EA Sports FC 25 adds the most vital new mode since Ultimate Team

The promise of EA’s divorce from the FIFA license was that eventually, once the decades of belongings had been separated and FIFA started looking for their own one-bedroom flat, EA Sports FC would be able to go onto heights that the footballing governing body held it back from.

While this wasn’t quite the case for last year’s entry, which had the vibe of a company hastily filing the word “FIFA” off of everything before it got the game out the door, EA Sports FC 25 is the first glimpse of what could be the future of the flagship football simulator.

EA Sports FC 25 includes large sweeping changes, as well as tiny tweaks that only the hardcore will notice. The biggest and best change is the implementation of Rush, a new 5vs5 mode that is implemented across all modes and is the best addition to the series since Ultimate Team.

Essentially, four player-controller outfielders and one AI-controlled goalkeeper go hell-for-leather in intense, frantic, and often hilarious games of five-a-side. This mode is available in Ultimate Team, wherein players can bring one of their very own items into the game to create a supergroup with their pals. It’s also in Clubs and Career Mode.

It’s rare that a series as long in the tooth as EA’s footballing giant can add something that feels so transformative, but now we genuinely can’t imagine the game without Rush. It’s a fun distraction from the hyper-serious Ultimate Team grind that was sadly missing. It’s also a great base from which the mode can grow and grow.

Rush is even implemented in the long-suffering career modes. In manager mode, players can play in games of Rush using their academy prospects to level them up, or discover a hidden gem. In the grind of playing through a whole season, this is a great way to do something different gameplay-wise, but still contribute to your main save.

There’s a welcome focus on synergy across the game’s modes. Players can now gain XP for the in-game battle pass across all modes rather than just Ultimate