EA Sports' soccer series continues to dominate.
It's funny how, over the years, the most popular EA Sports brand has shifted from Madden NFL Football to FIFA Soccer. It's not a surprise, mind you, considering the worldwide popularity of soccer and the fans that follow it like bar crawlers searching for that perfect beer. But it's great to see the publisher make such strides with the sport that it's so easily accepted worldwide, and highly anticipated with each new release.
While the series' next-gen debut looms next month, EA hasn't gotten sloppy with the current-gen release. While there are some subtle changes to the gameplay, the general status quo is to still feel just like soccer should. And that's exactly what FIFA 14 does.
There are some new techniques you'll need to master on the field, including body shielding if you want to keep possession of the ball off a rough pass and a few finesse touches to try and make your shots even more concentrated than before. But the big thing you'll probably notice is the flow. It's a little smoother now, albeit also slower as a result. This means less errors – not eliminating them entirely, players still screw up now and again – and less "canny" animations where players do the same thing each time. It feels more natural as a result, though some fans may need to take some time adjusting to it.
