FIFA 21 Review: Initial Impressions of FUT, Volta, Features and Gameplay Videos

Bigger expectations than usual chase FIFA 21 to its release.   

The latest football offering not only has feedback from last year's game (a 79 on Metacritic) to lean into, it's also generally accepted that an annual sports game arriving at the end of a console generation should represent the apex of the series. 

Whether that's the case for FIFA 21 will hinge on a variety of factors, though EA Sports has seemed to pledge focusing on the future with Kylian Mbappe gracing the cover. 

Given the timing and promising a balancing act to gameplay, plus improvements to career and year two for Volta Football, FIFA 21 oozes on-paper potential before players turn an eye to the next generation. 

Gameplay

A year ago, FIFA 20's release seemed to hint at major potential but steadily evolved into a plodding, defensive-minded experience. Not bad for fans who appreciate that sort of match, but not exactly prone to meshing well with video gamers as a whole, never mind the competitive community.

For FIFA 21, one big comment is worth throwing out right away—offense is likely back on the menu. 

This seems to be the case for a number of reasons, from giving the player more control over dribbling to run creations, to general tuning of player-rating emphasis and gameplay tweaks. 

One good example? Heading doesn't feel impossible anymore. And new controls for making runs off the ball is a big part of it too. Tap a shoulder button and flick the right stick in the desired direction and more easily getting the ball in stride now happens. It's intuitive and a massive upgrade on last year, when the only run was merely shooting off in the direction of the goal. Player locking is risky because it leaves the artificial intelligence in control of possession while a player breaks open before calling for the ball back, but the calculated risk is fun and can have big rewards. 

Agile Dribbling is a big back-of-box talking point this year, and it's...fun. The addition doesn't feel like it'll turn the competitive ladder on its head by any means. But holding a bumper button and flicking the left stick to perform some quick moves with the ball is a nice thing to have at the fingertips at any moment. 

Every now and then, that sort of skillful display (once a player gets used to it, which takes some time) can help slip past a defender. It could end up being a little more useful in Volta as opposed to normal matches, but again, certainly not a bad thing to add to the already-stellar gameplay mix. 

This doesn't mean defense is totally hung out to dry. Rebound goals feel toned down, and smart manual defending to counteract a quick rush remains a workable strategy. But at launch (we'll have to see how the community attacks these systems and how EA Sports responds), defense isn't overly difficult, with much of the credit going to changes behind the scenes. 

FIFA 21 promises altered player performance as the systems in the background change up how players perform based on ratings. This isn't any different from other sports games at the end of a console generation—systems tuning over the years has helped game-makers identify what player ratings really need to be prioritized in order to get the best (and hopefully most realistic, albeit balanced) gameplay to players. 

Play in the midfield now feels a little more open, with players given a little more time on the ball before defenders swarm. Superstar players differentiate themselves and actually feel like stars. Stud offensive players better attack open spaces and get in better positions to receive the ball. Lockdown defenders shutter passing lanes faster than in the past and much more noticeably than lesser-rated players. 

Simply put, differing work rates are quite a bit more noticeable. On a grander scale, it makes every club feel less same-y, even if they technically have close overall ratings. That's fun on a pick-up-and-play basis, never mind it should allow for a more intimate feel to the club-building experience in something like career mode or even FUT. 

The physics dictating the on-pitch experience this year also seem like a plus, not a detriment. It was a pre-release talking point and rightfully so, as players seem more prone to avoid unnecessary contact that in past games might've left them sprawled on the ground like a pretzel. That means more consistency offensively or defensively because players don't have to account for how wonky video game-isms factor into a play. 

As always, we'll see how it holds up once the globe has its hands on the game. The overall speed of matches feels a little faster than last year. Notably, the new additions don't have a massive learning curve yet feel impactful enough in concert with the other tweaks to even out gameplay. It makes for a welcomed and fun gameplay experience and, perhaps just as importantly, might serve as a strong foundation for whatever additions the game nets once it makes the leap to the next generation of consoles.

Graphics and Presentation

FIFA 21 does the job well in this area. 

Some might hit the series for not making a major leap annually in this area, but the reality is the graphics are where they are for the current console generation. A zoomed-out lens of the pitch isn't the most detailed and doesn't need to be—when the camera cuts in for player reactions or replays is when FIFA looks its best. 

Players are detailed and emotional, jerseys flow well, stars are recognizable, and while the crowds won't take a player's breath away, they're passable and do the expected things with signs and reactions. There is clearly always going to be some wonkiness with the Frostbite engine at times (just ask Madden players), but as a whole, it's hard to crush the visuals for looking mostly the same as last year but still solid. 

Similar line of thoughts apply to something like Volta Football, which takes the show on the road to interesting, colorful and varied pitches across the globe. 

Much of what makes FIFA a consistently strong performer in the presentation area is the solid sound design. Matches have a big showdown feel to them with the way crowds chant and respond realistically, whistles are sharp and connections on ball are impactful, all traits that marry well with the visuals. 

Something else that really stands out in this department is the simple effectiveness of the menus. The home screen of career mode shows off a topical video of current happenings around the club, while the squad screen shows off an overhead tactical view of the roster. Again, hitting FIFA for the menus across the board seeming similar to prior years is an easy thing to do, but if it works, it's hard to complain. 

Career, Volta Football, FUT and More

FIFA 21 promises a lot across many game modes and largely nets on most of those.  

Career mode has been under the microscope of players as a whole for years now, and after seeing the latest installment of Madden get hit for doing nothing at all with its franchise mode again, FIFA 21 avoids such a fumble in smooth ways. 

The manager side of career mode boasts a new tactical, top-down view of a match simulation clearly inspired by what other games have done in the past. Regardless of the inspiration, it's nice to have so many tools at the fingertips while also personally being able to jump into the action on a whim. It beats leaving simulation strictly in control of the AI while staring at a calendar like other sports games. 

Other minor, albeit notable, tweaks include the introduction of match sharpness as a factor to monitor alongside fitness and morale. Paired with more control over a team's calendar on a week-to-week basis, it's nice to be able to influence stat bonuses for certain matches, though this fun new wrinkle probably won't stop players from simulating things like training sessions before long. 

From a managerial perspective, it's nice that things like pressers with the media impact team morale, but they're still awkward with only background noise and no voice from the manager, for example.

Also fresh is the ability to train players for positional changes, allocating experience to those changes and seeing it eventually come to fruition. Career still has some wonky transfers and such, but trying out loan players before buying, for example, is a smaller thing that moves the needle closer to fully making career mode fans happy. 

Is this the massive overhaul to career mode fans wants? Of course not. But it does give the mode new legs and some much-needed love.

Over in FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT), it's nice that streamlining the mode has been the name of the game this year. Doing away with certain fitness items and cutting down on things like celebrations and replays means more time actually playing matches on the pitch. 

That doesn't mean there isn't an endless grind to assemble a good team if one takes a no-money-spent approach, but discarding some time-wasting elements is certainly a nice touch. 

As always, there are an assortment of legendary cards (like the FUT 100) and packs to chase right from the opening gun. A load of different ways to play, including drafts, squads, divisions and even fun local or online mixups like mystery ball and king of the hill, which boast plenty of fun long-term potential, makes for a robust game-within-a-game.

There's a certain set of expectations that comes with this being the second year for Volta Football, too. And to its credit, the arcade mode is a fun sideshow and change of pace compared to typical matches. 

Granted, it's still a rush to just show off the best cosmetics via player attire (of which there is a staggering amount), but linking up with friends to tackle challenges or play other assembled teams via the Madden-esque Squads is a good time. Limited-time events like Featured Battles are a smart way to keep players invested and coming back for more. 

There's a story mode too, though it's about as cookie-cutter as the one from a year ago. 

At its core, Volta isn't feeling like a gimmick. Past comparisons to standalone releases like FIFA Street might have it feeling that way for some, but as an offshoot within a FIFA release, it's just another way to appeal to as many players as possible and give them more ways to get on a pitch and enjoy the gameplay. 

That gameplay is still a blast, as smaller, confined spaces mean options like shooting off a wall right back to oneself to fool a human opponent and making some flashy plays in what can devolve into high-scoring matches quickly. 

Players certainly shouldn't load into Volta for the story mode. But as a more casual, arcade-styled side mode, it's a fun romp for a game or two at a time. For those who view the cosmetics hook as a neat little add-on and not the end game, merely enjoying the mode for what it is can make it easy to forget the more traditional modes. Recruiting players, upgrading the player character and simply improving in an offensive-happy shootfest is just a good time.

As always, an abundance of options, including sliders, roster management and more pepper the player-agency areas. And the online suite checks in with the expected usual features, enabling those who want to seek out traditional competition or even collaboration to do so. 

Accessibility is an ongoing strong point for the series as a whole, and examples abound. There are a helpful suite of options while booting up a new career mode, for example, with each category presented in big clickable boxes. Volta has a similar tutorial-esque mode, too.  

Conclusion

FIFA 21 appears to spread itself thin by hitting on so many upgrades across a variety of different game modes, but it mostly does so well enough to nail down the best entry in the series over the last few releases. 

Barring a dramatic shake-up once the community gets its hands on the game, balancing efforts should swing the pendulum back in favor of the offense and keep players engaged. 

And with Volta Football really coming into its own and starting to capitalize on its apparent potential, there's yet another mode for players to get lost in alongside some much-requested progressions for career mode. 

In sum, it paints a great picture for FIFA's standing going into the next console generation this winter—if these are the strides made across the board here, it's fair to positively adjust expectations of what comes next.