HIGH It’s a tried-and-true formula.

LOW Only diehards are going to spot the improvements in gameplay.

WTF We need a change in digital soccer.

Every year, sports fans brace themselves for another round of promises from annual game updates. Tighter gameplay, smarter AI, deeper modes, all wrapped in another sleek package that does just enough to justify the price of admission. Most years, the actual results fall somewhere between ‘incremental’ and ‘wow.’ Unfortunately, EA Sports FC 26 lands squarely on the lower end of that spectrum this season, bringing users a competent entry that shows a modicum of improvement on top of a core experience that still feels frustratingly inconsistent.

When I first loaded FC 26, I expected more of the same — refined controls, another minor Career mode adjustment, and a handful of Ultimate Team tweaks. As it turns out, that’s essentially what I got, though not in ways that reliably improves the experience.

The biggest change is the addition of two distinct gameplay presets — Competitive and Authentic.

Competitive mode caters to the online crowd, and is designed for the fast, responsive pace of FUT and Clubs. I found more enjoyment using Authentic mode, which slows the tempo, adding more weight and realism to each movement. In this setting, defenders more accurately hold their positions, midfielders fight for spacing, and goals feel earned, rather than expected. It’s a split that acknowledges how different the FC audience can be, but it also feels like EA is hedging its bets, rather than committing to a cohesive vision.

Player control remains an odd juxtaposition of schemes. Dribbling has been reworked, but often feels sticky and predetermined. In turn, players move with better agility in the open field, but the responsiveness isn’t always there when needed in tight quarters, typically around the goal. Plus, input delay creeps in during crucial moments, making skill moves feel more like happy accidents than strategic maneuvers.

I should also mention that there’s an odd rhythm to FC 26. While I enjoyed moments of fluid, effortless movement, there were more than a few where it seemed like the ball only went where the game wanted it to. By this, I mean opposing teams often anticipated passes prematurely, with passing accuracy seemingly random. When I lost possession of the ball, it was often hard to tell if it was my fault or the AI.

Speaking of which, the AI has improved in some areas — most notably in defensive positioning — but it still makes baffling decisions that lead to easy opportunities, completely breaking immersion. Likewise, the goalkeepers have improved for the most part, tracking shots and parrying realistically, though they still have bursts of inexplicable foresight. As discussed, scoring can feel earned, but it just as often feels as if the game had a different narrative in mind at certain junctures.

Happily, Career mode gets some overdue attention. Manager Live Challenges offer dynamic objectives, like steering a mid-table team into Europe or rescuing a struggling squad from relegation. (Fans of FX’s “Welcome to Wrexham” will appreciate these additions, for sure.) The new manager market evolves as seasons progress, with clubs hiring and firing AI managers who change tactics, formations, and even player roles.

There are also random events sprinkled throughout a season, adding unpredictability to a mode that needed it. By and large, it still feels somewhat mechanical and lacks the depth other sports games have achieved, but progress should be commended here, even if it’s difficult to get excited about features that should have been implemented years earlier.

Moving on, the Archetype system adds a layer of identity to Player Career and Clubs. Building a player as a creative midfielder or commanding center back now carries more meaning, with perks that accentuate a preferred style. It deepens immersion somewhat, though the grinding required to unlock meaningful progression remains tedious.

Ultimate Team and Clubs remain familiar. The interface feels more intuitive, matchmaking is less punishing in theory, and onboarding for new players is easier thanks to structured objectives before unlocking the transfer market. The Live Events and new knockout tournaments create reasons to return each week beyond simple pack grinding. That said, since it’s become a point of contention in all my EA reviews, I should mention that the mode’s monetization structure remains intact and as pushy as ever.

Finally, online play was solid, reliable, and enjoyable overall. The lobbies seemed oddly sparse during my time online, but navigating the menus and finding matches was seamless and lag-free. Unlike the more vibrant experiences in Madden and NBA 2K, the FIFA/FC crowd is always a little different, so user mileage may vary.

If my tone sounds a little flat in this review, it’s probably because it reflects how this game impacted me. Ultimately, FC 26 is a solid, if unspectacular, soccer title that makes incremental progress in some areas while stagnating in others. It’s competent enough to deliver moments of enjoyment, but the inconsistent controls and gameplay hold it back from providing the same thrills as the company’s American football titles this season.

Real talk, this entry won’t convert anyone tiring of EA’s approach to the world’s favorite sport, and longtime fans will likely feel the same frustrations they’ve felt for years. However, for anyone who still finds joy in a well-timed through ball or a diving header in extra time, it can deliver a good experience. It captures enough of football’s rhythm to be a good purchase for dedicated fans, but the execution just isn’t as sharp as I expected at this point.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by EA Sports and developed by EA Vancouver. It is available on XBO/X/S, PC, SW2, and PS4/5. This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 17 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 3 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This is a realistic representation of professional soccer. Some animations and injuries may concern some parents.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are available in the Game Settings menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: FC 26 features subtitles, speech-to-text, and numerous tactile feedback features in all modes. The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, the game’s controls are not remappable.

The post EA Sports FC 26 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH The refined three-click-and-stick swing controls are wonderful.

LOW The graphics are fairly flat, even on new hardware.

WTF Are we the only residents of “Golf Island?”

Unlike yearly renditions of football, basketball or hockey, an annual golf game is hardly a guarantee. After EA Sports severed ties with then-embattled Tiger Woods and failed to replicate the same success with Rory McIlroy, digital golf has been a little less consistent, year over year. A new contender arose in the form of The Golf Club series, but its sense of authenticity over escapism didn’t quite strike the same notes with genre fans.

Enter 2K Sports, which took The Golf Club’s hyperrealistic approach to digital links and married it with proven videogame know-how in 2021. Its initial 2K21 effort certainly felt like a return to form, but the formula still needed adjustment. It appears that balance has been struck, as PGA Tour 2K23 has come full circle, welcoming Tiger Woods back to videogame golf, and creating the most enjoyable golf game in nearly a decade.

Starting with the positive, 2K Sports heavily refined the control scheme, making it infinitely more accessible without losing the accuracy and feel of a well-placed shot. No longer do newcomers have to revisit training modes to ensure straight, deep drives or precise putts. Instead, it allows users to figure it out, adjusting the difficulty to match their progression. The result is an experience that encourages repeat play without needless frustration. Golf is still tough, but for the first time since the arcade-heavy Rory McIlroy title, success seems attainable and entirely up to user input.

The swing stick mechanic–always a difficult endeavor for gamers lounging on a couch–is much more forgiving, depending on the chosen difficulty level. Perhaps more hardcore players will find this forgiveness cheap and pandering, but as a person who only gets a few hours to play each week, I genuinely appreciated the ability to just sit back and play some golf.

The classic three-click swing mechanic, long considered the standard for golf titles, is back in a heavily refined, improved form. It takes a few seconds to learn, but once users get the hang of the timing, the sense of reward is huge when placing a long drive right in the heart of the fairway. Of course, weather conditions still play a role in a shot’s likelihood of success, yet they never prevent the user from overcoming the challenge. 2K23 presents an ideal balance of control options, and longtime enthusiasts will likely be thankful.

Keeping things light and enjoyable, PGA Tour 2K23 features a number of well-known pros, a few unexpected celebrities, and a fairly deep player creator, so users can populate their games with anyone they want. Each pro has clear strengths and weaknesses, offering new challenges to overcome on each course.

It should be noted that several big-name golfers are not available, thanks to them moving to the divisive LIV Golf organization. While it was a little strange not seeing some famous faces, it makes Tiger’s presence feel more comforting. Besides, I sincerely doubt the lack of Dustin Johnson and Talor Gooch is going to dramatically reduce sales.

This is all solid so far, but where PGA Tour 2K23 lags is in the presentation. Golf may never be a “rock and roll” sport, but I give credit to 2K for including the wildly popular TopGolf minigame mode, a full slate of today’s most popular gear, and a welcome sense of loose enjoyment that golf titles have lacked for several years. Still, at the end of the day, this is golf, meaning players are still wrapped in a sense of isolation.

The commentary is typically dry, with inflection and enthusiasm saved for only the best shots and leaderboard comebacks. Plus, 2K23 never gives users the sense they’re part of a tournament while playing. Some nifty cutaways in the broadcast try to replicate that ‘being there’ feel, but things still center on another long, lonely march through 18 holes. This might be inherent to the sport of golf, but it would be nice to see a little more sizzle as users progress.

Visually, the graphics are decidedly last-gen. Player models are solid, the limited slate of animations is perfectly fine, and the courses have the expected level of detail and accuracy, but there’s a looming sense of familiarity that may make fans wonder why they’re staring at the same renditions of Pebble Beach and TPC Sawgrass they’ve seen for years. Background visuals are simply ‘there’ with little effect on immersion into these vastly different regions. I expect most gamers won’t care as long as the shots keep falling, but I hope future editions bring something new to the presentation.

Despite these visual criticisms, PGA Tour 2K23 delivers immersive gameplay. The simple MyCareer Mode isn’t trying to tell a sappy underdog story, but rather makes players work hard for big rewards — from entry-level tournaments to the heights of the PGA Tour. Unlike most career modes, 2K23’s quick gameplay and well-paced player progression give that unbeatable sense of ‘just one more game’ that’s sadly missing from so many bloated sports titles today.

In the end, PGA Tour 2K23 is far from perfect, but also much closer than anyone could have expected. With EA Sports re-entering the video golf scene next year, I have high hopes that fresh competition and a little fine-tuning will encourage 2K to deliver a resurgence of excitement to golf game enthusiasts in the years to come.

Disclosures: This game is published by 2K Sports and developed by 2K. It is available on PC, PS4/5, and XBO/X/S. This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Xbox Series X. Approximately 17 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 2 hours of play were dedicated to online multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB this game is rated E. This is a golf simulation game in which players can select and play against PGA pro golfers onreal-world courses. Players can improve their skills in several game modes (e.g., PGA Tour Career, Course Creator, Society). The words “hell” and “damn” are heard in the game.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available in the Game Settings menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: PGA Tour 2K23 features subtitles that cannot be resized (see text examples above and below) and numerous tactile feedback features within the controller, in all modes. The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, the game’s controls are not remappable.

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