How FIFA 14 for the Xbox One and PS4 will bring gamers closer than ever to the pitch

 
Tom Dutton23 October 2013

Standard Sport was recently invited along to Electronic Arts headquarters to get a sneak peek of FIFA 14 on the impending fourth generation platforms which will be released in the UK later this Autumn.

For too long the FIFA series had been crying out for improved visuals when it came to the portrayal of fans within the stadium. And finally, coupled with the introduction of cleaner 1080p graphics the next generation boasts 3D supporter animations, thus ending a frustrating spree of FIFA games that apparently failed to acknowledge the need to correct a relative eye-sore.

Gone are the supporters who look like cardboard cut-outs, move simultaneously and appear dim to the concept of someone scoring a goal. And better yet, the game now captures the conflicting emotions of fans. This was best exemplified at the Emirates when the stadium burst into life after Olivier Giroud rose highest to score, but for a small pocket of travelling fans behind the goal that appeared to retreat, some consoling themselves with heads in paws.

The moment of jubilation after a goal really translates onto the pitch and offers a connection between virtual player and virtual fan that has never been seen before in the FIFA series. I struggled to come away from the taster event and return to the stale, audio-only fanfare that follows a goal on my current console.

Executive FIFA producer Nick Channon later told Standard Sport there was a ceiling in the capability of the current generation that had stemmed any advancement in the visual representation of supporters.

“We were constantly asked when we were going to make the crowd look better in FIFA,” he said.

“There are limitations to creating a stadium of 90,000 people. It’s very difficult to do a 3D crowd on a current gen console, we can now do it [on fourth generation] and it’s something we feel really enhances the game.”

Away from the stands and onto the pitch and one of Channon’s proudest additions to the next generation of FIFA 14 is the human intelligence. On occasion players may ride a sliding challenge to avoid interruption and aid the fluidity of the gameplay, or use their bulky frames to shelter the ball and hustle their opponent out of contention.

“The interaction between players makes a huge difference to the feeling of the game,” Channon said proudly. “The fact I can now use my body to win back the ball and I don’t have to just use the tackle button.”

And while the gameplay has taken a giant leap, the genuine feeling that you could be watching a real football match is bolstered by ‘authentic to broadcast’ replays which capture your FIFA moments from angles used in television. “It’s what people associate with and I think it’s taken our game to the next level,” said Channon. But don’t worry, the game safeguards you from any sour punditry.

To round off the title’s impressive stride across the generation gap the team have overhauled the passing system that used to rely on a solitary animation for every exchange of the ball. And for the novelty of it, we got excited to see blades of grass fly up as you enter daringly into a slide challenge, while spray is now visible on wet surfaces.

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