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FIFA 22 (PS5) Review
Developer: EA Vancouver / EA Romania
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Sports / Football Simulation
Release: 2021
FIFA 22 represents one of the more noticeable technical steps forward for the series on PS5. The introduction of HyperMotion, improved player intelligence, revamped animations and enhanced DualSense support gives the next-generation version a different feel from the previous generation.
At the same time, much of the overall FIFA formula remains familiar. Career Mode, Ultimate Team, VOLTA and Pro Clubs return with improvements rather than complete reinventions. The result is a polished and content-rich football game that benefits considerably from playing on PS5, even though some longstanding FIFA problems remain.
Gameplay & Mechanics
The biggest addition to the PS5 version is HyperMotion. EA combined full-team motion capture of professional footballers with machine learning, resulting in thousands of new animations. The technology is designed to make movement, positioning and physical interactions feel more natural.
The difference is most noticeable when watching players move without the ball. Teammates make more intelligent runs, defenders react to developing situations and players generally behave more naturally as a unit.
On the pitch, FIFA 22 also introduces Explosive Sprint, improved goalkeepers, new attacking tactics and revised ball physics. These changes give experienced players more control over how they attack and defend.
The core football remains accessible but has enough depth for players who want to learn advanced passing, skill moves, tactical defending and attacking combinations.
However, not every animation looks natural. There are still occasional awkward collisions, strange player movements and moments where the AI doesn't react as expected.
Strengths:
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HyperMotion significantly improves player movement
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Excellent variety of passing and attacking options
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Improved defensive and tactical AI
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Explosive Sprint adds another layer to attacking play
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Goalkeepers are generally more convincing
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Strong combination of accessibility and depth
Weaknesses:
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Occasional strange animations
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AI can still make questionable decisions
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Some matches can feel overly influenced by animations
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Physical collisions aren't always convincing
Career Mode
Career Mode receives some welcome improvements, particularly the ability to Create Your Club.
Players can create a completely new club, choose its name, badge, kits, stadium and overall identity. You can then start in an existing league and attempt to build the club into a major footballing power.
This provides a nice alternative to simply taking control of an existing team.
Player Career is also improved, with a new player-growth system, Perks, dynamic match objectives and additional ways to improve your manager rating.
Career Mode remains enjoyable for players who prefer a traditional single-player football experience, although the underlying management systems aren't as deep as a dedicated football-management simulation.
FIFA Ultimate Team
Ultimate Team remains one of the biggest components of FIFA 22.
The introduction of FUT Heroes adds special cards based around notable players from football history, while Division Rivals and FUT Champions receive progression and competition changes.
Squad building remains addictive, with players constantly having reasons to improve their team, complete objectives and experiment with different formations and combinations.
The downside is that Ultimate Team can become heavily focused on continual progression and acquiring better cards. For players who don't enjoy the live-service structure, it can feel unnecessarily complicated compared with simply playing football matches.
VOLTA Football
VOLTA returns with a stronger emphasis on skill and flair.
The smaller-sided matches provide a faster alternative to traditional FIFA, with skill moves, tricks and creative attacking play playing a much larger role.
VOLTA Arcade adds additional party-style activities, including Foot Tennis, Dodgeball and Keepaway.
It isn't as deep as the main football experience, but it provides a welcome change of pace.
Pro Clubs & Multiplayer
Pro Clubs remains one of the most enjoyable multiplayer modes, particularly when played with a group of friends.
Players can customise their Virtual Pro and develop their attributes while competing as part of a club. FIFA 22 also adds more customisation and a revised player-growth system.
Online multiplayer benefits from the improved PS5 gameplay, although connection quality and the behaviour of other players can obviously affect the experience.
The PS5 version supports full 11-v-11 online matches, making Pro Clubs particularly enjoyable for organised groups.
Final Verdict
FIFA 22 is a strong entry in the long-running series and one of the better examples of how the PS5 hardware could improve a sports simulation. HyperMotion is the star of the show, making player movement, positioning and physical interactions noticeably more sophisticated.
The rest of the package is more evolutionary. Career Mode receives the excellent Create Your Club feature, Ultimate Team gets FUT Heroes and progression changes, while VOLTA and Pro Clubs provide additional ways to play.
The biggest weakness is that FIFA 22 doesn't completely solve the series' longstanding problems. AI inconsistencies, awkward animations and the heavily progression-focused nature of Ultimate Team remain.
Nevertheless, the combination of excellent football gameplay, impressive presentation, extensive licensing and genuine PS5 enhancements makes FIFA 22 a highly comprehensive football simulation.
Score: 8.5/10
