There are few things that we are sure will happen in the fall.
Leaves turning yellow and falling from trees, sweaters and coats finally out of the closet, and the debut of FIFA 21.
Like every self-respecting October, this year the famous production company EA Sports has launched the latest chapter of one of the most beloved franchises in the history of video games.
During our test days, FIFA 21 did us learn about the news of the new chapter and the improvements to the game system.
He also showed us a graphic layout almost unchanged from FIFA 20, and left for us Italian fans a bittersweet picture.
How will FIFA 21 behave on our trusty PS4? And how will he be prepared for the jump to the new gen of consoles? Let's see in detail what the latest title of the best-selling football franchise has in store.
READ ALSO: FIFA 21 reveals all available clubs, teams and stadiums
New in FIFA 21: More realism on the pitch and in Career mode
On paper this is not a simple "FIFA 20 with transfers".
On the contrary: EA Sports has listened to all the feedback from the community and has corrected all small defects of the previous chapter.
For example? EA Sports claims to have improved physics during game clashes, during goalkeepers' saves and in general in the movements of the players.
The rebounds should also be more realistic and less casual, and thanks to a new system for managing head shots and the movement of players without the ball, the actions are more fluid and realistic.
At the interface and graphics level there have been very few improvements and news, as well as for the FUT and Volta modes, among the most popular.
Instead, some highly anticipated news from Career Mode fans make their debut, as more accurate transfers and with loans with right of redemption as in the real transfer market, more interactive exchanges and more accurate training sessions.
But let's see everything in order!
For those who fear to buy FIFA 21 for PS4 or Xbox One and then find themselves having to buy it back for PS5 / Xbox Series, EA Sports has stated that the game purchased for the current generation of consoles can be "moved" without problems from an old gen console to the next gen of the same manufacturer, after only an update. Very good!
Licenses: no Serie B and some Serie A teams, yes… to Serie A!
Let's start with one of the points that caused the most sensation, namely the question licenses.
For some years now we have been used to seeing the "war" of licenses between EA Sports and Konami, the software houses behind FIFA and PES respectively.
After Juventus' departure last year, this year we have to score another “excellent excluded”, that is Rome.
We will therefore not find the official AS Roma emblem with the Lupa, nor the (beautiful) yellow and red livery.
In its place comes the Roma FC, and even his "home" is no longer present: goodbye Olympic Stadium, welcome… Stadion Olympik. A lack of the latter that will also displease the Lazio "cousins", orphans of their stadium.
However, it is not the only lack we Italians have to get used to.
In fact, we will not find the official licenses for Crotone and for the rookie Spezia.
In their place, coats of arms and a uniform fortunately very similar to reality, but still unofficial.
However, the lack that will leave a void for the most fans of Career mode is that of Serie B.
In fact, the entire Serie B championship is missing: Serie A is the only representative of our local leagues.
The consolation comes from presence in the Rest of the World category of 6 teams from the cadet championship, namely Lecce, Brescia, SPAL (the 3 relegated), Empoli, Chievo and the newly promoted Monza of the patrons Berlusconi and Galliani.
Then there is a single Italian stadium, San Siro.
For the other licenses, however, everything has remained unchanged compared to FIFA 20.
But there is good news in all this greyness: Serie A TIM is fully official, with original graphics, badges and music, such as Premier League and Bundesliga.
Could this be a good sign in favor of a "truce" on licenses for the next few years?
The graphics of FIFA 21: unchanged waiting for the Next Gen
One aspect where FIFA 21 hasn't changed much is the graphics sector.
The Frostbite 3 graphics engine still does its duty, but if you are expecting a totally revolutionized game experience compared to FIFA 20… you will be disappointed.
There's greater attention to detail, sharper cheers, more detailed transition scenes, and better light management on the pitch, but the gameplay experience has remained as good or bad as FIFA 20, at least graphically.
There is, however, a beautiful one news. In the past few years, when you met a match under the INFO the ball and lines remained white, making matches under the white blanket almost impossible.
Today the lines are covered with the orange dust we are used to in reality, while you have to remember to take care of the ball from the settings. Otherwise ... still white balloon!
With regard to the graphics of the menus, we must see how there was a almost total immobility by EA.
The menus are exactly the same as last year, except for the "dark theme" used: good but not very good for lovers of novelty.
Career mode: redemption loans, interactive exchanges and better deals
We arrive at the most full of news of FIFA 21, or the Career mode.
After a couple of chapters where we recorded an almost pathological lack of interest from EA Sports towards this mode, this year FIFA 21 introduces many new features.
First of all the possibility of starting new negotiations with the loan formula with the right of redemption.
Those who are passionate about football know that this formula is one of the most popular and appreciated by real football clubs, and its lack, indeed, its departure in the last chapters had made itself felt.
There is a though on this welcome return: in real life, even the most successful players move with this formula.
On FIFA 21, however, it is difficult to obtain loans for non-young players or regular team owners, at least by setting the setting concerning the transfers to "tight".
And I who wanted to close for Torreira in Turin at least on FIFA ...
In general then there are more players put on the market even after several purchases, and the prices are more realistic and weighted to the (crazy) prices of today's market.
Still with regard to transfers, FIFA 21 introduces a game feature that we have been waiting for with great anxiety, namely the possibility for other teams to offer players in exchange.
Up to the penultimate chapter, in fact, only the player could propose exchanges, with other clubs that did not make any, neither with the player nor among themselves.
Today, however, the exchanges are there, and they are also quite real. For example, you will not see Arsenal offer you their striker Aubameyang to take your reserve goalkeeper, but rather exchanges weighted on a fair level of price and level of performance.
Then there is another novelty, the possibility of simulate games.
In practice, when you go to the game you can choose whether to play it, simulate it in its entirety or simulate it by seeing the development on the screen.
In this way we will be able to act on tactics, make changes and see what happens without playing.
And if the situation gets bad, we can always take the field at any time to score the decisive goal.
Career Mode: A new way to improve players
The other big news, however, concerns the training and the growth of the players.
We have been accustomed in the last FIFA to the 5 training slots for only 5 players, which, depending on the results, grew and improved. Today things change: The improvement of total skill and form of the players goes through two new tools.
The first news concerns the new training interface.
Goodbye to 5 single slots: today we will have to rely on to train our players three "macro-sections" that can be modified by the user with different exercises that include from 2 to 5 players.
Training on defense, on passing, on counter-attacks: you can practice all the fundamentals of the ball.
By obtaining an excellent "grade" on the scale from A to F we will obtain a improvement in the player's lucidity.
What does it mean? MThe greater his clarity, the better his performance on the pitch.
With a level of lucidity equal to 100, in fact, the player will improve by up to 5 points in crucial components such as passing, speed, endurance and accuracy in shooting.
On the contrary, with a clarity equal to zero it will be "poorer" up to 5 points in those fundamentals.
How to raise the clarity?
By doing more or less difficult exercises. With the easier ones you are sure to improve (but little) by taking an A, while the more difficult ones give more lucidity as a reward but are obviously more complex, and the risk of not getting a good grade is high.
Then there is one last aspect to keep in mind: the resistance of the players.
Difficult training will be more expensive for them, and their stamina will drop.
The programming of the week comes in handy: you can choose from the calendar which days to train, which days to rest and which to do specific workouts to get back into shape.
Much more interactive and interesting than the old training system!
But that's not all: there is one final aspect that the player can decide, namely the player growth.
Through a new dedicated screen, in fact, the coach can decide on which fundamentals to concentrate the training of individual players, and may even decide to teach a certain player a new role.
Practical example: you choose Milan and you want to bet on Théo Hernandez as an offensive winger. In previous FIFAs you would have just placed it later and that's it.
On FIFA 21, on the other hand, you can concentrate its development in the offensive phase, and even choose to turn him into an attacking winger. Not bad, right?
For the rest, the Career has remained almost unchanged compared to previous years: spring to be treated, observers around the world, goals to be achieved, and so on!
FUT and Volta Football: cooperation is strength!
Let's spend a moment to evaluate the two modes that are the most popular around the world, FUT and Volta Football.
Both have followed the football motto of "winning team does not change", or so it would seem.
In fact, FIFA Ultimate Team if played as a single player seems almost unchanged, apart from some new animation and the debut of new Icons such as Eric Cantona and Samuel Eto'o.
But if you look more carefully, you will find the new mode Co-op FUT. That is, it will be possible create an Ultimate Team with a friend and try to beat all rivals together.
For those worried about the leap to next-generation consoles, don't worry: your, indeed, your FUT teams will be moved smoothly from one console to another.
For Volta FootballHowever, as expected, not many things have changed.
The street game mode that debuted with FIFA 20 in fact suffered only minimal improvements.
Now the plays are more realistic, as well as the tackles, rebounds of the ball against the barriers and against the players. Even the history inserted within Volta Football has been rethought, returning in great shape for 2021.
There will be plenty of stars to sign on our team during The Debut story mode, such as Kakà, Mbappè, Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona and even boxer Anthony Joshua.
Online and other modes: more stability online
As for the other modes available in the game, the changes were almost nil.
The classic Online has remained unchanged, with climbing to the different Divisions, tournaments and private matches with friends. However, we have noticed an improved stability, fewer disconnections and above all we have not encountered those hateful games conditioned by the presence of enormous lag. Let's hope that doesn't change the situation!
And even the Training, Quick Match and similar modes have not changed at all.
How to play FIFA 21? Novelties and defects
We come to the conclusion of the review with what is in effect the most important thing: how to play in FIFA 21?
At the very first minutes of the game, the answer seems obvious: as before.
And it's basically true: the way you play, control the different players and set up defense and attack hasn't changed that much.
FIFA 21, however, has refined several gameplay details that are noticeable only after several games.
To begin with, I was delighted to notice the renewed goalkeepers, less perfect.
When a very strong shot arrives, it is very difficult for a goalkeeper to block the ball as it was until last year. Now he rejects the ball, and he does it in a very natural and realistic way.
In low exits or low saves, the ball has a really satisfying and realistic response to the touch of the goalkeeper: very well.
Also rebound they are more frequent without impossible tunnels, and the balloon has a very natural response to contact with a body.
On the side contrasts we find other improvements, so much so that there is much more the sensation of physical contact.
And then, finally it is possible to make intentional and tactical fouls without malice.
Those who played a lot of FIFA 20 often found themselves faced with the counterattack of a very fast opposing player, or they needed a stop to the flow of the opponent's game.
In reality there are many in FIFA 20 or you failed miserably or ... red card.
Today, finally, tactical fouls can be done: sure, the referee is still very loyal and the yellow is around the corner even for a slight touch. But always better than nothing!
But the thing I liked most is there new intelligence of the players in the insertions.
On FIFA 20 to make realistic insertions sometimes you had to wait a long time, and after a few moments too long the attacker would rush into the space between the defenders to find himself alone in front of the goalkeeper.
Today both the players of your team and the opponents are more reactive and faster, and playing ball on the ground becomes a real pleasure!
Also today it is possible to head a direct corner kick, and the head shots themselves have become manual, more difficult but at the same time more effective when right.
Well then in the defensive phase, where it became more difficult but at the same time more intuitive to place the players.
Finally, as regards the difficulty of AI, we are facing a good level: neither too difficult nor too easy.
Ma caution! In order to play well, go to settings and turn off Competitive Mode.
If you were to set it, in fact, the opposing players will be based on the play style of the best FUT players. That is to say? Fake in any point of the field and attempt to go to goal with the ball. Fun at first, but unnerving after not even a game.
Defects?
Despite all the improvements, FIFA 21 isn't perfect.
We have already talked extensively about the licensing issue, which devalues our league a lot.
Not seeing 4 out of 20 original teams and not finding Serie B is frankly bad.
We hope that Lega Serie A will be able to find a team for the granting of licenses in bulk ...
Another flaw is instead the usual, undeterred bad habit of EA Sports's limit the benches to 8 players.
In today's football, up to 13 players can be seated on the benches, and the limitation of having to almost halve the number of players to take to the bench is really great.
We then fail to digest too much free kick system.
If mastered it can become easier to score from a set piece, until it becomes all too easy. In any case it is always a bit cumbersome and complicated: beautiful, but I wouldn't live there.
Finally, we cannot fail to report the immobility of the graphics. Aside from the dark purple color, there are really no substantial changes. Fonts, page layouts, modes and all player ratings, everything remained as FIFA 20.
Let it be a sign of the preparation for a revolution for FIFA 22?
Conclusions: a tangible improvement for all
In conclusion, what we think of FIFA 21? Does it deserve to be bought and played?
The most passionate fans of the most beautiful game in the world will already have the new chapter, so for them it certainly deserves the purchase.
For everyone else, the leap from FIFA 20 to 21 may seem excessive, but in our opinion it deserves to be done.
Sure, the graphics are pretty much the same and many things are unchanged.
But such a focused Career mode hadn't been seen on a FIFA for years, and playing itself just got more fun and realistic.
If you are a fan of Rome, Juventus, Spezia or Crotone you may be a little disappointed. For everyone else, FIFA 21 can prove to be the perfect companion for cold evenings and Sundays. Promoted with flying colors!
FIFA 21
For 
- Much improved gaming experience
- Career mode with new transfers and features
- More realistic game physics
Cons 
- Graphics remained unchanged from FIFA 20
- Benches too short
- Licenses of many Italian teams missing
Tagscalcio EA Sports EA Sports FIFA 21 FIFA FIFA 21 FIFA 21 review FIFA 21 review: new but not too much
