Reviews// FIFA 14 on PS4

Shooting and crossing has also been noticeably improved, mainly down to the ball physics. One thing EA has constantly worked on is the feeling of a ball being free once it’s left a players boot. Although it isn’t quite as natural as PES, you certainly don’t see the rails we’re all so used too. Balls now ping off the underside of the bar with menace instead of landing exactly where they are supposed to, and that offers up some great heart-in-the-mouth moments in front of goal.

One odd reversal EA has made though is the removal of the courtesy time given after cutscenes. No longer are you allowed to stop hammering ‘X’ before you make your keeper hoof it up the pitch. Here it’s instant and once you make a few mistakes in your first few plays you adjust to suit and realise why it’s actually the better way to do things. This way your opposition hasn’t got the time to run his striker in front of the closest defender in order to cut out any quick passes out from the back.

Some of the major complaints to come out of the PS3 and 360 versions of the game are how easy it is to score from corners and how powerful a lobbed through ball is. I haven’t found this to be the case with the PS4 version that I tested. Sometimes they work but the majority of the times the defence are switched on and will cut out these forms of attack, so caution should be used with these moves as sometimes you’ll simply give up possession.

An honourable mention must of course go to the new addition to all FIFA 14 iterations: Co-Op Seasons. It’s a mode I’ve wanted in a football game since I substituted couch play for the internet and it works perfectly.

When I’m playing a game of FIFA with a friend I don’t always want to be put up against them. Online Be A Pro was EA’s answer to that, but finding 11 friends was an impossibility so the addition of two on two matches is an absolute god-send and offers some of the most fun gaming I’ve had on any system in my entire gaming life.

Although games tend to run completely lag-free, I have experienced a few issues online. There have been problems with some downloaded squads not syncing and even the game reverting to the original squads from the game launch without warning, but these aren’t game-breaking and are pretty rare, so they can be excused.

The only other real issue with FIFA 14 on PS4 and Xbox One is that EA hasn’t been able to carry Tournament Mode over. This will upset some as it’s a fan favourite amongst family gamers and social groups. There’s no doubt that it’s a real shame that it’s missing, but considering that this is a game that is mostly built from the ground up I’m still surprised by how much content is actually there.

All the teams and players are intact and I can play as my beloved Millwall, even with improved character models. My team are all now instantly recognisable and considering Liam Totter had a 1940’s moustache for quite a while on the 360 this cheered me up!

Is FIFA 14 a worth upgrade on the new consoles if you already have the older versions? Well, no.

Apart from the visuals, not much has been added to justify a fresh purchase of a game you already own unless you plan to pack up your old consoles in a bag for life and sling them in a loft.

However, what EA has released is by far the best launch football game of all time and one that you can happily play for the full year knowing for a fact that you’re not being ripped off.

For fans of football this is essential if you have a next gen console and although there is still clearly room for improvement, I think this is about the best possible game that EA could have put out at launch. You couldn’t have asked for more than that.

Pros

+ Looks great
+ Isn’t a ‘filler’ title
+ Players as well if not better than the FIFA you know and love

Cons

- Lack of Tournament mode
- Minor online problems

SPOnG Score: 5/5