UFL is the latest football game to challenge for EA Sports FC's crown, but with a mixed launch, can it take the spot at the top of the table? EA Sports FC, previously known as FIFA, has long dominated the football gaming world since the 90s. Only Pro Evolution Soccer has been able to topple the juggernaut when it became the most played football game in the early 2000s, but with the demise of that series, EA Sports FC has faced no real competition.

Step forward UFL, a game made from scratch in recent years for those sick of the yearly updates from EA Sports' top title. Many thought the move away from FIFA would see a change for the series, but the last two years have remained the same for EA Sports FC with poor games. However, after years of development and trial betas, UFL has now launched with a mixed start, but can it be the one to put a serious challenge to the long-time football king?

UFL Is Still Lacking In Some Basic Areas

Own Goals On The Pitch

On the pitch, UFL is a competent football game, but one that struggles with some basic football problems. ing is one of the strongest features in the game, but on a number of occasions UFL's AI gets confused about who you want to to. Another issue is an age-old problem with football games – poor goalkeepers – and here it returns. During the opening weekend since its launch, it feels as though a lot of the time there might as well have been no one in goal.

The other big area of concern with UFL is made clear immediately upon loading up the game when you are asked to make an Ultimate Team-style squad. This team building mode is the only real mode in the game, with the only other option being exhibition matches featuring just a handful of licensed real teams to use, a problem that Pro Evolution Soccer has suffered with for many years. This is especially frustrating given the length of time for the development of UFL. While the game does introduce some concept teams that you can use with the top real life players, this will put people off more than keep them playing.

What UFL Has That EA Sports FC 25 Doesn't

A Different Approach To The Beautiful Game

While the above problems won't fill new players with confidence, it still provides a refreshing change for those used to playing the EA Sports FC series, which has been more evolution than revolution year-on-year. When it works, UFL's ing game is varied and offers a lot of options not available elsewhere. Long ing feels like a viable option and can be used to either quickly open the pitch or set a striker through on goal.

UFL has the big selling point of being free for people to play and try out, despite featuring some pay-to-win elements.

While there are many similarities between the two games, UFL has a much quicker pace and arcade style of game. The ing is the primary reason for this, but if you want a more end to end style of game, UFL could be the game to go to. The ease with which it can be picked up also transfers to the other side of the game when defending. Tackling and defending in general have always been tough to master in football games, but again, it is easy to execute in UFL, although this is at the expense of the difficulty of dribbling.

Off the field, there are a few additions in UFL of note within the main mode. Firstly, players can earn experience to permanently increase their stats, something which Ultimate Team has never offered. UFL has also introduced skins to customize players, a feature common across gaming, but not so much in sports titles. With Cristiano Ronaldo front and center on the cover, it has the potential market and lots of big players signed up, but it needs to make the most of them.

How UFL Could Compete In The Future

The Next Steps To Challenge

For a launch, UFL provides both optimism and disappointment. While it feels like there certainly should be more, the basis is here for a game that can challenge EA Sports FC. Long term it is unlikely to be able to challenge it in relation to licensing and the overall package it can offer, but there are areas it can hold its own. This needs to be focused around the gameplay in UFL, which plays very differently than EA Sports FC 25.

Due to the power its opposition has financially, the best bet is to offer a different gameplay experience with a football title for those that don't expect it to be an exact replica of the real life game, but instead want a more fun option to play. With how easy it is to pick up and play UFL, the basis of this type of football game is here.

Away from the gameplay, there are some good ideas, but these need to be expanded on. Further modes must be added to differentiate itself from just another Ultimate Team, especially in a sports games market with a lot of titles heading in the same direction. UFL has had a rocky start as it aims to topple the EA Sports FC franchise, but there is the potential there for a great football game, if it can fix early problems and find its own identity.