#FC 26 overview – The comeback of the ages – Destructoid

One other 12 months has handed, and we’re now marching into the subsequent chapter of the FC franchise with EA FC 26. 

September has held a particular place in my life after I began my digital soccer journey with FIFA 08 almost 20 years again. And whereas this 12 months’s launch would possibly really feel routine, it’s something however that. In spite of everything, FC 25 didn’t go away many fond recollections; most of my 1,400 hours throughout the sport’s 11 months have been extra about frustration relatively than enjoyment.

July made it clear I wasn’t alone in these sentiments when EA Sports activities tell us that the crew was listening. The primary FC 26 trailer made grand guarantees, after which got here its beta. It’s one factor to make a promise and it’s one other to ship on it, and in 2025, recreation studios making guarantees and subsequently failing on them isn’t unusual. However for EA Sports activities and FC 26, the early days are trying very optimistic.

FC 26 is the sport all of us deserved

While you first have a look at FC 26, you’ll suppose it resembles FC 25. In spite of everything, it’s the identical recreation engine and has the identical core fundamentals and gameplay mechanics. However the second you kick the ball, you discover a key distinction. First, it’s only a go. Then comes a sort out try, and you may see how the identical animations really feel simply that tiny bit totally different. 

Animations have by no means been the franchise’s sturdy level, and I’ve at all times felt that they slowed down the gameplay at the price of realism. FC 26 feels and strikes just like the quickest and smoothest amongst all annual launches of the final 5 years. It’s not as arcadey as FIFA titles from the earlier decade, however a lot of the animations not really feel like a hindrance. In the event you’ve performed FC 25, you’ll really feel the distinction from the primary minute of its successor. In the event you haven’t—effectively, the gameplay continues to be going to really feel extra pleasing.

I’ve lengthy maintained {that a} good FC title with nice gameplay will at all times incentivize the group to maintain taking part in. That has been my actual expertise with Final Staff; whether or not it was the aggressive modes or towards AI, I constantly craved “only one extra recreation” even after a protracted session.

A big portion of my time with FC 26 went into the Final Staff. With new in-house modes, I lastly bought to spend extra time outdoors Rivals and Squad Battles. The slower energy curve actually hits residence with lowered rewards, however it’s not a foul factor. The worth of your playing cards and the grind are intriguing. Getting an 84-rated Tchouameni looks like receiving a walkout, which is such a rewarding feeling for somebody with over 1,000 hours in Final Staff final 12 months.

Subsequent comes Supervisor Profession, which is arguably probably the most improved mode in FC 26. After I performed FIFA 08, I beloved managing my beloved membership. Over time, nonetheless, the mode misplaced its shine because the emphasis steadily shifted to Final Staff. The perfect addition to the Supervisor Profession mode is the arrival of the Stay Occasions. As an alternative of sticking with the identical boring begins, you possibly can replicate actuality. I’m ready to seek out out what EA Sports activities has deliberate for us, however the starting couldn’t have been brighter.

It’s the identical with Golf equipment after the introduction of Archetypes. In actual fact, there’s the same theme; the core content material for each recreation mode has been retained, however one thing new has been launched. In contrast to final 12 months, I didn’t should focus totally on Rivals and Squad Battles to entertain myself or construct my membership aimlessly in Supervisor Profession.

On the finish of the day, having totally different recreation modes is one factor, and having pleasing gameplay is one other. With out good gameplay, having extra modes appears redundant to me. That’s the place probably the most vital space of enchancment is available in.

I can play FC 26 for hours with out caring concerning the rewards

Who doesn’t love a very good dopamine hit? Fortunately for potential gamers, the rewards you get throughout recreation modes just do that. It didn’t take me lengthy to lose curiosity in taking part in FC 25, however the rewards weren’t the issue. As an alternative, it was the gameplay that made me at all times play with half motivation. And once I say that FC 26 is healthier, there are lots of causes behind it. 

Motion

As somebody who watches soccer (or soccer, for all you American of us) matches virtually day by day, I might by no means make sense of what occurred in FC 25. This 12 months, issues look a lot clearer. The AI strikes higher throughout each place on the sphere. Whereas your protection stays in form extra tightly, it’s the offense the place the distinction is extra obvious.

It’s not nearly your allies making higher runs, both. They appear to take action at a better frequency and in higher vogue. In actual fact, the runs they now make are rather more logical than within the closed beta. For starters, the quantity of proactiveness is noticeably larger. In the course of the beta, my attackers would typically run into an offside place. That drawback appears to have been fastened, and the runs are additionally smarter relative to the opposition backline’s place. That is additionally common, no matter the formation and techniques you’re utilizing.

Passing and Capturing

In the event you have been fed up with conceding targets from green-timed Trivelas, there’s aid in FC 26. Capturing, like your participant actions, feels extra affordable, though I’m not in favor of the nerf to the low-driven photographs from what they was. That mentioned, the present steadiness of capturing exactly and scoring targets is in a great place.

One space that improved massively is the passing. In contrast to older video games, passes occur faster, and this ends in higher gameplay. Now, you possibly can both attempt to beat your opponents together with your talent strikes or open them up with swift passing. Via passes are again within the meta huge time, and it is going to be key to enact Tiki Taka towards your opponents.

Defending and AI

I’m not sure if anybody favored the AI defending for them within the larger ELO video games. However that appears to be not the case, as you’ll have to return out and defend bravely. Whereas AI will nonetheless assist you in protection, and playstyles like Anticipate, Bruiser, and Intercept will hold your backline safe, manually timing your tackles has by no means felt extra essential.

This variation may appear adverse to some, however it creates a talent hole. The brand new defensive meta would require you to be taught the artwork of RS-switching, jockeying, and most significantly, when to sort out. This additionally impacts how one can press the RB to make use of one other defender for the second-man press. Naturally, I might get pleasure from spending a while with the ball with out having to fret about being pick-pocketed by somebody merely abusing the AI-based defending, which was prevalent in FC 25.

Playstyles and Roles

I’ve by no means been a fan of Roles, they usually’re far much less influential this 12 months. This additionally ends in higher motion, which I discussed earlier. Sure, Position++ and Position+ work sharper, however gamers will nonetheless transfer moderately effectively so long as they’re performed of their acquainted positions. It’s a optimistic change in my books, and one thing the group will respect.

Whereas EA Sports activities did say a participant’s efficiency shall be extra reliant on their stats, I nonetheless felt playstyles have an even bigger influence. Playstyles are extra weighted, and this might have an effect on your enjoyment of the sport to some extent. Whether or not the scenario modifications sooner or later depends upon what updates EA rolls out within the subsequent few months.

All these enhancements mix effectively whenever you’re difficult your self towards one other human. Server responsiveness and “heavy” gameplay may very well be a factor of the previous if the present efficiency can proceed sooner or later. Whereas the ping firstly of a match was the identical from FC 25, the responsiveness behind each motion on the pitch was faster and sharper. 

Essentially the most essential side of any FC/FIFA title has at all times been the gameplay, and that’s the place FC 26 shines probably the most. The truth that it comes proper after the horrid FC 25 expertise makes it really feel sweeter. There’s sooner gameplay, extra recreation modes, and far to discover. Final Staff, which is probably going going to be the most important recreation mode, has a slower energy curve than everybody needed, and EA Sports activities has promised rather more.

There shall be much more to look at sooner or later. The gameplay on the time of this information is pleasant and what I’d like to have in an FC title. Whether or not it’s on-line video games or towards the AI, video games are smoother, rather more thrilling, and rely closely in your talent stage. However future updates will determine how the gameplay evolves, what sort of rewards we get, and most significantly, if EA Sports activities can chorus from making the identical errors they did with the previous few FC/FIFA titles.