‘FIFA 23’ review: EA’s last dance defines their football legacy

It’s an odd feeling to play FIFA 23 knowing it's the final instalment in EA’s football game dynasty. I’ve played the series on and off since FIFA 2000, so it’s one of my longest running gaming relationships, as stupid as that may sound. So, the question on my lips before playing was would the series end on a high?

See the trailer for FIFA 23 here

Upon loading the game, I’m met with the choice of Chelsea’s Sam Kerr or PSG’s Kylian Mbappé as to who will lead the tutorial section of the game. It’s a nice example of how far the series - and, indeed, football as a sport - has come in recognising how the beautiful game appeals to a wide range of people. 

I went straight into career mode, opting to be manager of Bavarian giants Bayern Munich. Normally, I pick a side who aren’t favourites, but Bayern have an excellent squad and I really wanted to see a dynamic team in action, and it didn’t disappoint. 

Next up, I hit Ultimate Team. For the uninitiated, this mode lets you build your own squad, chiefly for competing online. Sticking with the Bundesliga theme, my squad was built with a German foundation, featuring the likes of Kevin Trapp, Mahmoud Dahoud and the aforementioned Musala. Other stars of German club football rounded out my starting XI, such as Alphonso Davies and André Silva. 

Diving into my first match, it’s clear FUT hasn’t changed too much. It’s still a challenging online mode, with matches feeling more nerve-wracking than I’d care to admit. You have to defend with your whole team and take your chances when they come up. At least, that’s what I advise but having begun my latest Ultimate Team run with a 3-0 and 2-1 loss, you should probably seek guidance elsewhere. All I’m saying is, I’d get sacked faster than Scott Parker. 

I moved onto Volta and it’s here I found my new favourite online mode. There’s a Pro Clubs version of Volta, where humans play as one individual team member in five-a-side matches. This chaotic, arcadey option is simply fantastic. Along with the showy backflip and overhead strikes, there’s plenty of opportunity to showcase your fancy footwork while running through enemies, and it never gets old. 

Traditional Pro Clubs returns, too. Playing as an individual member of an 11-player side, this mode feels the most satisfying to win because you can go substantial periods of time without even touching the ball,, especially if you play on the wing like I do. There’s also an option to switch between all the AI players, but it’s still a team game at its core, so remember to play to everyone’s strengths.

So, is FIFA 23 a positive step forward for the franchise? In short, yes, it is. The gameplay improvements from 22  to 23 could as much be down to my shifting from Series X to PC, so I’ll ignore that, but the inclusion of features like cross-play for certain online modes is a huge boon. 

As well, it’s great to see women’s football clubs being added. Finally, Leah Williamson is present in Arsenal’s iconic red and white, and it feels great to be able to play as these club sides, especially in a world where the Lionesses brought it home over the summer. 

The game also just feels more user-friendly than past iterations. The career mode menus are more responsive and better organised than in FIFA 22, and dropping into Pro Clubs matches is smooth like butter, to quote K-pop stars BTS. 

Pros: Improved gameplay from last title, more user-friendly, women’s football clubs

Cons: Higher difficult AI is almost broken, pace still an overly dominant strategy

For fans of: FIFA franchise, football, sports sims

8/10: Excellent