Game Review: EA sports FC 24 – A fun game with disappointing accessibility features
Hello, dear readers! My name is Victor, and I am a blind gaming, technology, and entertainment journalist. I am also an ambassador for universal design and an accessibility consultant.
Another year has passed, September has kicked out August unceremoniously from the calendar and we are once again at that moment when EA Sports releases their annual football title. But, 2023 represents the first year in recent history when EA does not release a FIFA game, but after a publicly consumed divorce from FIFA has been forced to rename their flagship title to EA Sports FC 24.
As you can probably remember, I have been reviewing FIFA every year for over a decade now. I grew up playing those games with neighbors, schoolmates and later online, with friends on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. All in all, I’d say that I was a FIFA fan for 30 years and that’s something, considering that I am not necessarily a devoted fan of the beautiful game. I watched a bunch of televised matches, I’ve thrown away the ball as a kid in school, but not like others did.
Unfortunately, as my vision degenerated over the years and due to the fact that EA does not make a priority in bringing accessibility features to their titles, I was pushed away from these games that I used to love. With every new release the hope that maybe I will be able to enjoy them again makes me want to give them one more chance.
We received the game from EA and we got to work. After downloading EA Sports FC 24 and booting up the game on PlayStation, I made the disappointing discovery when I realized that although this should be a brand new generation of football titles from EA, they did absolutely nothing when it comes to accessibility. Although they advertise once again menu narration, the feature does not work. I was forced to navigate through silent menus using my Orcam device and diving through options, I searched the accessibility section to make sure menu narration is turned on and it was, but it is not working. This thing is happening again and again for at least three years in all EA titles.
Due to the fact that I wasn’t able to access the game using accessibility features, I think it would be quite fair on my part to stop this review here. But, alas, I am a professional so I must continue.
I was curious to see how EA Sports FC 24 would fare without the FIFA license so with Alina‘s help and by asking a few friends of mine that are also football fans I managed to make an informed impression. The game promises to be the most true-to-football experience ever, with new features such as HyperMotionV, PlayStyles, Ultimate Team Evolutions, and more. But does it deliver on its promises, or is it just a rehash of the old formula with a new name?
I understand that EA Sports FC 24 looks quite OK on PS5, with realistic player models, animations, and lighting, but probably due to the fact that EA lost the FIFA license some of the players faces don’t look that great, as instead of a photorealistic representation now we have a more cartoonish approach. So instead of photo now we have a drawing. The Frostbite engine has been upgraded to deliver more detail and immersion to each match. The new HyperMotionV technology uses volumetric data from real matches to capture the fluidity and rhythm of football. The players move more naturally and dynamically, reacting to situations and emotions on the pitch. The game also uses Opta data to make players unique and authentic, with PlayStyles that reflect their abilities and personalities. The gameplay feels smooth and responsive, with a slower pace that encourages tactical thinking and build-up play.
The game modes are mostly familiar, with some improvements and additions. The Career mode has been revamped with a new Player Agent system that helps you shape your career path and negotiate contracts. You can also evolve your player on the pitch with a new Personality system that is based on your PlayStyle. The Manager mode has more control over your tactics, coaches, and training. You can also scout and sign players from different leagues and regions.
The biggest changes are found in the game’s money-making machine, Ultimate Team. While the idea remains the same in FC as it did in FIFA, the headline change in this mode is that for the first time, both male and female players are featured, and mixed-gender teams are allowed. This adds more diversity and variety to the mode, as well as more challenges and rewards. You can also evolve your players with the new Ultimate Team Evolutions feature, which lets you complete objectives to boost their skills, ratings, and appearance.
EA Sports FC 24 sees the return of the Clubs and Volta Football modes, which let you play online with your friends in stadiums or on the streets. The game supports cross-play within the same generation of platforms, so you can play with anyone who has the game on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC. The Clubs mode brings more customization options and culminates in Playoffs. The Volta Football mode has new locations, outfits, and moves to enjoy.
However, not everything is perfect in EA Sports FC 24. The game suffers from some drawbacks that prevent it from being a truly revolutionary football game. Without the FIFA license, the game loses some of its authenticity and presentation shininess. Luckily, the big five championships in the world are included with official teams, kits, stadiums, and players that FIFA fans are used to seeing. A drawback is the accessibility of the game. EA Sports FC 24 is still a very complex and challenging game that requires a lot of skill and practice to master. The game does not offer accessibility options that could make it playable by blind or other impaired gamers.
Last but not least, EA Sports FC 24 relies heavily on microtransactions and loot boxes to progress in Ultimate Team mode, which can be frustrating and expensive for some players. This is a common criticism of EA Sports games, as they are often accused of being pay-to-win or encouraging gambling behavior . While some players may enjoy the thrill of opening loot boxes and collecting rare items, others may feel pressured to spend real money to keep up with the competition or to unlock their favorite players.
While EA Sports FC 24 does introduce some new features and improvements over FIFA 23, it does not bring anything truly groundbreaking or revolutionary to the genre. The game still feels very similar to its predecessors in terms of gameplay mechanics, modes, and content.
In conclusion, EA Sports FC 24 is a good football title that offers a lot of fun and entertainment for fans of The Beautiful Game. It has modes that are mostly familiar, plus some additions, especially in Ultimate Team. However, EA Sports FC 24 also suffers from some drawbacks that prevent it from being great, as it lacks FIFA’s stamp of approval, accessibility, and innovation. EA Sports FC 24 is quite OK, but it feels like the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Update: as I was putting the finishing touches on this review my friend Dan informed me that the latest update pushed to EA Sports FC 24 breaks a few things. It introduces some bugs and glitches, the animations look worse and there is some freezing and stuttering now. Of course, I’m sure these things will be fixed in a future patch, but I think that are worth mentioning for now so that you have the entire picture and will be able to make an informed decision.
Review copy provided by EA
Victor Dima
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