While not as an impressive leap forward as FIFA 14 on next-generation consoles, FIFA 15 is still a solid package. The gameplay might have taken a sideways or even slightly backwards step, but at the moment, this is the closest to the beautiful game we have in terms of presentation and delivery. For now.

In terms of the menus, most of it feels exactly the same as previous titles apart from the Team Management. Making substitutions and switching tactics has been given a slight makeover. It takes a tiny getting bit of used to but ultimately seems like another step in the right direction. The usual game-modes are available as well, from the popular Ultimate Team to the standard cups and career mode.



Another addition to the game is the Match Day Live content. This is real and up to date information on teams in your chosen league. It also gives you the opportunity to play your team against their next opponents. It will give you team stats, top goal scorers for both teams, and the league table standings. One other improvement is the Pro Clubs option for Online. In this you can create your own team, invite 11 of your friends and with your new found team play online against other players who have done the same. I don’t feel that this will be a huge option for South Africans, maybe in Europe.

Getting FIFA 15 to run at 60fps without stuttering, on a PC that exceeds the necessary specs by some distance, is no simple feat. It may even be impossible. Thousands of PC players have been affected by bizarre micro-stutter, and you’ll find hints and guides across the internet with suggestions on how to address this. At the time of writing, anything approaching smooth play is only possible for me with the application of GPU tweaks and third-party software. For some people even these external solutions don’t work. This is not even close to acceptable, especially for a title with relatively low system demands.

That, perhaps, is FIFA's defining contradiction. EA can quite fairly claim to have again delivered the best football game ever made. But every year the developers seem to have less of an idea what that means.