eFootball 2022 version 1.0 is now available worldwide

Nearly six months after eFootball 2022 was released, the free-to-play football game has hit version 1.0, which is to say it’s the first “proper” version of the game.

Available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows and Steam, eFootball 2022 brings with it a host of new features, updates, and fixes.

There’s a massive amount of information to get through, so let’s get the newly released trailer out there, first, shall we?

Along with the new “Dream Team” mode that was previously known as “Creative Team” (a mode very similar to FIFA 22’s Ultimate Team), there are a load of new gameplay changes, detailed below:

Player and Ball Behaviour

Player and ball behaviour, on which football is based upon, have been rebuilt from the ground up. With the help of research institutes in Japan, ball trajectories have been improved. The behaviour of the ball on the pitch was analysed and the factors that affect the behaviour was identified. Based on the results of this research, more realistic ball trajectories in this work have been reproduced. From dipping shots and bending crosses, to top-spin through balls and ricochets from blocked shots — users can now experience realistic ball behaviour within many different scenarios.

Natural player behaviours, and ball behaviours that take rotation, bounce, and friction into account. All of these elements help create the “moment of suspense” that are often experienced in modern football. When dribbling past opponents and breaking through the last line of defence with passing plays, these are the factors that give the exhilaration football fans desire.

Tactical Team Battles

In addition to individual player behaviour, engaging in tactical battles by including teamplay elements that are prevalent in modern-day football has also become possible. Individual and team — the bases for these elements have been restructured so that “familiar” scenarios in real-world football will now be replicated throughout matches. Ultimately, these changes made it possible to create a football game in which “football-like” decisions at any given moment could be the deciding factor between winning and losing.

eFootball 2022 “Stunning Kick”

This is one of the most ground-breaking mechanisms that have been incorporated in the game. Low passes, lofted passes, and crosses alike; now users can play all kinds of incisive passes using “Stunning Kicks”. The feeling of making that decisive pass, and the sense of achievement when players break down the opposition, has never been any greater.

Types of Stunning Pass

• Stunning Low Pass: A powerful pass aimed towards the feet of the receiving teammate. The ball will tend to float for passes of longer distance.
• Stunning Lofted Pass: A lower and pacier pass compared to a normal lofted pass.
• Stunning Through Ball: A speedier version of the normal Through Ball, that will tend to end closer to the receiver’s feet
• Stunning Chipped Through Ball: Pacier than the normal Chipped Through Ball, with a slightly lowered trajectory. Furthermore, the ball will tend to end closer to the receiver’s feet than usual.
• Stunning Cross: A slightly lowered and speedier cross. It will also carry a stronger curl.
• Stunning Low Cross: Speedier and with more whip than the normal Low Cross, the ball will also tend to bounce just in front of the receiver when applied

Stunning Shots

• Pacier and more accurate than the normal shots, with a myriad of shot trajectories on offer
  With this update, players can now use Stunning Shots to attempt different types of shots depending on the players’ Skills, such as
• Dipping Shot, Knuckle Shot, and Rising Shot.
• As with all Stunning Kicks, it takes the player more time to wind up the shot, creating a risk/reward element, so needs a strategy to create space and free allies

Pass-and-run (Cross Over)

The new “Pass-and-run (Cross Over)” enables combinations through “diagonal movements” that are often seen in real-world football. New offensive patterns are created in the center of the pitch and on the flanks.

eFootball 2022 defensive Tactics and Changes in Command Settings

On this update, the defensive command settings have been changed so that the ball can be taken away intuitively. Player behaviour has also been enhanced to make defensive plays more satisfying. Furthermore, team defending elements have also been added to the game to ensure that the best outcomes can be achieved by making the right decisions based on the football ideologies.

Pressure

• This is a command in which users can win the ball back proactively
• Players will move towards the ball and once they are within reach of the ball, they will then perform a standing tackle

Match-up

• Tricky dribblers can be managed by using “Match-up”, a defensive option that allows the user to careful track and contain the opposition rather than proactively trying to win the ball back
• By driving the opponent to the side while keeping the body facing the defender, user can bide time and wait for an opportune moment to take back possession of the ball

Call for Pressure

• A new addition to the game as a part of this update, “Call for Pressure” is a command in which the entire team will work in tandem to recover possession
• Utilizing this feature triggers a teammate to pressure the ball carrier, allowing the user to choose to cover space or double up

There’s plenty more that’s new to the game, as well as new licenses from Japan and North America, in the form of Meiji Yasuda J1 League, Meiji Yasuda J2 League, MLS Players Association *”MLSPA” players will appear in the “American League” in-game, and the USL Championship.

eFootball 2022 is available for free, now.