Microtransactions still loom large, but small iterative changes and the power of modern-gen consoles have made FIFA 22 feel like an upgrade worth the money without anything radical or thrilling on the part of EA. -- Jordan Oloman, September 27, 2021
Player Career comes with a new personality system which lets you make the most dramatic quotes, take on the role of the player you choose to be. In my case, this came to receiving 25 'Maverick Points' for purchasing a 'High-end Hybrid Mattress' for a Serbian striker playing in the K-League and, therefore, you could imagine the amount of time I spent with that.
, however, unless you're looking to play as a mute Jason Sudekis or FUT 23 Coins dress as Eddie Howe in a lovely sweater, there's little to do but watch the awkward cutscenes. The time spent importing AFC Richmond for its brief entertainment value could have had better use by incorporating, for instance, Women's Club Football into Career Mode but it's not available. This is a shame since the women's sport is an impressive example of the effectiveness of EA's HyperMotion motion capture technology, which offers authentic motion-capture animations that ramp up the intense tension.
This year, Volta Football and Pro Clubs have been put together into one neat section, and they coincidentally both suffer from similar issues. As we all know, hell is not just other people, and nowhere is that more apparent then in Pro Clubs, where drop-in games are full of wingers who overwhelm AI with bizarre calls to move the ball. It's enjoyable to build your"creative-pro" into a Shrek-adjacent goal monster with a closet filled with silly hats but when your progression is dependent on your game's in-game score the game is rewarded with dismantling skill moves that even Saint-Maximin wouldn't bother with.
Unfortunately, FIFA's street-football vehicle, Volta, suffers a similar fate. The proof is in FIFA 23 Coins the new 'Take-Flight' Signature Ability that turns you into an aerial maestro. Because the power is dependent on teams and teamwork, most users simply choose Power Strike and haphazardly smack the ball after a glory-seeking run.
The positive is that it seems EA heard my pleas for an upgraded Volta Arcade, so I acknowledge the fact that it has been upgraded into a more realistic battle royale version filled with silly minigames as well as obstacle courses that evoke the best elements of Fall Guys. I'm still not convinced to only have it available during weekends but.