Is The EA Sports FC 24 Matchday Experience Any Good?

Prior to the release of FC 24, one of the biggest shake-ups EA have been touting has been the revamping of the matchday experience that acts as a backdrop to the game being played on the pitch. Any football fan will tell you that the rituals, routines and traditions that go along with a match is almost as important as the ninety minutes on the pitch, so it’s understandable why EA have attempted to pour so much attention over it in their latest effort to create the most authentic sports simulator title. But, based on everything we’ve seen so far, have they proven to be successful in this endeavour so far? Check out our latest article as we put the EA Sports FC 24 matchday experience under the spotlight!

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Overlays

The English Premier League may still be someway behind the rest of the game in this respect, but the potential of presenting stats via overlays during matches has already begun to be tested in the real world of football. From the MLS to La Liga, it is common to have broadcasters incorporate stats during their coverage to help give viewers added context to what they’re seeing on the pitch.

It was something EA were already starting to develop in the final days of Fifa through the introduction of things like the xG measurement, but thankfully it looks as though they are set to expand on it even more in FC 24’s matchday. Everything from shot trackers to player fatigue look set to be a part of the overlay during stoppages, giving players all the information they need on how things are playing out. This feature could also have big potential for those interested in Fifa betting at Unikrn, with these added stats potentially allowing bettors to gain an advantage over a bookmaker by preempting events based on all this added information.

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Player Models And Cutscene Improvements

The jump onto the next generation of systems gave the Fifa franchise the first noticeable jump in terms of graphic quality for some time. The PS5 and Xbox Series X made the players actually look like the real-life stars their models had been based on, with everything from their facial features to tattoos being captured.

EA have since stressed that their match-capturing system will only expand on this impressive groundwork, allowing the company to individualise players in terms of how they move and feel in a much more authentic-feeling way. FC 24 doesn’t look to have it absolutely spot on yet (without adequate front foot planting there will always be issues with player movement), but it does look like EA are continuing to make improvements on this front.

We’re well aware that most Fifa players skip the vast majority of cutscenes in the game just to get to the action, but it could be well worth holding fire on that ‘X/A’ button in FC 24. It may sound like a small thing, however, the new cutscenes coming with the game already look set to make the whole matchday experience feel like a major improvement. New angles such as the Ref Cam, are being introduced, but the major tweak comes from the reactions of players to events on the pitch. From the immediate aftermath of a goal being scored to a controversial referee call, player reactions are set to be made more authentic than ever.

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Will It Be Any Good?

EA have clearly been trying to create a more authentic-feeling and engaging matchday experience for a while now. It feels as though all those years of criticising the company for annually pumping out the same game on repeat might have finally sunk in with access to next-gen equipment, though it’s understandable why EA are drip-feeding these additions in slowly. With a whole new rebrand being kicked off this year, the need to make EA Sports FC as accessible to Fifa fans as possible is obvious, and completely overhauling the tried-and-tested formula would certainly be a risky move.

With that being said, FC 24 certainly promises to deliver a few new features that will catch even veteran players by surprise. The matchday experience of a Fifa or FC game will always be something that is felt by a player rather than explained in an article such as this, but the early signs are certainly promising. Will it stop all of us from skipping all the game’s cutscenes after a couple of matches? Absolutely not. Will it be any good? We certainly hope so.