RecentFIFAtitles have had quite a few additional features that have improved offline modes by providing a level of immersion for the roles of manager or player. However, two key features, training and tactics, have been heavily underutilized due to the lack of depth they offer for in-game moments. These features need to be revamped in futureFIFAtitles, with EA placing more of a focus on these areas to make it more satisfying when building up a team and curating the way the squad will play in-game and during simulations.
Both training and tactics are vital parts of football, and excelling in both these areas often give teams the edge in most matches. However,FIFAhas not added much to these features over the years, rendering them to be obsolete. This is especially true in offline modes, where fans can simply rely on the squad rating and their skill at playing the game to win matches. This hasmade game modes like Manager Modeturn into a race to get the best players rather than a systematic buildup of younger talent.
RELATED:FIFA 22: 14 Cheap Players Premier League Teams On A Tight Budget Should Sign
FIFA’s Training Feature
Training was recently introduced intoFIFAand gave fans the opportunity to speed up the development of certain players. When training, fans are given the opportunity to play through certain mini-games that will boost the stats of selected players and can improve their overall rating. However, the simulation feature within training mode has allowedFIFAfans to unrealistically improve a player’s statswith little effort and in a short amount of time.
This issue ismost apparent in Player Career Mode, where fans will only need to train to level up and gain skill points. The freedom offered by skill points is downplayed by the fact that they are extremely easy to obtain. Thanks to the training mode’s simulation feature, fans will only need to play three sessions and gain the highest score once before simulating those same three sessions to gain a large amount of experience points. Even though playing new sessions offers a slight increase in experience points, the difference is only noticeable at the extremely high levels when the created player has already achieved an extremely high overall rating.
FIFA’s Tactical System
Tactics have been a huge part ofFIFAand let fans change how their team approaches situations within any game. They can dictate how a team will operate while defending and what their basic attacking style is. However, the tactical system thatFIFAemploys is lacking in many departments and does not offer fans the ability to truly control how their team plays. This lack of depth is most apparent during simulations, as the game decides which team will dominate a game based on player ratings rather than tactical superiority. This removes any sort ofchallenge fromFIFA’sManager Mode, especially for fans that are used to playing against the A.I.
Fixing the tactical system is integral to ensuring that fans must rely on more than just their ability to play the game well. This would make Manager Mode a more viable and challenging option, as players would have to set tactics for each opponent they come up against, heighteningthe feeling of progression in Create-A-Clubsince gamers make their mark on the way the club is run. This removes the need for any sort of luck and could provide a more realistic ebb and flow to every game. It would also help fans understand exactly what areas of their teams are lacking and the type of players that can excel within their tactical setup.
RELATED:FIFA 22: The Best Retro Kits, Ranked
Fixing The Issue
Both training and tactics can be greatly improved to make the offline game modes more enjoyable and rewarding for the fans. By improving each system,Manager Modeand Player Career Mode would transform into experiences where fans are required to develop their own management and training techniques. Training will need to be enhanced to allow for player development to take place over multiple sessions rather than just granting an increase to stats after each playthrough. This would require daily training rather than weekly, which would also be more realistic to the natural development of a player.
ForFIFAto give players a challenge in-game, EA will need to enhance the tactical system and force players to rely more heavily on tactics rather than individual players. This is most apparent for any fan attempting to lead a small team to the top of itsrespective country in Manager Mode. Giving the fans a chance to customize different stages of attacks, create new set-piece strategies, and form different defensive systems based on the opponent’s offense will provide a more immersive tactical system. This depth in tactical gameplay will allow weaker teams to compete against stronger teams and remove the repetitive nature of Manager Mode.
WithFIFA 23set to launch in 2022, fans are hoping that the game is a step in the right direction for a series that has dominated the sports genre in gaming for decades. While there have not been any significant changes to offline game modes sinceFIFA 08, future titles have the opportunity to finally get fans excited for this aspect of the releases. Withthe success thatWWE 2K22has had following the worst iteration in that series, there is more hope around the sports gaming community that franchises likeFIFAandMaddenwill put out games that make major improvements.
FIFA 23is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S.
