FIFA 23 Review

Thirty years of licensing end on a high note for the part that matters most, which is the ball. HyperMotion2 doubles the volumetric capture data and it shows in the way a half volley skews off the laces. The new power shot, which trades a manual camera zoom and a vulnerable two second wind up for a strike that genuinely tears past a keeper, is the first real risk and reward mechanic the shooting model has had in years.

Defending rewards positioning again after seasons of drop back cheese. What has not moved is everything around it. Career mode adds playable highlights and a personality slider that changes almost nothing, Pro Clubs is the same shell it has been since the last console generation, and the Ultimate Team chemistry rework mostly reshuffles which meta cards you chase. Women's club football is real progress, if a thin first pass. Graded on the pitch this is close to the series best; graded on the menus it is a rerelease with a new number.