FIFA 15: Highlighting Review Scores from Around the Web

FIFA 15 released in North America on Tuesday, and with it, a mound of impressions hit the Internet in a flurry. The responses were primarily positive, as evidenced by the game's Metacritic score of 82.

That implies that most people looked upon the game favorably, but it also says that there are a few flaws.

I have had the Xbox One version in hand for over a week, and shortcomings were few and far between in my eyes. Immersive and exciting gameplay meets up with unprecedented physics, realism and great presentation.

On my scale, the game was rated a 9.1 out of 10. You can read my full review here.

Taking a look across the web at my peers' evaluations brought out a few interesting takes on the game. Matthew Kato of Game Informer was even more impressed with the game than I was. He rated it a 9.25 out of 10.

Kato writes:

"

The FIFA franchise has gone from a game that was huge because of the de facto effect of its numerous licenses to a title that stands tall thanks to its own abilities. FIFA 15 takes the series into a whole other level with gameplay that betters the surmounting hype that threatened to engulf it. Playing it makes me believe I can do just about anything with the ball at my feet, and this self-assurance is powerful. If you have the desire, FIFA 15 meets the challenge. It does not disappoint.

"

Because of the series' standing as one of the premier sports video game franchises in existence, developers could think of taking a year off and not pushing the envelope.

That wasn't the case in FIFA 15. The game features redone A.I. as it pertains to goalkeepers and daring adjustments along the lines of collision detection and skills moves.

For a game that has been so successful to take a chance with changing core principles takes some guts. Even if you're not a fan of some of the results, no one can say the FIFA team is guilty of lazy game development.

John Robertson of GameSpot wasn't quite as blown away by FIFA 15, but he did echo some of Kato's sentiments about the joy of controlling magicians with the ball.

Robertson wrote, "Once the final whistle is blown, that's what FIFA 15 does best: it makes you feel like a star. Goalkeepers may appear more skillful, but spectacular goals are frequent enough to make you believe that you're incredible at defeating them."

Robertson scored the game an 8.0, which by site standards is "great."

It may sound as if FIFA 15 is less simulation than arcade, but that wasn't my experience. The gameplay felt similar to FIFA World Cup 2014 for last-generation consoles, and that was a major plus.

The more open style of play simply makes the game more enjoyable, but the gameplay engine still balances sim concepts to keep the action realistic.

Jack Arnott of Eurogamer had one of the lowest scores online for FIFA 15. He scored it a 7.0 out of 10. Citing the changes in gameplay direction as an issue, Arnott was firm with the game's developers.

He wrote:

"

Is FIFA 15 better to play than last year? The short answer is no. It's so different that it will frustrate as many fans as it delights, based on their different approaches to the game.

But ask another question. Would we want FIFA, like Call of Duty, to have nailed-down mechanics that gets infinitesimal tweaks each year? Again, the answer is probably no.

"

This conundrum is the major issue for developers of a gaming series, especially a sports title. Is it proper to change the game so much that at some point it loses connection with the sport it's designed to emulate?

One issue I have with Arnott's take is that you cannot compare a sports series to any other genre within gaming. Hardcore sports fans very rarely want a ton of variation in gameplay mechanics. We genuinely want changes that make sense, but once there is a proven and fun formula, maintaining that is preferable.

Others who you'll often hear refer to titles as nothing more than a roster update are looking for more dynamic changes. It's certainly a balancing act. In this case, I'd have to say FIFA 15 walks the line quite well.

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