Review Detail

Categorically, sports games are not friendly for the mobility impaired. With numerous button combinations, button mashing events and quick time reactions, all sports games present problems even assistive technology can't always solve (unless you were talking about expensive eye gaze equipment).

FIFA 13 doesn't conform to those standards.

The controls for the PC version include a “Two Button” mode that allows total control over the game with just a mouse. When this mode is enabled a blue target cursor appears on your screen. Your player will follow the line and run faster (automatically using sprint) the farther you pull the mouse away from where your player is currently standing.

In order to use only two buttons, the game allows the left and right mouse buttons to act as different functions in different situations. When on the attack, left clicks acts as your ability to shoot, headbutt, lob, and slide kick, and right-click allows passing. On the defense, left clicking accesses your tackle/trip/steal while right clicking contains the ball.

Even your shots on goal are completely controlled by the mouse. The longer you hold either your shot or pass button down, the more forceful your kick. In addition, left clicking to shoot and then quickly shifting your mouse left or right curves your ball. The middle mouse button can also be used for additional skills, but those skills are not necessary to successfully compete.

I never thought I would be able to say this about a mainstream sports game: FIFA 13 can be played with only the mouse.

Alternate control schemes are available including mostly remappable keys. However, the designers hardcoded the mouse controls in Two Button mode making them un-configurable. If you would rather play with only the keyboard, that's also an option. If you would rather play with your game pad, that's also an option. You can even play with the mouse and keyboard or other assistive technology.

The juggernaut soccer title can also be slowed down to 10% of the normal game speed allowing those with slower reaction times to keep up with the game in a way specialty games like those from VTree utilize.

Other Accessibility
There are no subtitles in FIFA13, but the good thing about sports games for the hearing impaired is that a lack of subtitles doesn't matter. Not that ignoring subtitles is excusable. Considering the vast amount of other options added to the game, it certainly would have been worth the time for EA to put close captioning on the stupid and often repetitive commentary.

But as far as gameplay goes, there is no discernible advantage to being able to hear that you scored a goal or that you missed a pass. For the sake of immersion it would've been nice.

Now, for the visually impaired, there are many options that can increase the playability of the game. You can choose from an endless amount of ultra-colorful balls, team uniforms and shoes. This was most likely it ended as a customization feature. However, being able to change your soccer ball to a very bright orange and your team jersey to a bright yellow means that no matter your color deficiency or low vision challenges that you'll be able to see the action on the field.

You can also change the mini map to a 2-D or 3-D version that gives a masterful you of where you are on the field. In addition, there are half a dozen different camera angles the gamer can choose from. The camera can follow the ball, follow the player as you would on TV, stay above the action in a classic style or run right behind the player the same as a third person action game.

Options Options Options
You hear the word options a lot around the subject of game accessibility for one simple reason; options allow gamers of various abilities to control the amount of assistance they need to play a game comfortably. Walking the line between making the game too easy and ridiculously hard can be difficult, but if you have the options to control how the game is played, you can make the game challenging enough to be fun without the frustration of losing.

The following are just some of the options you can set in FIFA 13:
Difficulty level
Time spent to complete each game
Frequency of missing
Speed of your character
Shot power
Stamina
Injuries
Penalties
Game rules
CPU speed
Game speed
And more

With this many options, FIFA 13 enables almost any disabled gamer to play. You still need the some movement with the keyboard, mouse or assistive technology in order to move your player around the screen. But all in all I would venture a guess that upwards of 90% of our audience should be able to play the game with little to no difficulty.

At a Glance
Mobility

No button mashing necessary.
Little precision needed after altering settings.
Remappable keys.
No mandatory quick time events
Camera sensitivity is available.
Mouse sensitivity is available.
Timing of button pressing is important, but can be altered in the settings.
There are difficulty levels.
There are additional game assists.
Recommended score 15

Visual
The game is presented in high contrast.
Colorblind options are available through customization.
Gemini menus are easy to read and navigate.
There are no key elements of the game identified by red and green.
Recommended score 10

Hearing
Game can be successfully completed without sound.
There are no subtitles, but they are not needed except for perhaps deeper immersion into the game.
Audio cues are accompanied by visual cues.
Recommended score 9