This added more drama to each season, which is entirely realistic, and also gave players something else to do outside of matches, without taking up too much time. When weighing up their response options, players had to worry about implications and decide where their priorities lay. It was also great for career mode playthroughs with great stories, adding to the roleplay.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 63%
- Released
- September 27, 2024
- ESRB
- Everyone // Alcohol And Tobacco Reference, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)
- Developer(s)
- EA Canada, EA Romania
- Publisher(s)
- EA Sports
- Engine
- Frostbite
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- EA Sports FC
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Sports
