FIFA 21 has proven to be another divisive title in the long running series. While some have welcomed the new team rosters and gameplay tweaks, others have been outspoken about the lack of innovation in the series over the best part of half a decade. Nonetheless, the latest release is still one of the biggest games of this October and while fans are conflicted, there are some notable changes in the game. Players will need to readjust some of their patterns to do classic tricks and moves.
A key part of beating opponents in FIFA is a comprehensive skill set and as a result, players can become frustrated when buttons change. The changes that feature in FIFA 21 are not too radical, but some have noticed that dragging back has changed slightly and this has surprised a few players. The simple drag back is still easy to do but it requires players to do three actions rather than the traditional two.
On PlayStation and Xbox players simply need to hold both left and right bumpers and point the directional stick in the opposite direction and they will perform a drag back. Previously, players only had to use the right bumper and as a result, there has been some confusion when players have attempted to draw in a challenge or protect possession. Once players master this technique in FIFA 21 they can retain the ball more skillfully, and they should be able to adapt to other small changes quickly.
While the new FIFA game has failed to impress the majority of fans, some have enjoyed the accessibility options that have been introduced in this iteration. This update alongside new control functions will likely tempt some players who want to play as their favorite team with a relevant roster but there may still be problems for the franchise if it continues down the same path.
The reviews for FIFA 21 have been generally positive but they are on a downward trend from previous iterations. It seems that future titles will need to update more than the buttons that are used for tricks and make tangible steps forward to keep fans and critics onside. In the meantime, fans of the series will enjoy a similar setup with a few tweaks and updated team sheets.
FIFA 21 is available for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One now, with support for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S planned.