FIFA 15: Player Ratings, Roster Info and New Modes Preview

FIFA 15 releases on Tuesday, Sept. 23 in North America. As the moment of truth approaches, we focus on the very essential player ratings and most notable new features.

Lionel Messi is the cover athlete, so it's only natural that he would be the highest-rated player in the game.

The FC Barcelona star was given a much-deserved 93 overall rating. During the 2013-14 season, Messi scored 28 goals in 29 appearances, but he missed action with a series of injuries.

Just behind Messi in the overall rankings is Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star won the Ballon d'Or for the player who performed the best during the 2013 season.

Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 47 appearances.

"

Lionel Messi will be the best player in the Fifa 15 video game once again #MessiTheBestPlayer pic.twitter.com/1ftrhPz1Lf

— Football BARCA (@FootballFCBarca) September 5, 2014"

While the two La Liga clubs have the highest-rated stars, Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich has a whopping 11 players rated in the top 50. Chief among them are Arjen Robben and the game's highest-rated goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer.

Robben and Neuer check in with overall ratings of 90.

Here's a look at the team breakdown of the top 50 players in the game, per EA Sports.

• Bayern Munich - 11
• Real Madrid - 8
• Barcelona - 6
• Chelsea - 5
• Manchester United - 5
• Manchester City - 4
• Juventus - 4
• Paris Saint-Germain - 3
• Borussia Dortmund - 2
• Arsenal - 1
• Tottenham - 1

Emotional Intelligence

For the first time in the series' history, all 22 players will experience almost every emotion while on the pitch. 

Poor play will draw the ire of teammates, while good on-field performances will draw positive reactions. If an opposing player is getting a little dirty, there may be increased pushing and shoving in the match. 

Things can get chippy on the pitch, and this helps to reflect that aspect of the sport. There are over 600 potential emotional reactions that can be exhibited during a match.

World football players are among the most dramatic in all of sports. Because of this, this type of visual and presentational enhancement makes sense.

Next-Gen Goalkeeper

Goalkeeping has been completely rewritten in FIFA 15. The men in net are now designed to look, move and react like they would in real life.

The keepers now have a new intelligence system that works with save animation technology to make for a realistic experience near the net.

Dynamic Match Presentation

For the last few versions of the game, developers have been working hard to bring the most authentic matchday presentation possible.

This improvement is the latest innovation in this project. Region-specific behaviors include signature chants designated by league, clubs and country, which immerses you in the virtual atmosphere. 

Commentators will mention current events and delve into player stories as they relate to the current match. Conceptually, this isn't new, but the execution should add another layer.

Follow Brian Mazique, aka FranchisePlay, the Sports Video Game Journalist