FIFA 23 review: EA dribble out the same game for the final time

FIFA 22 had many complaints lodged against it: the niggles, the frustration, and the grind caused a number of players to throw in the towel.

You know what each edition of FIFA is. It’s the same game with new kits and a brand new lick of paint.

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And that’s what FIFA 23 is. No more or no less than exactly what you expect it to be.

Visually, EA Sports blows away the competition with it’s impressive use of next-gen technology and Hypermotion2.

The developer has worked hard to introduce a number of stunning animations and visual upgrades to keep you entertained.

Players also handle differently from their predecessors. Your old muscle memory may have to be overcome.

There’s less focus on players with good pace, and defensive athletes have been given a boost.

Lower-rated players have also received a buff, making them feel more useful when you’re starting out.

The new power shot, a three-button combination to score impressive goals, is a great addition to make you feel like you’re really on the pitch.

It’s hit and miss however. The new set piece mechanics feel strange, and you can no longer pick the spot in the box to aim your corners at.

Despite how strange some changes may feel now, it’s important for FIFA to change things up to prevent the meta game from becoming stale.

Focus on your weak FUT

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While the gameplay has promise, the admin work involved in your FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) feels laborious.

There is still no “Claim all rewards” option for introductory cosmetics and smaller rewards.

Even though we set up our team via the FIFA companion app in advance, it still took us 30 minutes to start a match after booting it up.

With all the paperwork that needs filling away, you’ll end up spending more time in the office than on the pitch.

FUT Moments are a nice addition for those who like to play in single player.

They also allow newcomers to cut their teeth before diving in online, and time-poor fans can jump in for 15 minutes and pick up some quick rewards.

There’s also new base challenges and weekly tasks which can be completed in exchange for FUT packs.

The first two feature the Rise of Mbappé and Klopp’s Journey, which is a fun alternative to earn rewards compared to previous grinds.

The new chemistry system means that players don’t have to be positioned near each other to gain boosts from sharing a club, league or team.

While it gives players more opportunities to use a variety of players, fans have been concerned about the new changes here.

It seems too convoluted and your methods from FIFA 22 should work just as well here.

Chugging through competitive Rivals games brings the promised land of FUT Champions qualification, and the biggest weekly rewards you can snag.

It felt essential to do this with a local co-op partner, as some mechanics such as cross-box passing, felt extremely frustrating.

The rate at which star players are pulled from FUT packs still feels very low, though slightly better than previously.

With almost 7000 points to burn through, GLHF managed to pull a few good cards: Dzeko (84), Brozovic (86), and icon Kakà (87).

The bottom line is that FUT remains pay-to-win.

Online you will come across players with stacked out teams who have a little more than luck on their sides.

While you can build a decent team with lucky pulls over time, others with deeper pockets will beat you from the offset.

Girls can’t have it all

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FIFA 23 is the most inclusive sports game to date, featuring more women’s clubs and teams than ever before, as well as putting Chelsea’s Sam Kerr on the cover.

This year’s highest rated is a female player, and one extremely deserving of the accolade.

Aside from the editions of French and English first division clubs, an update is promised to include the Women’s World Cup in time for the event.

Previously, women played like short men wearing the skin of Sam Kerr or Chloe Kelly, as their motion capture was based on male players.

EA Sports spent the time to record female player’s data, meaning that now the women play like women do.

However, currently the women’s leagues are only available through Tournament Mode, and not in Manager or Career Mode.

Next year, we’ve been promised additions to the women’s teams.

The Spanish and German league clubs will be added to FIFA 23, and hopefully the Career Mode change is in the works.

Pro the Pro Club changes

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Cross-progression has been added between Pro Clubs and Volta, meaning that neither mode is the huge grindfest it used to be.

However, without ten friends of similar skill level to play with, each with their own copy of the game, all on the same platform, it’s not as fun as it could be.

Career Mode has seen some promising changes, though it still feels too early to give it a full evaluation.

Playable highlights help you progress through lesser matches in seconds, which is handy as in your early career you don’t have much influence on team results.

While they are lacking in terms of content, those who plan to invest a lot in this mode, will find the highlights essential.

It feels like FIFA 23 is aimed at new players. As all the changes feel oddly familiar to veteran fans.

Quicker gameplay, simple, rewarding modes and a revamped training center are all there to get these new players hooked. 

Perhaps EA Sports is holding back on its big ideas. Biding its time until it releases its all new series, EA Sports FC.

This will be the last time we get to play FIFA. Let’s hope the new name brings about real change.

FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition, including 4600 FIFA Points, is out now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC and Stadia. The standard edition of the game launches worldwide September 30, including a legacy edition for Nintendo Switch. 

Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.

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