FC IQ is EA Sports FC’s hot new feature and players can’t afford to overlook it

IT’S September, and that means that another entry in the EA Sports FC, formerly FIFA, series is about to be released.

Ultimate Edition players are already in the game, but Standard Edition players have to wait a bit longer for their fun.

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Just like with all new entries, EA Sports FC 25 doesn’t shake up the tried and tested formula, and adds just a few new concepts.

But while the changes are small, they’ll mean a lot to long-time fans rather than your typical UT grinders.

The biggest change is the new FC IQ feature, which adds an extra layer to how you manage your team’s tactics.

The complex system will put off fans at first, but once you start experimenting it adds a whole new layer of depth.

Essentially it means that your position no longer dictates your role on the team, meaning you’ll have to consider your players more carefully.

With FC IQ, players can automatically change formation depending on whether they are attacking or defending, which is a nifty new trick.

EA FC worked fine before the change, and many will ignore FC IQ, but we think the system will really shine once competitive online multiplayer truly gets underway.

The other major change is the unified season pass, which allows players to gain XP across their teams regardless of the mode they play in.

This will likely give a much needed boost to Career Mode, as players can level up solo rather than grinding endless UT matches.

Ultimate Team has received no major new features for the first time in years, giving another boost to Career Mode’s playability.

All new menus added to Career Mode allow you to map out your season, giving a greater sense of what advantages each action can give you.

On the pitch, it will play the same as you remember, though players are more likely to get physical when snatching the ball away from an opponent.

This has given a boost to your defensive capabilities, but more is needed to make these players as valuable as they are in real life.

Goalkeepers are probably the most improved, particularly on low balls and in 1v1 scenarios. Power and finesse shots also feel significantly nerfed.

We played EA Sports FC 25 on the PS5 which is where the new Graphics mode is debuting, but we felt like the differences were pretty trivial.

The AR elements tended to linger on the screen for too long, and while flashy, we could do without these and the cutscenes when going for a quick throw-in.

Compared to last year, the number of innovations have been cut to the bone, but the number of things that can be done with FC IQ alone is impressive.

However, if you ignore this feature, and it can be easy to overlook, you’ll just see more of the same, just a  little shinier, though at this point it’s what fans expect.

If you want to read more about the game, check out how you can play 10 hours of EA Sports FC 25 for free.