FIFA 16: Review Roundup for This Year's Soccer Simulation
Almost without fail, journalists and publications reviewing FIFA 16 felt compelled to mention this year's effort from the Pro Evolution Soccer series. PES 2016 was one of the series' best; I rated it a 7.8. While I tabbed FIFA 16 at 8.5, it is also impossible to talk about FIFA 16 without mentioning PES.
For the first time in a while, there was a legitimate question as to which is the better game. FIFA 16 gets the edge on this gamer's scorecard, but not everyone believes it deserves to maintain the crown. Here's a look at a list of the published reviews on FIFA 16, with a concentration on three high-profile impressions.
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| PlayStation Lifestyle | Tyler Treese | 9 |
| Gamespot | Nathan Ditum | 9 |
| Game Informer | Matthew Kato | 8.75 |
| Digital Spy | Liam Martin | 4 out of 5 |
| US Gamer | Kat Bailey | 3.5 out of 5 |
| IGN | Chris Schilling | 7.8 |
IGN.com's Chris Schilling: 7.8
The headline for Chris Schilling of IGN.com's review reads: "Dethroned."
Schilling gave FIFA a respectable score of 7.8, but he clearly sees PES 2016 as a better game: "The complete package is as substantial as ever, and those who’ve acclimatised to FIFA’s play style in recent years will likely consider it good enough. But in the face of much stronger competition, ‘good enough’ might not actually be good enough."
Schilling makes some valid points, but he undersells the value of the exclusive licenses FIFA possesses. It may not be fair, but when gauging the overall quality of a game, that has to be taken into consideration.
Gamespot's Nathan Ditum: 9
Nathan Ditum of Gamespot was far more complimentary of EA Sports' title.
He scored it a nine out of 10. Ditum enjoyed the challenge of the new controls. He wrote:
"FIFA 16 can be stubborn and stifling, but it feels gloriously new, and having to learn fresh strategies and nuances in a game series like this is an almost-forgotten pleasure."
The gameplay enhancements were more than just fancy words to describe the same mechanics. The new dribble controls and passing concepts truly better the gameplay experience.
Game Informer's Matthew Kato: 8.75
Getting down to the nitty gritty, Game Informer's Matthew Kato loved the depth of Career Mode and the addition of FIFA Ultimate Team Draft (FUT Draft), Kato wrote:
"The contributions of two of the more heralded additions—the career mode's training component and Ultimate Team's draft mode—are not clear-cut winners."
The training that gamers can do in Career Mode adds a new and relevant layer to the experience. Developing players was a much-needed addition.
FUT Draft is a cool alternative way to play Ultimate Team. Drafting players is fun, and best of all, the experience changes every time.
Overall, Metacritic has a score of 83 out of 100, which says the predominant feedback about FIFA 16 is positive. That said, if you're an exclusive FIFA fan, you might want to at least give PES 2016's demo a look.
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