Authenticity and style are hallmarks of EA Sports FC in this stunning game, and that’s undeniably reflected in EA Sports FC 25, which is set to launch on September 27 (with early access from September 20 for those who pre-order the Ultimate Edition).
I had the chance to test out this latest player during my time in the brand new stadium, experimenting with new tactical options and experiencing the exciting new 5v5 Rush.
Polish and improvements in presentation
The expected polish of EA Sports FC is fully present, with some tweaks made to the TV-style presentation, as well as the style of the matches. Referee and player perspectives for replays and stoppages are used more, providing an up-close and personal first-person view of goals. Dropping players are also back in pre-match cutscenes, and there are some nice in-game touches like the increased animations on player jerseys.
Some classic elements remain, too. The DualSense controller’s feedback is sensitive enough to not feel overwhelming when reacting to fouls and shots, while the built-in speakers still pick up the referee’s whistle and the satisfying hum of a ball hitting the back of the net.
Additionally, many clubs still retain some of their signature chants, be it Manchester City’s Blue Moon, West Ham’s I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles (and yes, the actual bubbles floating on the pitch are back too) or Villa Park’s Allez, Allez, Allez from the stands.
Meanwhile, the emphasis on stats remains as impressive as ever, with on-pitch overlays popping up to show details like shots in and around the penalty area, and which players are most tired. As before, they remain informative and – most importantly – don’t take away from the action.
The gameplay and tactics worked out well.
One of the big things EA is emphasizing in EA Sports FC 25 is FC IQ, which addresses the tactical and moment-to-moment elements of the game. Player roles give each footballer a range of behaviours on and off the ball, with skills dictating how they act when placed in different positions. In short, it’s even more important to understand a player’s strengths. So you can have a great goalscorer, but putting them in a false nine position will only reduce their effectiveness.
That means a greater emphasis on tactical variety. It’s even more important to make sure you’re crafting tactics that are tailored to your players and their familiarity with the Role you’ve assigned them, conveniently indicated with a breakdown of each tactic, and a + signifying proficiency and a ++ signifying they’re world class.
So, to keep an eye on an ever-changing match, tactical hints and presets can now be selected during dead ball or pause moments like replays and celebrations. Players move to their new position in real time, with a zoomed-in ‘blackboard’ preview to see how your team’s shape is affected.
Making manual or suggested changes and quick tactics in-game was incredibly easy, with my changes being clearly noticeable from both a visual and gameplay perspective, and even the match commentators noticing significant changes to my team. EA Sports FC 25 requires less reliance on defensive AI, meaning transitions in midfield are even more important and mistakes can be punished more.
A new game mode lineup and more options for women’s football
Traditional game modes from Cup Finals to the match-changing House Rules are all present, including the world-dominating Ultimate Team mode and the engaging Player and Manager Career mode. The latter two are now also available for women’s teams, with the WSL, NWSL, D1 Féminine, Liga F and Frauen-Bundesliga all playable, as well as the Women’s Champions League.
This is an important and welcome addition to EA Sports FC, bringing valuable parity across all modes, with the level of detail provided in the male league managers, financial models, player avatars and more being provided for the female options.
Run Rush mode
Another big addition to EA Sports FC 25 is the 5v5 Rush experience, built across all the core game modes, which I can see becoming a fan favourite for those who want a quick kickabout with a different level of flash and flavour. Essentially five-a-side pro football with a slick, neon green presentation and even more energetic commentators, Rush is EA Sports FC, arcade style.
In Kick off, you pick a team from your favourite team, drop down onto a smaller pitch and score a goal. To reflect these changes to the norm, you’re introduced to a completely different kick off experience, where all players race to the ball as it’s thrown out of play. There are no red cards, they’re replaced by green cards which result in a 1-minute penalty for the player. And offsides are different too, instead of being called from the halfway line, they’re called from the new attacking third. You’ll still be able to use all your skills and techniques from 11-a-side, however, the gameplay is fast, tight and furious, making them more difficult to execute… and therefore more rewarding.
Replays are kept to goals rather than highlights, and everything is fast-paced and refreshingly engaging. It’s reminiscent of the ‘attack, attack, attack’ football game on the playground, where you can play solo rather than pass the ball to a teammate, but where’s the fun in that? Not to mention that building up quick and successful team moves on smaller pitches is even more satisfying…
With the option to play through Ultimate Team, Clubs, Kick Off and Career modes, the Rush experience could become an instant classic with some like-minded friends – but either way, there’s plenty more to EA Sports FC 25 that you can explore on the pitch when the game officially launches on September 27.
