EA FC26 Review

Byjoiba

Overall Verdict

FC 26 delivers the best on-pitch gameplay in years with responsive controls and smart improvements, but aggressive monetization practices severely undermine the experience across all game modes.

Key Strengths

Gameplay Improvements

  • Dual Gameplay Styles: New competitive and authentic presets allow separate tuning for different play styles without affecting each other
  • Enhanced Dribbling: Sticky, responsive left-stick dribbling with micro-adjustments for better ball control
  • Crisp Passing: More precise passing mechanics that reward tactical positioning
  • Smarter Goalkeepers: Improved AI positioning, better shot angle coverage, and more intelligent save decisions

Mode Updates

  • Manager Live Hub: New challenge-based mode with specific scenarios to recreate historic moments
  • Ultimate Team Refinements: Return of tournaments and customizable evolution cosmetics
  • Clubs Archetype System: New progression system letting players emulate famous footballers
  • Stable Online Play: Improved server stability with minimal slowdown

Major Problems

Aggressive Monetization

  • Day-One Season Pass: Paid season pass implemented from launch (previously introduced late in FC 25)
  • Career Mode Compromised: Icons and heroes (Figo, Cruyff, Fawcett, etc.) locked behind season pass
  • Cross-Mode XP Requirements: Career mode players must play Ultimate Team or pay to unlock career rewards
  • Pay-to-Win Acceleration: Slowed progression curve makes Ultimate Team more pay-to-win than ever
  • $30 Card Packs: Expensive loot boxes provide immediate competitive advantage

Gameplay Drawbacks

  • Difficult Defending: Mistimed tackles more punishing; AI teammates frequently out of position
  • Potential Scorefests: Faster competitive mode combined with defensive issues can lead to high-scoring matches

Mode Breakdown

Career Mode

Pros: Icons/heroes finally available, Manager Live challenges add variety Cons: Best players locked behind season pass, requires Ultimate Team grinding to unlock

Ultimate Team

Pros: Meaningful quality-of-life updates, tournament return, better customization Cons: Nerfed rewards, slower progression favors paying players, worse pay-to-win balance

Clubs

Pros: New archetype progression system Cons: Minimal changes overall, requires dedicated group to enjoy

Bottom Line

FC 26 represents genuine gameplay progress with the most responsive and polished football action in recent years. However, EA’s expansion of monetization into previously safe single-player modes crosses a troubling line. Career mode players, once insulated from Ultimate Team’s predatory practices, now face the same pressure to spend money or grind unsuitable modes to access content that should be standard.

Recommendation: If you can overlook the aggressive monetization, there’s an excellent football game underneath. But the season pass implementation feels exploitative and raises serious concerns about the franchise’s future direction.

Similar Posts