Is This an Evolution?
After Konami released ‘New Football Game Online Performance Test’, many fans around the world were worried. Not only did it look underwhelming but the sluggish gameplay also created a sense of uncertainty amongst its followers. Due to the number of messages littered throughout the game telling players that it was not representative of the final product, many dismissed the demo. However, now that the full reveal has dropped, have Konami eased concerns?
In short, no.
Free to Play
Konami’s decision to move to a free-to-play model is brave. For years fans have asked for a base game with DLC for season updates rather than releasing a full game with barely any changes. Although eFootball 2021 promises to have regular updates, the lack of modes and ‘pay to win’ elements will put off many purists. Konami has dabbled with free-to-play, releasing ‘Lite’ versions of PES which will most likely influence the new release. In the current version of MyClub, players can only earn enough ‘Gold Coins’ to purchase one or two of the special players a week. To get the others, gamers can buy the in-game currency and receive leveled-up players, giving them the advantage on the pitch. I understand that there has to be some sort of monetization but this is not what faithful fans wanted.
Graphics
If this is supposed to be a true next-gen football game, then why does it look exactly like the previous releases? Character models are fine. The pitch looks fine. It’s all fine but not great. After a two-year wait, I expected something special that pushed the tech in the new consoles, however, Konami just churned out the same old game.
Master League
I know lots of people prefer MyClub but excluding Master League, a staple of the franchise will deter many gamers. With limited offline options and only a handful of teams, Konami has decided to keep this an online-centric title, meaning a larger portion of players will be going online. Historically, the franchise hasn’t dealt well with that so hopefully, they have a better infrastructure in place that can handle the demand.
Content Updates
A promising aspect of eFootball 2022 is the guarantee of content. Previously, there have only been a limited number of challenges a week which made MyClub massively inferior to FIFA Ultimate Team. Now that the game is completely focusing on the mode, will we now see regular content updates and challenges that will make players log on every day?
This was not the reveal I or any other fan wanted. Although it does mark a significant change in the franchise, it could be at the detriment of its fanbase. Players have always flocked to the series due to the gameplay, however, with the reveal omitting clear details about the time and the pitch and deciding to focus on other aspects, it has left many feeling deflated and disappointed.
What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.
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