EA SPORTS FC 25

[saturator]

After more than 30 matches, I think this game is good but have some issues.

First, the rythme was really good once simulation mode, you can reproduce it with your own sliders.

When you are on the pitch, the game looks better than EA FC 24. Ray traycing maybe was a good choice to shine in this area. Players modelisation is very good, the scan from Marseille, PSG are impressive.

But what happen on the pitch ? I didn't thinking that EA will go to this direction : reduced acceleration, adding more realistic moves, adding wind and wheather effets. That is nice.

As a FUMA player, I love the feeling this year. You have to be more focused because the CPU defense is really great. Midfield battles are real.

I think it's the best FIFA/EA FC for years but it needs some tweaks.
I don't know why but it's difficult to have faults from CPU. The referee is bad but there are not many strong contact in my games. I have some freekicks but not many.

EA needs to make the CPU more aggressiv. Even with the slider "tackle aggression" on 90-99, I haven't foul.

Sometimes, CPU players won't play foreward and goes to their own area. I have a match with Vitinha from PSG didn't want to pass and keep the ball.

But I'm happy to see many cross, long shots from CPU.
This game could be a massiv step in the right direction with 2-3 tweaks on the CPU logic.

 

[DexX]

Hi !

So, having not played FIFA in recent years, except for modded FIFA 16, I’d like to share my opinion (PC version).

And I must say, I’m quite surprised this year. With the simulation and tactical modes, I’m actually enjoying myself.

You can feel that the ball physics have been slightly improved, although there’s still that gliding sensation.
There’s also this impression of lightness in the players, like they all have the same body type.

Otherwise, I never thought I’d say this, but I’m having fun!

And the new additions to Career Mode, with some Football Manager-like features, are really nice! I think EA is heading in the right direction, they just need to improve the ball/player physics/CPU gameplay.

The game modes are there (unlike PES), there’s a lot of content, the graphics are decent (in my opinion), and the match immersion is good.

Anyway, I’ve finished my 10-hour trial, and I’ll see if I decide to buy it permanently.
I started a career with Portsmouth, so we’ll see if I continue to enjoy the game after several matches!

Have a nice day.

 

[seppovich]

...
But what happen on the pitch ? I didn't thinking that EA will go to this direction : reduced acceleration, adding more realistic moves, adding wind and wheather effets. That is nice.
As a FUMA player, I love the feeling this year. You have to be more focused because the CPU defense is really great. Midfield battles are real.
I think it's the best FIFA/EA FC for years but it needs some tweaks.
...
This game could be a massiv step in the right direction with 2-3 tweaks on the CPU logic.

I agree. Played 15 matches so far against the ai and it really is fun offline.

 

[Emroth]

I just don't understand why this tactical change was needed

It's a very strange thing to say, Matt.
Last couple of years we literally had traffic cones on the pitch and the only moving element was controlled player.
There was almost no AI.
Now we have busy midfield, covered flanks, AI is varied and people have to work hard to create chances.
It's a huge step up in terms how AI plays.
And big part of this improvement are the tactical changes and AI roles. If you play on custom sliders without SIM mode enabled - there is a clear downgrade in how AI behaves.

I have coached a lot of youth soccer (9v9) these last 3-4 years and I will say you don't think about player roles and their focus - you just simply have an attacking formation and a defensive formation. I don't tell my U10s that Johnny on the RM is a holding midfielder, so he doesn't move up into the attack

Of course you don't, because you are an amateur coach and they are kids.
Understanding individual roles would just be too much for them and at young age they just need to learn how to play as a team.

 

[Studdi]

It's a very strange thing to say, Matt.
Last couple of years we literally had traffic cones on the pitch and the only moving element was controlled player.
There was almost no AI.
Now we have busy midfield, covered flanks, AI is varied and people have to work hard to create chances.
It's a huge step up in terms how AI plays.
And big part of this improvement are the tactical changes and AI roles. If you play on custom sliders without SIM mode enabled - there is a clear downgrade in how AI behaves.


Of course you don't, because you are an amateur coach and they are kids.
Understanding individual roles would just be too much for them and at young age they just need to learn how to play as a team.

I’m seeing it like Matt. Tactical wise fc24 was better then fc25.
Offensive it’s ok with some player roles but others are not pushing forward at any point.
Defense is just not there in fc25 they need to do the same thing for a defense tactic like they do for offense at least.

It’s not realistic that there are 3-4 players standing at the midfield line not defending at all. Even offensive top teams have to defend in lower blocks when the other team is attacking.
City and Liverpool are doing this also. It’s never like 3 players are just chilling at the midfield line and just 6 players are defending.

Also the 3 at the back systems are broken if you have an offense wingback in attack he doesn’t fill up the defense.

In fc24 it was possible that players where defending at a low block and also the defenders of the attacking team was pushing up higher than mit field line.

the other thing that never goes into my had is the goal kick. Why isn’t it possible to have the short goal kicks inside the box and opposite team is pressing at the box.
Pes had it years ago even on old gen.
It’s just football tactical wise not a football game at all.
The gameplay is better than fc24 but tactical it’s worse.

There shout also be instructions like man marking or something many teams are doing this in todays footbal while pressing etc.

The 4-2-3-1 system is also a good example nearly every team with this formation is defending in a 4-4-2 and not 4-2-3-1

 

[Chris Davies]

I have coached a lot of youth soccer (9v9) these last 3-4 years and I will say you don't think about player roles and their focus - you just simply have an attacking formation and a defensive formation.

I have to say Matt, that may well be the way it's taught at that level, but Football Manager is a simulator - these guys work with current managers, and players, to ensure the tactical setup is the closest thing to real-life as possible (with monthly talks on various individual topics from the likes of Sean Dyche, and even Marco Silva).

According to them, you don't "simply have" an attacking formation and a defensive formation. In order to have those setups, you have a series of individual instructions that govern who moves where in what phases.

Spoiler

As for (in a nutshell) player runs being nerfed - yeah, I pointed out in this clip just how static it is:



Players should be making runs - and if they're not right for the role, poor runs, forcing us sideways/backwards with our passes.

I can press the "player run" button and force him to move, but I can't force his teammates to give him options in that moment (good or bad dependent on their attributes).

That said - if the players have + or ++ ratings for their roles, they will make the run(s), and personally I prefer this balance to the non-stop attacking runs from all FCs before now.

For me, the core of your post is "the game was more realistic before because it doesn't function properly with the 1v1 core". I would argue that NEITHER are realistic because of the 1v1 core. THAT is the problem and always has been.

Any attempts (with sliders or otherwise) to disguise the 1v1 core are simply attempts to make the balance "feel" nicer and make you forget for a moment the huge, ever-present issue that nobody off-the-ball is behaving like a footballer ever would.

I don't believe that certain players aren't defending because of their instructions; it's the AI not allowing them to. The AI is blind to the opposition players - in BOTH games - until they receive the ball.

How can you make a football game (or claim either is a football game) when that is the case?

If they ever decide to make the game a team sport again, and introduce the defensive AI FIFA 16 had, we'd get something special.

But as it is now... Well, the balance of the game is much better in my opinion, mostly because of the tactical changes. It's not amazing, and I'd never argue that it is.

But to say FC24 is better in any way, with 1v1, huge holes and crazy scorelines with or without sliders - hugely disagree. As an overall picture, this is a more sensible and realistic game - movement might not be realistic, but it wasn't before. The new kind of unrealistic is better than the old kind.

 

[Matt10]

It's a very strange thing to say, Matt.
Last couple of years we literally had traffic cones on the pitch and the only moving element was controlled player.
There was almost no AI.
Now we have busy midfield, covered flanks, AI is varied and people have to work hard to create chances.
It's a huge step up in terms how AI plays.
And big part of this improvement are the tactical changes and AI roles. If you play on custom sliders without SIM mode enabled - there is a clear downgrade in how AI behaves.


Of course you don't, because you are an amateur coach and they are kids.
Understanding individual roles would just be too much for them and at young age they just need to learn how to play as a team.

Sim mode doesn't make a difference in regards to how the role+focus makes someone not defend or join in the attack. So the 4-2-3-1 is pointless as a double pivot. That's just one example.

My comment about being a coach was that it was meant to illustrate how simple the game needs to be first from a programming perspective. FC25 is built to sprint before it even knows how to walk. You don't teach kids about formations before they even know what side/zone of the field they need to cover. You don't program a game that is built on only 1v1 and stagnant defenders with complex roles+focus to the point they look completely indifferent in not only defense, but also the attack.

I’m seeing it like Matt. Tactical wise fc24 was better then fc25.
Offensive it’s ok with some player roles but others are not pushing forward at any point.
Defense is just not there in fc25 they need to do the same thing for a defense tactic like they do for offense at least.

It’s not realistic that there are 3-4 players standing at the midfield line not defending at all. Even offensive top teams have to defend in lower blocks when the other team is attacking.
City and Liverpool are doing this also. It’s never like 3 players are just chilling at the midfield line and just 6 players are defending.

Also the 3 at the back systems are broken if you have an offense wingback in attack he doesn’t fill up the defense.

In fc24 it was possible that players where defending at a low block and also the defenders of the attacking team was pushing up higher than mit field line.

the other thing that never goes into my had is the goal kick. Why isn’t it possible to have the short goal kicks inside the box and opposite team is pressing at the box.
Pes had it years ago even on old gen.
It’s just football tactical wise not a football game at all.
The gameplay is better than fc24 but tactical it’s worse.

There shout also be instructions like man marking or something many teams are doing this in todays footbal while pressing etc.

The 4-2-3-1 system is also a good example nearly every team with this formation is defending in a 4-4-2 and not 4-2-3-1

This is what I'm saying, I also think the gameplay is good, but tactically it doesn't make sense to not have a defensive specific tactic like in previous iterations - and the ability to physically move players. The 4-2-3-1 example again is perfect where it's preset with two CDMs, so that's saying a 6 and an 8 are both CDMs. What about Wide Midfielders? "Rarely ventures forward to attack".

The CPU doesn't get to have a run into that obvious space because #11 is a Wide Midfielder:

I have to say Matt, that may well be the way it's taught at that level, but Football Manager is a simulator - these guys work with current managers, and players, to ensure the tactical setup is the closest thing to real-life as possible (with monthly talks on various individual topics from the likes of Sean Dyche, and even Marco Silva).

According to them, you don't "simply have" an attacking formation and a defensive formation. In order to have those setups, you have a series of individual instructions that govern who moves where in what phases.

For me, the core of your post is "the game was more realistic before because the 1v1 core breaks it". I would argue that NEITHER are realistic because of the 1v1 core. THAT is the problem. FCIQ, in my opinion, is absolutely NOT the problem.

The midfield doing absolutely nothing defensively, for example, is a 1v1 problem. Not an FCIQ problem. If they ever decide to make the game a team sport again, and introduce the defensive AI FIFA 16 had, we'd get something special.

But as it is now... Well, the balance of the game is much better in my opinion, directly because of the tactical changes. It's not amazing, and I'd never argue that it is.

But to say FC24 is better in any way, with 1v1, huge holes and crazy scorelines with or without sliders - hugely disagree.

Right, again, did FC25 need to have Football Manager level of tactical complexity though? Even if it did, and was welcomed, how's the execution looking when 3 forwards below are hopped up on the offensive half when the ball is in their own defensive third? Watford attacking and defending in a 5-2-3, and because of the rigidity of the tactics - they are 100% going to stay there.



I never said FC24 was a better game. Tactically it just makes more sense to have it's structure as a base. Then after that is set, then have the addition of roles+focus - but not by removing the base. The two small examples I just provided illustrate that. Yes it has other issues, but that's not the topic at hand.

Like previous iterations it had an attack/defense tactic that physically moved players into their positions on the ball and off the ball. That's the base. If FC25 had kept that, then we'd at least have the base. In its current state, there is no base. Go use a 4-2-3-1 and understand that a lot of teams use that formation. So you're going to play a lot of teams that don't push their two central midfielders up the pitch. Same goes with wide midfielders, they're not going to be running into open space - so don't bother marking them in your defensive third.

FC25 is unnecessarily complex in its tactics because it's ignored it's own design of 1v1, and then designed a tactic that basically exposes it further because the design was too stupid to begin with.

I'm not sure how you can say the balance is better when the tactical changes are the reason there are overloads all over the pitch - which is the complete opposite of balance. That's the point I made in my OP.

I think they improved the gameplay a lot more and used some logic in player interactions in those 1v1 moments to be better. They did a great thing with having lower Sprint values (Sim mode uses 32) actually mean the progression from jogging-to-sprinting wasn't as immediate. This means we have a calmer game because players aren't sprinting around like headless chickens, and users can't directly expose the tactical issues immediately. Bump that Sprint slider value up to 40 or 50, now it's sprint all day. Those spaces are easier to get into and exposes issues that the likes of FC24 and previous games did - and it's made worse because a preset tactic that is focused on only attacking means the fullback has no support from their winger defensively.

So many of the gameplay changes are welcomed. The tactics may have helped in some spots, but at the core they are hurting a lot of the potential the game has to be incredible.

Thankfully, with a second controller/keyboard, I can go in and edit those tactics for the CPU. I don't get to play against a 4-2-3-1 anymore, but changing them to a 4-1-4-1 makes the game much more manageable because it's one of the formations where I can set up teams to use box-to-box midfielders - essentially manufacturing the double pivot. Not everyone can do that, and they shouldn't have to.

 

[philla]

I would even say movement is the biggest enhancement compared to EA24. Unfortunatly, it is still not even close to the genre standards.

I am not really really sure if a simple, general gamespeed slider would help, because there is a significant inconsistancy in animations and ball physics.

 

[Matt10]

I would even say movement is the biggest enhancement compared to EA24. Unfortunatly, it is still not even close to the genre standards.

I am not really really sure if a simple, general gamespeed slider would help, because there is a significant inconsistancy in animations and ball physics.

Are you using weather effects on my chance? We have seen some strange ball physics with it enabled, but primarily in adverse weather of course. The wind feature is a good addition.

 

[dinono10]

With all this discussion about tactics what are the sliders everyone is using for the AI? Obviously Sim settings for us.

 

[PRO_TOO]

Are you using weather effects on my chance? We have seen some strange ball physics with it enabled, but primarily in adverse weather of course. The wind feature is a good addition.

Myself, I stepped it down a notch. Had it on heavy, but now it’s back to medium.
I had some strange ball behavior.

When I first noticed this option, I was delighted. But then again I’m asking myself… How is that implemented and is it done well.

 

[hatesince97]

Myself, I stepped it down a notch. Had it on heavy, but now it’s back to medium.
I had some strange ball behavior.

When I first noticed this option, I was delighted. But then again I’m asking myself… How is that implemented and is it done well.

Medium is definitely the way to go. High makes the ball act like a sort of boomerang during rain weather

 

[Emroth]

One of the things I always loved about FIFA was that every new game had some hilarious bugs at the start.
They never happen to me, which is a shame, coz I would love to see some of them.

Behold, coz I have something epic for you.

Some guys player won Player of the Season award and there was a cutscene of the ceremony.
And all his teammates showed up in their underpants:

Spoiler

(Credit to Reddit)

 

[Ezequiel Vanzin]

One of the things I always loved about FIFA was that every new game had some hilarious bugs at the start.
They never happen to me, which is a shame, coz I would love to see some of them.

Behold, coz I have something epic for you.

Some guys player won Player of the Season award and there was a cutscene of the ceremony.
And all his teammates showed up in their underpants:

Spoiler

View attachment 305499View attachment 305500View attachment 305501

(Credit to Reddit)

Who knows, maybe the award ceremony was at a water club lol! 😄

 

[broxopios]

If you put the gameplay aside (which I'm starting to get used to and trying to bury its negatives as much as possible), FUT as a mode setup is excellent. You can spend hours on it. It's a reason to dedicate time to EA FC.

 

[dinono10]

Anyone copying the simulation settings but bumping up runs and sprint speed?

 

[PRO_TOO]

One of the things I always loved about FIFA was that every new game had some hilarious bugs at the start.
They never happen to me, which is a shame, coz I would love to see some of them.

Behold, coz I have something epic for you.

Some guys player won Player of the Season award and there was a cutscene of the ceremony.
And all his teammates showed up in their underpants:

Spoiler

View attachment 305499View attachment 305500View attachment 305501

(Credit to Reddit)

Your comment made me remember the clip from @Chris Davies where he shouts at the tv… and fifa reacts.
Please bring that one up again Chris. 🥳

 

[Chris Davies]

Your comment made me remember the clip from @Chris Davies where he shouts at the tv… and fifa reacts.
Please bring that one up again Chris. 🥳

Long gone I'm afraid, don't have a Twitter account now that it's a right-wing cesspit.

However, I did just see this - and of course, nobody here would ever use an exploit like this because it ruins the fun, BUT the fact that the engine is so simplistic that it allows this to happen (and be very easily repeated), does really worry me:

 

[saturator]

New sliders set is ready
PSG is the CPU

 

[Emroth]

Guys - I don't know how long we will have this online gameplay before patches destroy it, so I really recommend you to try Online Seasons with Manual filter on!
I'm having such brilliant matches!
No idiots, No craziness, just people who want to play football. Most of them are better than me, but I'm squeezing a draw and a win here and there. And it feels so satisfying! Especially when you play weaker team.
Really nice pace, low scores and very rewarding goals.

 

[Mako88]

Finding it hard to dislike this game in spite of flaws.

I don't love it, but sticking to kick-off mode with the trial and just playing matches in there and using the out the box simulation sliders and my controls preferences it's just pretty decent stuff.

Admittedly, I am someone who has set the bar pretty low for both offerings of late. I totally get all the criticisms and observations with both games. but they do both scratch a wee itch. They just aren't what they once were, be that due to the time I have to spare, or simply being too familiar with what the games demand, year in, year out.

Sorry, I just can't get too in the weeds with these games any longer It's all very much take it or leave this past decade or so, though admit to feeling that way somewhat retrospectively, as good lord has there been rage!

Do fully appreciate and enjoy reading others takes, though, it has to be said.

 

[Irvine09]

I spend too much time tinkering with sliders & feel like I’m never satisfied. The simulation switch really helps me not to do that. It’s not perfect but it’s good enough that I don’t feel the need to mess with sliders right now.

Maybe it’s just placebo but I swear the game feels different with simulation sliders versus custom sliders. It’s almost like the simulation switch enables something we can’t see.

 

[Mako88]

I spend too much time tinkering with sliders & feel like I’m never satisfied. The simulation switch really helps me not to do that. It’s not perfect but it’s good enough that I don’t feel the need to mess with sliders right now.

Maybe it’s just placebo but I swear the game feels different with simulation sliders versus custom sliders. It’s almost like the simulation switch enables something we can’t see.

I've yet to (and might not now, actually) tinker with sliders, but yeah, I'm gonna give them kudos for at least having that simulation switch present.

I feel when it comes to these games in recent years if things feel 'good enough' in moment-to-moment, input-to-input, gameplay then I am more forgiving when it comes to flaws/oddities. I know things are often not right positionally, tactically and formationally, but so long as I am being entertained/challenged and it is a somewhat immersive/simulation experience in 'feel', then I am good.

That said, if Matt or someone else finds a real sweet spot with manual slider adjustments that only further heightens the above feel to proceedings, then I'll be game to give em' a go.

 

[Ezequiel Vanzin]

The simulation sliders are definitely not just personalized sliders, I have more than 20 hours of play and I've already done enough testing of sliders in simulation and completely another game, it's not really a game if you customize and enter the same numbers as in the simulation, there's more organization behind it, I've definitely come to that conclusion!

 

[dinono10]

The simulation sliders are definitely not just personalized sliders, I have more than 20 hours of play and I've already done enough testing of sliders in simulation and completely another game, it's not really a game if you customize and enter the same numbers as in the simulation, there's more organization behind it, I've definitely come to that conclusion!

Have you changed the speed of sprint for the human and more forward runs?. What setting defence do you recommend for most realism.

 

[Gunslinger]

After not playing a FIFA game for several years I’m really enjoying this. What happened to the audio adjustment for the sound of the ball being kicked though. Can hardly hear it.

 

[pesfooty29]

Just bought it. Played 2 matches and it's surprisingly good. I'm not going to gas up this game but it's alright, for now. Let's see what happens after a few patches.

There are some bugs that have got to be fixed. The hypermotion replay where the camera glitches out is annoying, but not immersion breaking.

 

[Emroth]

the other thing that never goes into my had is the goal kick. Why isn’t it possible to have the short goal kicks inside the box

What do you mean you can't have short goal kicks inside the box?
You press R1 to call for support and your players are entering the box for short goal kick.

See this is the problem - there is a lack of knowledge here. A lot of people automatically assume that the game doesn't work properly before they even try to understand it's mechanics.

 

[Chris Davies]

What do you mean you can't have short goal kicks inside the box?
You press R1 to call for support and your players are entering the box for short goal kick.

See this is the problem - there is a lack of knowledge here. A lot of people automatically assume that the game doesn't work properly before they even try to understand it's mechanics.

I will personally admit I don't know enough of the controls that have been added over the last few years (having largely skipped FC games due to not enjoying them).

I discovered today that holding R1/RB and pressing square on PlayStation/X on Xbox lets you do guided semi-manual lobs, from the looks of it.

Total accident, but I absolutely love it - bit like the manual pass (with guiding arrow) that you can do in PES.

Using this, I hit some absolutely killer balls in behind defenders.

I also need to remember how to manually set the paths of off-the-ball manual player runs, if that makes sense - that would be very useful.

 

[fifaccitiu.com]

The simulation sliders are definitely not just personalized sliders, I have more than 20 hours of play and I've already done enough testing of sliders in simulation and completely another game, it's not really a game if you customize and enter the same numbers as in the simulation, there's more organization behind it, I've definitely come to that conclusion!

You are right. It a slider setting + slow speed (that cannot be selected anymore in options) and few in code optimization.