I had just booted up FIFA 24 on PC. The menus lagged like I was running the game on a ten-year-old laptop. By the time I reached my first kickoff, the cutscenes stuttered, the frame rate dipped, and the immersion was gone.
I’ve played every FIFA from 2009 to 2023. Some were great, some were forgettable. But this? FIFA 24 is the first time I’ve regretted buying the series. If you’re on the fence about picking it up, let me save you the frustration: don’t.
Here’s why this year’s release is the weakest FIFA yet — and what you should play instead.
1. PC Players Got Left Behind
For PC gamers, FIFA 24 feels like an afterthought.
Menus drop frames, replays lag, and even goal celebrations stutter. I tried every fix: V-Sync, Radeon Anti-Lag, NVIDIA Reflex. Nothing worked.
A football game should flow. Instead, FIFA 24 feels like running in mud. When your hardware is fine but the game still breaks down, it’s not your rig — it’s the developer.
2. Bugs That Break Immersion
Every FIFA has glitches, but FIFA 24 takes it to another level.
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Defenders win a tackle, only to lose the ball instantly.
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Attackers stand frozen as the ball rolls past their feet.
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Goalkeepers let shots phase through their hands like they’re ghosts.
These aren’t one-off annoyances. They happen constantly. Instead of celebrating a goal, you’re left laughing (or swearing) at broken animations.
Football is unpredictable, but it should never feel this fake.
3. The Scripting Problem
FIFA fans have argued about scripting for years. In FIFA 24, it’s undeniable.
Cup finals feel rigged. Promotion matches become scripted dramas. Even casual games force predictable outcomes. Lower-tier teams suddenly play like world champions just to balance the match.
The result? It doesn’t matter how skilled you are. The game decides when you’ll win or lose.
When a football sim feels more like a rigged casino than a sports match, you know something’s wrong.
4. Modes That Don’t Deliver
Ultimate Team (UT)
What used to be the crown jewel now feels hollow. Pack openings dominate the experience. Authenticity is gone. EA lumped men’s and women’s football together in a way that feels like a marketing checkbox rather than a thoughtful feature.
The AI pushes everyone into toxic tactics — endless cutbacks, repetitive meta plays. It’s not football. It’s exploitation.
Career Mode
This has always been my go-to mode. But FIFA 24 shipped without basics like walk-outs, national anthems, and formation intros. Worse, I’ve faced invisible opponents and players moving like they’re stuck in quicksand.
Instead of immersion, Career Mode feels unfinished.
Volta
The one bright spot? Volta still has flashes of fun. But even here, overpowered goalkeepers ruin the small-sided magic.
No mode feels polished. They all feel rushed.
5. Stress Instead of Joy
Games are meant to be an escape. FIFA 24 feels like the opposite.
Rigid scripting, broken mechanics, and constant bugs don’t just waste your time. They create stress. After a few hours, I found myself more tense than before playing.
That’s not entertainment. That’s fatigue.
If you’ve ever wondered why games affect your mood, FIFA 24 is a prime example. It doesn’t just frustrate you in the moment — it leaves you drained.
6. Physics and Mechanics Are a Mess
The core mechanics don’t hold up.
Crosses, finesse shots, and headers are so overpowered that online matches feel like copy-paste replays. Motion speeds between teams don’t match. Uniforms glitch. Animations collapse into chaos.
The beautiful game deserves better than a physics engine that feels like it belongs in a beta test.
So, Should You Buy FIFA 24?
In a word: no.
I’ve played FIFA for nearly two decades, but FIFA 24 feels like the series’ lowest point. Until EA seriously reworks the gameplay, your money is better spent elsewhere.
If you want a football game that still feels authentic, stick with FIFA 22 or FIFA 23. Both are far more stable, more enjoyable, and far less stressful.
The Bigger Problem
FIFA 24 isn’t just a bad game. It’s a warning sign.
EA seems more interested in squeezing Ultimate Team packs than building a great football sim. When fan feedback is ignored, bugs are shipped, and authenticity is sacrificed, the brand’s reputation suffers.
At this point, I wouldn’t be upset if EA lost the FIFA license altogether. Maybe then, football gaming would return to the players — not the profit margins.