It’s been a little quiet on the eFootball 2022 front since Konami’s Version 1.0 dropped on April 14. Despite its horrendous build-up to an even more disappointing release, eFootball saved some face with the April update. While eFootball 2022 is nowhere near eFootball 2021 Season Update in terms of the total package, the updates along the way are getting us closer to that old PES feeling. Now, with Version 1.1.0 having been released, it’s time to give our impressions.
Note: The majority of these impressions were based on offline play as server maintenance after the release prevented a lot of user vs. user gameplay.
eFootball 2022 Version 1.1.0
Updates And Additions
- Updated license data from leagues, clubs, and national teams from around the world
- New and updated team, manager, and player data
- Stadiums, Boots, Balls, and Commentary
Notable Gameplay Improvements
Controls
- Enhanced input response for cursor changes
- Fixed an issue where pass and clear commands may not trigger properly when the ball is mid-air
- Fixed an issue where the Super Cancel command fails to cancel the command inputted prior to quick free-kick and throw-in restarts
- Fixed an issue where making a return pass without any L stick input after performing a 1-2 Pass (Forwards) or Pass-and-run (Cross Over), will see that return pass being made with speed and directional assists, even though the Manual Pass Level was set to “Level 4” (no assist)
- Fixed an issue where performing a Pass-and-run (Cross Over) will see the player who made the initial pass make a run in an inappropriate direction when the Manual Pass Level is set to “Level 4” (no assist)
Dribbling
- Enhanced dribbling response
- Implemented adjustments so that when releasing the L stick during a dribble to follow the ball, the player will now adopt an appropriate body position with regards to the ball.
Shooting
- Fixed an issue where Chip Shots are overly accurate in certain situations
Traps
- Implemented enhancements so that players will now take more appropriate touches for floating passes coming from behind.
Goalkeeper
- Fixed an issue where the goalkeeper may not dash towards the ball when performing the “Bring Out the GK” command
- Fixed an issue where the goalkeeper may go into his own goal when holding the ball
- Fixed an issue where the goalkeeper may position himself too close towards the near post
- Fixed an issue where the goalkeeper may not attempt to catch oncoming balls that he should be able to catch
- Fixed an issue where the goalkeeper may have a delayed reaction towards shots with a deflected trajectory if it happens while he performs a pre-jump motion
- Fixed an issue where, in rare circumstances, the goalkeeper would deflect the ball into the goal when it was possible to push it outside of the goal
Fouls
- Implemented adjustments to the foul decision algorithms within the penalty area as fouls were called too frequently inside the box
- Implemented adjustments to the foul decision algorithms for when the player’s feet makes contact with the opposition when performing a pass while sliding
- Implemented adjustments to the offside decision algorithms regarding player involvement
- Implemented adjustments to the foul decision algorithms for Shoulder Charges with regards to the area of body contact with the opposition
- Fixed an issue where fouls are not called correctly for certain uses of Shoulder Charge, such as dashing towards a stationary player or making body contacts right before or after the opposition performs a kick. As a result, yellow cards may be issued when these fouls are called
- Implemented other adjustments for more appropriate foul calls
What I Like
Improved Responsiveness
For me, and this is why I put this first, the improved responsiveness is by far the biggest improvement in Version 1.1.0. The way the players move, how they control the ball for their first touch, and just the better response to button inputs make the game feel much tighter. Dribbling is very fluid and doesn’t require the use of skills to beat your defender as you can use their momentum against them without fear of them unrealistically jockeying to keep up with you. 50-50 ball response times are slightly better, although there is still room for improvement when it comes to player awareness.
Improved Cursor Change
One of the more frustrating aspects of eFootball 2022 relates to the defensive side of the game, specifically cursor changes. eFootball 2022 in its current state is excellent when it comes to dribbling. Throw in the new defensive mechanics and defending included a large learning curve. The learning curve is just that though, something that over time you’ll get better at as you play more. Pre-update, cursor switching was spotty at best. Normally, the cursor change was ball-relative. This means it automatically put you close to the attacker with the ball, but the option to place it on “player relative” was still an option.
The issue was that no matter what was selected, the manual switching (flicking RS or LB) was too slow and unresponsive. Thankfully, it has been improved upon so that you can manually select your defender with a much greater chance at moving to the player you want.
Attacking AI When Dribbling
Despite the lack of modes, and the fact that you can still only use the same teams from the initial release, the ability to play on Superstar AI with 10-minute matches has been added so you get more time to see how the AI plays. While it’s still not enough time for my personal liking, seeing the additional time means that the AI takes a more patient approach to playing as they’re not rushing their attacks as much.
Instead, what we have are AI attackers that actually utilize skill moves in a believable way. This allows them to benefit from 1-on-1 opportunities while you frantically try to defend. For far too long in both FIFA and PES, the AI suffered from a lack of urgency in these 1-on-1 moments. Now, thanks to this update, you’ll see wingers break out skill moves like this:
What I Don’t Like
Modes Still Missing
Paid Content
– The number of teams that can be used in leagues and club teams will be expanded and distributed as additional paid content by the end of 2022
– Master League will be available as additional paid content during 2023— eFootball (@play_eFootball) May 31, 2022
2022 for Edit Mode and 2023 for Master League. Ugh.
We pretty much knew that Master League would be a paid DLC, but having to wait until 2023 means that we should expect an updated Master League with new features and hopefully not a rehashed version of last year’s mode. Furthermore, having to pay for the number of teams doesn’t seem right. Konami has added a lot of partnerships over the past few years, but it was expected that those licenses usually come at no additional cost. It’s disappointing that this is the path Konami has chosen, but given that the game was free, it isn’t too much of a burden if the price for this additional content is relatively cheap.
Bottom Line
Version 1.1.0 was about the little things. Wholesale changes and improvements that came with Version 1.0.0 were necessary to make the game playable. This recent update centered on refining the gameplay and adjusting the gameplay experience underneath the hood. While areas like improved responsiveness are immediately felt, the changes to first touches and the enhanced ball freedom take a few hours of playtime to be really felt and appreciated.
There’s still a ton of room for improvement, specifically when it comes to adding back modes and delivering more content, so this is far from a finished product. However, it’s starting to take shape, giving us that old PES feeling once again. For those like myself who still enjoy eFootball 2021 Season Update, it’s not time to put it to bed, but it’s worth checking out eFootball 2022 to get acclimated to the new controls and player movement.
