FIFA 14 will be available this fall on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC, publisher Electronic Arts announced today, and developer EA Canada is promising numerous important changes to gameplay as well as a major new feature in the career mode.
The studio is highlighting a feature it calls Pure Shot, which will allow players to tweak their run-up to the ball (both stride and approach angle) in order to give themselves the best opportunity to score. According to EA Canada, Pure Shot will allow for off-balance and rushed shots, while a new ball physics system will give rise to a variety of trajectories once a player strikes the ball.
You need to get close to the net in order to score, and EA Canada is also working on that part of the game. You'll have better tools to beat defenders to a loose ball, then protect it while you dribble around and away from them. The studio plans to deliver better teammate AI on both offense and defense, which hopefully means we'll see less of the lax defense that was in FIFA 13.
FIFA 14's career mode includes a Global Scouting Network, which will task players with putting together a team of scouts to scour the world for talent. As you can see in the screenshots below, EA Canada is also revamping the career interface, with an eye on improving navigation.
Check out nine gameplay screenshots and two career screenshots below. EA said it will announce other platforms besides PS3, 360 and PC "in the months ahead."