As someone who grew up in a house without an X-Box or a Playstation, I am probably not the first person to come to mind when comparing EA Sports’ FIFA and NHL 15. However, my lack of knowledge really makes me an expert. As a freshman living in the dorms I have had the opportunity to play and watch the video games for the first time in an unbiased manner.
The two games are very similar in their style. Games are typically played between two people. Both games rank teams and players in a similar fashion and have extremely vivid graphics. NHL has a Be a GM Mode and FIFA has a Career Mode in which the gamer builds a team from the ground up. All the similarities beg the question: Which game is the best waste of time for a college student?
NHL 15 was advertised by EA for its new physics features. The EA NHL website says, “12 Player NHL ® Collision Physics utilizes the power of next generation consoles and the critically-acclaimed NHL Collision Physics system, to put every player on the ice into physics at all times.” The new 12 Player physics system is the first sports game to put all players in the game in real world physics at the same time. The physics of the puck in the game has also been dramatically changed to act more authentically while in play. In addition the NHL Skill Stick, which is the ability of players to maneuver the puck, the game has been advanced to “give the player more control.” This feature has not been positive for some. The increased sensitivity and quicker goalie response time has made it more difficult to score in some cases.
Despite the advances made by these new features, the game has met some negative reviews. The main problem EA has run into is the lack of features on the version of the game for the current-generation Xbox One and PS4. EA left out multiple features on those games including the ability to draft in Be a GM Mode, a function that is key in building your own team. This led to cancellations in the game’s preorders because of fans disappointment in the lack of features. However, these changes for the console do not make much of a difference when playing with a friend, and can be avoided if you own an older generation Xbox 360 or a PS3.
FIFA has also had its ups and downs. FIFA’s new improvement is its change in players’ emotional reactions to plays. Players now react within the context of the game and have over 600 reactions. Strategy has also been changed in FIFA. Altering formation and tactics has become more customizable in 15, making knowledge of the game more important.
Goalkeepers have also been entirely rewritten. Their reactions are more lifelike and they can better predict shots. Not only is their play better, but so are their aesthetics. In older FIFAs keepers would catch and pass every ball they touched. Now real deflections and tipped balls off of keepers’ hands are programed into the game. FIFA tried to make the game more realistic with shirt pulling and chest heaving. However, one of the downsides to the game is it does not have any of Brazil’s domestic teams. The Brazilian national team is still in the game, but one of football’s biggest countries will not have its domestic teams. Although FIFA’s missing teams has not been met with the disdain that NHL is receiving for pulling features.
Overall the two games are very similar and provide lots of entertainment. However, FIFA 15 clearly out ranks NHL 15. NHL’s lack of features is one of the main reasons its ranked 5/10 on Gamespot.com, as opposed to FIFA’s 8/10. Although the collisions and fighting of NHL are not in FIFA, it still requires more skill and tactic to win, and for that FIFA wins.
Miller is a freshman and a new columnist for The Daily Cardinal. Tell us your opinion on the games and please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
