It's that time of the year again when EA Sports release the next FIFA trailer. The countdown to the launch of FIFA 15 has began as the game gears up to land with a whole set of new and enhanced features.
Get ready for another year of controller smashing, cursing, school grade ruining late nights. Every year brings up the same question, how can it get any better? Well, here's how; improved balance, closer possession and better responsiveness.
Improved Player Appearance
The level of realism has been upped once again with players looking more life-like than ever. Facial features, body movements and now even the kits move realistically. If you step away from your 756th el clasico match and play on a cold and wet night in Stoke the players get dirty, covered in mud and grass as the game progresses.
Dynamic Match Presentation
If you play FIFA a lot (let's be honest, we all do) the commentary makes you want to tape both your controllers together, drive to Andy Townsend's house, force them down his throat and ask him to ask Geoff Shreeves if he's ok to continue. Ok, we're calm now. The commentary has been improved with a wider variety of phrases and the commentators will highlight the fans' reactions to the changes in the games. Chants will relevant to club and country and the bench will also react to the game and 10-man goal celebrations could get interesting.
Emotional Intelligence
Over 600 new emotional reactions have been added and players now respond to pivotal moments on the pitch – expect reactions from bad tackles, missed chances, thunderous goals.
The Pitch is Alive
The grass will wear down as the match progresses if you're playing in bad weather, slide tackles leave work for the groundsman and debris appears on the pitch. Corner flags move in the wind, goal frames shake when they're struck and LED ad boards flicker. It's all about the small details.
Man-to-Man Battles
Shoulder barges and shirt pulling will be visible as you compete for the ball.
Team Tactics
Your teammates and opponents now recognise what’s happening in the match and will adjust their tactics. Crafty. "Park the Bus", "In The Mixer", and "Time Wasting" are some of the Team Tactics you’ll come up against. So you'll need to be dynamic off the pitch as well as on it.
Agility and Control
Players have improved balance, they cut in direction with closer touches and maintain control when sprinting.
Set Piece Control
You'll be able to position your team mates during throw ins, corners and free-kicks so you can place them exactly where you want. Stick the big man in front of the keeper or leave Stevie G on the edge of the box for a knockdown.
FIFA 15 is out on 23 September in North America and 25 September in Europe on Xbox One, PS4, PC, Xbox 360, PS3 and other platforms. Pre-order your copy here: FIFA 15.
