The best new thing about EA Sports FC 25

EA Sports FC 25 has a few new features it's showing off this year, but there's one that stands out to Indy100 ahead of the rest.

There's a brand new 5v5 mode called Rush that's replaced Volta, career mode has finally got some love and there's of course all the updated kits, transfers and player ratings.

But FC IQ, EA's tactical overhaul for its football series, is the one that finally gives a real, meaningful upgrade to the action on the pitch that gamers can feel.

As detailed in the Indy100 review: "A tactical preset can be picked, along with a build up style and defensive approach based on how high the line is and each player's role can be fine tuned in a similar way to Football Manager.

"It's all well and good having this but it's just a list of fancy terms if it doesn't translate to the pitch.

"Yet thankfully it does."

To expand on that in a bit more detail, gamers can basically programme exactly how they want players they're not actively controlling to behave.

For example (Indy100 is going to pretend like it knows what it's talking about here), as standard we like to play short in a 4-3-3 with a holding midfielder that can drop deeper into defence when required, an inverted wingback (or 'falseback' as they're called in FC 25), a fullback, two central defenders, an advanced playmaker (which is on the same side as the inverted wingback so that player can occupy the space left behind), a box-to-box or central midfielder, two balanced inside forwards and a poacher that stays central at all times to be a focal point and does not do much defensively.

FC IQ finally delivers a tangible upgrade on the pitch / EA Sports

While there was an element of being able to play like this in previous FC and FIFA titles, the deeper and more detailed focus on it this time around really pays off and there's a tangible difference to how the players act in these different roles.

When playing FC 24, Indy100 found all too often that players were not where they were expected to be. It caused attacks to feel a little stunted despite giving them instructions to match this as best as possible, often then having to resort to taking players on one-on-one or trying to outpace them.

But with FC 25, within the first couple of games, Indy100 was amazed to see players pretty much exactly where they wanted them to play short passes and then move into a different yet sensible area of the pitch.

This allows for build-up play through the thirds by beating a press and not getting overrun.

And it's great to see the number of different options there are to the approach, player roles, if a player should be more attack or defensive minded and how the different roles affect the makeup of the team both in and out of possession.

Admittedly, it's not perfect, as pace can still be king.

That's especially true in online matches where players who have spent a bomb on their squad in Ultimate Team get the ball out to pacy, tricky wingers, cut inside at ease and curl it beyond the keeper or square it to a team-mate in the box after getting to the byline.

But it's in attack where FC IQ currently really shines as it gives so many more options to players who like the tactical side of the game.

If gamers get players who suit a short passing game, passing can be very strong, if maybe a little overpowered, with tricky passes consistently delivered with pinpoint accuracy.

The same can be said for some long-range passing too.

Yet it's still a huge upgrade on the pitch from FC 24 and it will be interesting to see how EA continues to develop this.

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