While the Matchday Experience doesn’t move the needle for excitement levels when compared to the likes of career mode and gameplay, the continued effort put forth by EA Canada over the past few years hasn’t gone without notice. With only a trailer to go off of, we aren’t getting the same amount of information, nonetheless there are some key takeaways from this video. With the video being relatively short with no Pitch Notes Deep Dive blog accompanying it, let’s just focus on the good things as the video was mostly positive in nature.
Player Models & Emotions
Visually, FIFA has been nothing short of stunning since the move to the PS5 and Xbox Series X. From up close, the players seem authentic and true to life even down to their signature tattoos. EA previously stated how their new match capturing system will lead to more authenticity in how players move and feel, so I’d expect them to excel and the video reassures this. Player movement will always suffer until EA implements proper foot-planting but at least in slow motion we can see improvements.
I know most within the community skip cutscenes, but they look really improved this year. This is in part due to the new angles such as the ref cam, but also due to more authentic player emotions. Whether it’s reacting to a referee decision or the moments after the goal, EA FC 24 looks like it captures the emotions better than ever.
New Overlays
If you’re in the States and you happen to catch a game in Spain’s La Liga, you’ll come to the realization that there are so many opportunities to incorporate stats during the course of the match. Unfortunately, the Premier League is still behind in this regard, but EA FC 24 certainly appears to have stepped their overlay game up. The incorporation of xG on goal highlights last year was a nice feature to add but I was really impressed by the stamina/fatigue overlay.
As you can see the ball is out of play so it appears that EA has thought this new feature through. You might even be able to toggle it on/off if there are players who find it distracting. Even the subsequent video used a goal kick to showcase some shooting statistics.
Matchday Menus & Intros
I’m for as much immersion as possible and that starts before the match. Whether it’s the Champions League anthem or Liverpool’s You’ll Never Walk Alone, the experience is what sets the beautiful game apart from any other sport. Capturing that in a unique way that makes you want to not skip through it is a hard feat. EA has been putting in hours towards towards replicating matchday and it shows. The true test will be how repetitive it becomes and if EA can somehow incorporate new commentary lines.
Bottom Line
Perhaps there wasn’t enough information to warrant a Pitch Notes or perhaps this information is something that is better seen than read. While that’s in the past, there are no doubts that EA Sports FC 24 will look stunning. It’s nice to see them embrace the statistical revolution that’s going on in the real-world so the overlays and advanced metrics give the game that new-age feel. Ultimately, EA FC 24 will come down to the gameplay and how much improved the changes to career mode are, but one thing’s for sure we know EA will always showcase the power of their tech when it comes to visuals.
