EA Sports FC 25 Review (PS5) | Push Square

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We’ve had more fun with EA Sports FC 25 than we have with any soccer sim for quite some time. Perhaps that’s because, outside of the review period, we largely abandoned EA Sports FC 24 – or perhaps, whisper it quietly, it’s because the footie franchise is in a good place. Either way, a ton of under-the-hood depth paired with the more accessible Rush mode has actually helped us to fall in love with the beautiful game again – and considering the state of our beloved Man United right now, that’s no mean feat.

While there is a lot to talk about in this review, the fundamentals remain unchanged. Football is football, and EA Sports is very much building upon the basics here, like Pep Guardiola trading a packet of Wotsits with one of Man City’s many sister clubs for a South American wunderkind. Add that to the 115, eh?

The biggest addition for us only applies offline, but it adds drama and intrigue like you find in real-life. A new set of simulation toggles add wind and water physics to the ball, meaning a torrential downpour may force you to sit in for an important away game, as your usual zippy tiki-taka tactics won’t work while the ball battles against the elements. It’s really cool seeing your crosses go awry as gusts swirl around small stadiums, and it forces you to think on your feet and change your approach – just like in real-life.

As mentioned, this feature is only available in Kick Off and Career – presumably EA Sports thinks the sweats who play online won’t appreciate the unpredictability – but it adds a lot to the single player gameplay that helps you get out of the rut of hammering weaker sides 7-0 every Saturday. In fact, we hope this is an area the developer continues to iterate on moving forwards.

Tactically, the game feels vastly improved, too. While defending still feels like it devolves into footraces, you have more ways to deploy your players than ever before. This is thanks to FC IQ, as the buzzword goes, which awards players different roles based on