FIFA 16 First Look: Is Women's Team Football the Only 'Play Beautiful' Addition?

FIFA 16 is set to release later this year.

This year's FIFA title is almost upon us. Developer EA Sports already knows that the competition has heated up, with Konami releasing its brand new Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 just a week earlier. However, EA is maintaining a tagline for FIFA 16 this year, which reads 'Play Beautiful'. This means a lot of focus will be put on the game's visual experience, with changes and upgrades made to the graphics.

This year's FIFA was already in news the moment EA Sports announced that FIFA 16 will host women's football teams for the first time ever. While we are happy that the developers finally decided to allow more power to the ladies, the bigger news for the game is the kind of upgradations EA has made to improve upon the previously released, FIFA 15.

While the official game is still a bit far away, this is the perfect opportunity to take a detailed look at the game and cover what it will be offering. So without further delay, here's our first look at EA Sports' FIFA 16.

FIFA 16 – First Look

For FIFA 16, EA Sports is making sure that fans are treated to the most detailed Career Mode of all time. For this year's Career Mode, there are as many as three pre-season tournaments from across the world to take part in, from a possible nine.
The locations include North America, Asia, Latin America and Europe. This time you can check out each player individually, apart from finding out more about the possible player line-ups and formation strategies before the real season is underway.
If you are able to succeed in the pre-season tournaments, expect hefty sums of prize money that will be added to your transfer kitty for the season.
In case you didn't find the right player to spend money on (congratulations! you are now Arsene Wenger) but fear that the amount will be lost, rest assured that unused money will be carried over to the next season. Plus, pre-season friendlies allow you to make unlimited number of substitutions.
As we mentioned earlier, this year's FIFA is carrying the theme 'Play Beautiful,' enough to notify fans on the kind of visual changes that are taking place. But visuals aren't the only area where beauty will be portrayed. There are changes made to the control levels, with a lot of focus on free mobility and tactics.
For FIFA 16, for instance, a lot of focus has been given to the defending abilities of the player. This time around, defenders will keep a close track of the offensive bodies around, apart from staying on their heels to move with those players.
In fact, the entire backline will now function as one single entity and look to shut out developing attacking plays that might prove a threat (parking the bus is different – ask Jose for more details).
Apart from that, big changes have been made to the way a team's midfield will work. For starters, there's an improved AI involved, that will make players seek out different types of passing. Both attacking and defensive midfielders will look to make the most out of the open areas on the field.
There's also the new Passing and Purpose mechanic that will allow players to find team mates via a ground pass even when there is little space available to get through anything.
When in possession of the ball, know that there are a host of moves that you can pull off even without touching the ball. EA has introduced a brand new Dribble Control System that will let you execute skills (even changing direction) without even a single touch on the ball.
There's also the new Dynamic Crossing feature that looks to connect play by setting up the player and the desired target in a unique animated sequence. Aside that, players will also have the ability to establish the way their slide tackles will be pulled off. So if it's an unsuccessful tackle, you will be able to cut it out midway.
In case you weren't aware, there's also the FIFA Trainer that will help you hone your skills. FIFA Trainer will come with a heads-up display that will offer several options, depending on the current flow of play and the circumstances, allowing new players to get used to all the bits.
Presentation-wise, EA has made several changes that are worth mentioning. For instance, there's now a separate Bundesliga presentation, apart from nine different types of weather patterns. Overall, there are over 400 star player models on offer.
There are also over 900 brand new custom chants that have been recorded from around the world. And as far as supported languages are concerned, the list is massive, with the likes of Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, French, Arabic, Polish, German, Latin American Spanish, Japanese and more. Dutch makes an appearance for the first time.
The FUT mode, for FIFA 16, comes with a brand new Draft feature. With it, players will be allowed to make a strong squad using five players. You can later pit your squad against another person's in a four-match series that earns you reward (FUT packs, coins).
Finally, a word or two on the all new Women's football team addition. The game includes as many as 12 Women's National Teams, with stars such as Alex Morgan and Steph Houghton making appearances for the first time ever. The teams include France, England, Brazil, France, USA, Italy, Germany, Spain, China, Australia, Canada, Sweden and Mexico.