FIFA 23 Review – Form Is Temporary

Like my Liverpool fandom for the last 20 years, FIFA is a constant battle between being obsessed and confused. FIFA is like Liverpool. When it works well, the play on the pitch is smooth and beautiful. This drives my dopamine-loving brain into elation. FIFA 23 is a resemblance to FIFA 21 with a few additional features that range from invigorating to mildly significant.

Since its inception, FIFA has emphasized one aspect of soccer: The attack. It’s almost arcade-like when you feel how quickly and smoothly players change pace from a controlled dribble to a sprint. It’s thrilling to see wingers rush onto cross-field balls that are placed behind defenses. Although the much-debated trick stick can be difficult to master, even just a few flicks can unleash an audacious stepover and/or Maradona spin that will beat a defense.

EA’s HyperMotion2 technology enables more natural animations between dribbling and shooting, but it’s barely noticeable even during replays. Most goals look similar to those scored in FIFA 22, which isn’t bad. It’s just that HyperMotion2 doesn’t revolutionize the presentation, making it feel like just another yearly update that is just a bit smoother.

One positive addition this year is the ability to play “Moments” in Ultimate Team. Reminiscent of FIFA 2006 World Cup’s global challenge mode, you play different scenarios, like overcoming a two-goal deficit beginning with a penalty kick in the 70th minute of a match. This rewards stars and unlocks cards such as Ted Lasso’s right-hand man Coach Beard, Ultimate Team. It’s a fun and quick way to grind for cards.

The stat booster Chemistry in Ultimate Team gives your players stat boosts if you put together a team of players who are in the same position, the same country or the same league. This year it will accumulate differently. You can have up to 3 chemistry points per player, however, this year you can reach chemistry maximums by using an English attack or a La Liga backline. This allows for better team building and more creative ideas. 

This year’s Career Mode is stronger and offers more fun options for players who want to play a season alone or with a virtual player. To please their manager, players must meet certain targets in-game. However it feels more like scoring and assisting are what matter most to your rating than just staying in place and passing passes. You can spice it up a lot by adding Playable Highlights in your manager and player careers.

Playable Highlight lets you take charge and try to stop your opponent from scoring. These fun little snapshots of a match let you change a simulated 2-0 outcome to a 4-0 one, but it does make it harder to hit your avatar’s goals as you will mostly control others on the team. You can also sign deals for investment to make money or participate in activities that will boost your stats and earn you points. These unlock different skills, such as stamina and volleying, depending on your preference for dribbling or passing or shooting.

Adding women’s club soccer is long overdue, but it doesn’t bring the attention it deserves. There are only a few national soccer teams. The English and French professional leagues also exist for classic matches, seasons and cups. However, they aren’t in Career or Ultimate Team, meaning if you were hoping to pair up Alex Morgan and Jordan Pefok on your FUT squad, you’re out of luck.

There’s a famous saying from former footballer Gary Lineker that “football is a simple game – 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes – and at the end, the Germans always win.” I want to make a similar assessment of EA’s yearly soccer game: FIFA 23 is a good game – it’s flashy, fun to play, and has a lot of modes – but in the end, you realize it’s mostly the same game you’ve been playing for years.