EA Sports FC Tactical turns soccer into a free-to-play, turn…

EA’s FIFA series is going through some changes. For one thing, it’s not FIFA at all anymore. The series has officially made its transition to the new EA Sports FC brand with the recently released 2024 installment. However, this isn’t the biggest surprise for football fans; The game is getting a surprising new mobile game with a left-field strategy twist.

ea sports fc tactical There’s an upcoming free-to-play spinoff that turns football into Fire Emblem. Co-developed with Kellab Inc., the studio behind anime sports titles Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team, turns all the activities of the mobile game FC 2024 into a turn-based RPG. Each game has its own small tactical battles that pit strikers against defenders.

This may sound strange on paper, but in practice it makes complete sense. In a quick practical demo of ea sports fc tactical, I quickly realized how intuitive a turn-based game like this could be. The greater emphasis on mental strategy over controller-based action does a great job of highlighting the high-level decision-making process that makes soccer such an impactful game.

football symbol

Before diving into a match, players assemble a team using intuitive drag-and-drop controls. That’s where it becomes clear fc tactical This is not just your average football game; It is a full blown RPG. Players have stats, passive abilities, and special skills that make it feel more like forming an adventuring party than a sports team. This is the first area where I can feel Kellab Captain Tsubasa Touch is coming into play.

I’ll get to see him in action when I dive into the match. At the start of each game, I’m shown an overhead look at the field, where I can see my players’ icons moving around. As the player with the ball collides with a defender, the camera switches to a familiar 3D perspective. At that moment time stops, suddenly the action changes to a turn-based strategy game.

As a striker, I am presented with a range of options. I can shoot, pass, dribble, or maybe even unleash a special ability. Those options are presented in a simple UI that’s not much different from something like this Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis, I simply tap a box to activate a move, although I have to consider my options first. Each ability has a number on it that represents my status in a specific skill. I have to weigh this against my opponent’s numbers to decide my best option. Skills also cost energy, which is a limited resource each player has. To win a match, I have to make sure that I am managing my stamina till the end and know the right time to take risks. That gameplay loop continues when I’m on defense, because I’m planning blocks instead of shots.

There are some other factors to consider as well. If I’m shooting or passing, I need to focus on how many defenders the ball will go through. I have to pass a skill check for each one, which can be difficult when dealing with three defenders. Moments like these make every single play feel important, turning football into a game of chess.

When I choose my move, time freezes and I get to see the sequence play out exactly as it would in a real match in FC 2024. As an added touch, Kelab brings a little bit of Captain Tsubasa Experience its animation. When I activate a special ability, my player lights up with colorful energy before unleashing their super skill, as if they were a character from an anime. It’s a nice touch that emphasizes the RPG at the center of the experience. fc tactical It even takes some obvious notes from series like Fire Emblem, as it has its own “weapon triangle” to explain strengths and weaknesses to the player’s position.

While this is all intuitive fun, there is one question mark about the project: its use of microtransactions. This seems to be the plan fc tactical There will be a free-to-play game with seasonal updates and a battle pass. Furthermore, it also uses in-game currency which is used to upgrade the player’s skills. According to team members present at the preview, those points can be earned in-game or purchased outright with real money. A developer assured me that the system would not pay for wins, but I’m struggling to see how using money to improve skills wouldn’t fit that bill. EA notes that all of these features are still in the works and subject to change, so I imagine there may be some changes to all of these before launch.

If those microtransactions don’t interfere too much, ea sports fc tactical This could be a creative genre mash-up made for those who want a more cerebral sports game. It puts me in the mindset of a coach rather than a player, which is a change of pace I can get behind. I can’t keep up with the pros, but maybe I can beat them.

ea sports fc tactical Will launch in 2024. Pre-registration is now open through the App Store and Google Play.