Like clockwork, a new “FIFA” game is released every year, with few changes to its tried-and-true model. Yet it’s precisely because of these lack of changes that “FIFA 21” feels a bit strange.
Full football stadiums, chanting fans, players with locked arms: It’s a strange sight in the real pandemic-stricken world. In terms of the game, however, this detail hardly has any effect on the flow or fun.
Other changes are more noticeable, even it’s only in the details: Developers listened to fans’ criticism about the preceding version, that it was nearly impossible to score with crosses or headers, and fortunately have fixed this. Otherwise, in the game modes, everything has remained the same as much as possible: Players can choose between friendlies, career mode or a smaller campaign option, among others.
In the campaign mode, a new training option and better tools for hobby managers who don’t want to control every single team match themselves are among some of the new features available in “FIFA 21.”
The street football mode Volta from last year’s edition has luckily also made it into this year’s version, as has the controversial Ultimate Team mode, including its virtual trading cards for real-world money.
Players who buy “FIFA 21” for the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One now and then in November upgrade to the PlayStation 5 or Xebox Series X or S will receive the update for the next generation free of charge.
This doesn’t apply to players who buy a disc version for PlayStation 4 and then buy a PlayStation 5 without a drive. The offer is expected to end in autumn 2021 – when the next version, “FIFA 22,” will drop.
“FIFA 21” is available for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, while a release on Google’s streaming platform Stadia is planned at a later stage. There’s no age restriction. The price is about 70 dollars.
For the Nintendo Switch version, it’s important to note that despite the full price, it’s a “Legacy Edition,” meaning there are only new teams, players and jerseys, but none of the changes or improvements that were made for the PC and the other consoles.
