After dozens of hours of playing EA Sports FC 26, the impression is clear: EA has brought a number of small improvements that make a difference on the field, but at the same time aggressive monetization casts a shadow on the whole experience.
On the pitch itself, FC 26 is the best so far. New gameplay presets, Competitive i Authentic, give completely different game experiences. Competitive is fast, dynamic and adapted to online competition, while Authentic provides a slower, more realistic pace and requires more tactical thinking. It's a shame that Authentic is limited to offline content, as it would bring the necessary freshness within the Ultimate Team mode as well.
The biggest minus lies in Season Pass. Its introduction right at launch and the fact that behind it not only rewards for Ultimate Team but also key content for Career Mode seems greedy. Icons and heroes, i.e. legendary players who should be the highlight of the managerial experience are thus locked behind payments or grinding in other modes. This reduces the sense of progress and forces the player to think about the wallet instead of tactics on the field.
Clubs mode has retained its role as the most fun social mode this year, where you can build a club with your team and climb through the leagues. The biggest change is the cosmetic options that we can now unlock through the Season Pass, which unfortunately means that there is a sense of monetization here as well. The game itself on the field seems more fluid thanks to the new gameplay settings, but there is still an occasional lag that was a minor drawback in last year's version as well. In short, Clubs is still a great way to socialize and play competitively with friends, but the impression remains that EA has been taking more from this mode than it has invested for years.
Despite this, Career Mode has received interesting upgrades such as the Manager Live Hub, which brings rotating challenges and freshness to running a club. Ultimate Team also received a number of minor tweaks such as the return of tournaments and better control over the Evolutions system. These are all quality additions, but the constant pressure of microtransactions is hard to ignore.
Conclusion:
FC 26 offers the most entertaining and realistic football yet, but at the same time the most aggressive monetization model. If you're looking for a pure football experience, you'll play it with gusto. If you're frustrated by the game constantly pushing you towards additional costs, this sequel will leave you with a bitter taste.
