Subtle changes deliver a winner for ageing franchise

If you, like me, grew up watching Diego Maradona making his unstoppable runs from the midfield, chances are you've tried to emulate him. They were the stuff of dreams, especially for someone like me, who in his limited 'career' at school, was always part of the defence (with my coach specifically saying that the midfield was the farthest we could go).

Not so in games, or more specifically the FIFA franchise. In fact, if you were fast enough (and I mean on the screen, NOT the field) those runs down the centre of the field usually resulted in a goal. But don't try that in FIFA 14.

No sir no.  If you do so, your attempts will more often than not be met by a very strong defence. But if you care for set-pieces, this game will give hours of fun. FIFA 14, unlike FIFA 13, puts the emphasis on skill and strength, much like real football.

Graphically, the game doesn't seem too different from its predecessors. However, there's a  marked improvement in animation and physics (but more on that later).

It's difficult to put a finger on what has changed in FIFA 14. But changed it has, definitely, and for the better. For starters, there's the brand new tiled menu interface - which makes accessing the mind-boggling number of modes easy.

The biggest new improvement is the on-the-field play. FIFA games were always known for their passing, dribbling and shooting abilities - but there seemed to be a disconnect when players jostled for position. So if a defender cut you off while you were advancing , there was no way the same player could win the ball back. In FIFA 14, one can actually charge a defender to win the ball back. This reminded me of my playing days (on the field).

Also, there's the scope to score a lot of goals through passes. The artificial intelligence behaves beautifully and if you're advancing on the left flank looking for your striker to move into position as you gently lob the ball towards him, he's right on spot. Bingo! But this feature comes with a caveat. You'll more often than not have your share of off sides. But if you're defending, the AI comes in very handy.

One would also need to get used to a new mechanic called Precision Shot - that is the subtle way the direction and the flight of the ball changes in relation to the way a player has taken a shot. This increases the unpredictability of long passes (where earlier, we would see the ball magically enter the goal). And of course, unlike its predecessors, the ball isn't stuck to the feet of the player (but there's an option of 'protect the ball', unlike the propensity of FIFA 13 of passing the ball as soon as the player received it).

Among the other noticeable changes is the ability to change direction while running with the ball and the realistic manner in which a player shifts weight or balances himself if one sends him in a zig zag fashion across the field (but try this at your own risk because one fumble and your opponent runs off with the ball). All this works because of something

EA Sports calls Precision Movement, which makes the animations while playing eerily real. And this is the first game I have encountered where the animations during play are much more spectacular than the cut scenes (note to developer: Players appear robot-like waist upwards, which is jarring because of the realism all around).

All the usual suspect modes return along with Ultimate Team, where one has to deal with something called "player chemistry". It's interesting but you've got to play it to experience it. And now the game comes with the XP system of role-playing games as well. Neat.

As a manager, one has the tricky task of picking a winning team by looking for new talent or transfers and nurturing a team. One can take the help of scouts to 'poach' a player. And the best bit is the game is updated with real-world stats about the players and teams while one is playing. The commentary remains of high quality.

There is just one niggle. EA Sports has announced that the franchise would be available at launch for the PS4 and Xbox One. And everyone expects that game to be a notch higher. So does it make sense to shell out Rs 3,499 for a previous-generation console version? We reviewed the PS3 version, its available for PC at Rs 999. Thankfully, coins and points can be transferred. FIFA 14 is a great game and is especially recommended for first-timers. Even if you have FIFA 13, there are many subtle improvements in gameplay which makes the game worth owning. As for console gamers in India, we're not getting the next-generation consoles in the first wave. So why not give this game a try?