14 DAY TRIAL // FIFA 13 is a great game (for more details anyone can read the full Softpedia review of the newest EA Sports football simulation) but even after playing it for close to 3 hours a day for more than one week, there are things that I am still discovering about it.
One of the most interesting has been the way the game evolves via the Matchday experience and how it makes even my normal multiplayer routine, one-on-one with a colleague, special and constantly changing.
The idea is that FIFA 13 wants to stay closer than before to the real-world sport and it takes form, suspension and injuries from the real world and moves them to the game.
Purists can turn off the feature and always play with an unchanging team of never tired men, re-enacting their favorite rivalries and always trying to get the perfect result.
I was one of the purists for about two days, but then I turned on Matchday for review purposes and I have not gone back since.
I play Liverpool and the team I have on the pitch evolves based on the way the real-world players of the club I support conduct themselves.
Sure, I curse a little under my breath when one of my best defenders is injured or when one of my midfielders does something stupid and gets sent off, but I know that my opponent, who favors Fulham, needs to deal with the same issues.
The fact that commentary also changes slightly is another nice touch from the developers, although listening to the exact same introduction for four multiplayer matches played in one hour makes me hate the small talk, which remains the weakest part of FIFA as a series.
FIFA 13 with Matchday is a good fit for those who like to closely watch the real-world game and also like a virtual experience that complements it.