Alright, so I finally got around to spending some proper time with FC 24, and I decided to dive into something a bit different this time: the MLS.
Getting Started with MLS
You know how it is, you play the usual leagues, the big European ones, over and over. I felt like mixing it up. Saw the MLS leagues were all there, fully licensed and everything, figured why not give it a proper go? Heard a lot about Messi joining Inter Miami, obviously, which kinda put the league back on my radar.
So, I fired up the game. Didn’t jump straight into Ultimate Team or anything fancy. Wanted to get a feel for the teams first, maybe in Kick-Off, but ended up deciding Career Mode was the way to really get stuck in. Managing a team felt like the best way to experience it properly.
Picking the Team
This took a minute, gotta admit. My first thought was Inter Miami. It’s the obvious one, right? Messi, Busquets… but then it felt a bit like cheating, maybe too easy? I dunno. I scrolled through the list:
- LAFC looked decent, good branding.
- Seattle Sounders, always seem to be competitive.
- Atlanta United, remember them having a good run a few years back.
In the end, I actually went with Austin FC. No massive reason, honestly. I liked their stadium vibe from the pictures, the green kits were cool, and it felt like a team I could maybe build up a bit, you know? Not starting right at the top or the absolute bottom. Just felt like a solid project.
The Managerial Grind
So, I took the Austin job in Career Mode. First thing, jumped into the squad screen. Had a look at who I was working with. Some familiar names, some not so much. The overall quality was… alright. Definitely room for improvement, which is good for a career mode I guess. Forces you to actually manage.
Played the first few pre-season games. The gameplay felt… okay? Maybe a tad slower than the top European leagues, players felt a little less sharp on the ball sometimes. Could be just me, though. Took some getting used to.
Then the season started properly. The presentation is pretty slick, gotta say. Authentic MLS branding, scoreboards, looked the part. The stadiums mostly looked great too. Played against LA Galaxy early on, felt like a decent atmosphere.
Managing the team was the usual stuff. Scouting took priority because the initial budget wasn’t huge. Had to look for bargains, maybe some younger players with potential. Transfer negotiations felt standard. Trying to bring in a slightly better midfielder was my first goal. Failed on the first target, typical.
The games themselves were hit and miss. Had some really fun, tight matches. Won a couple late. Got absolutely battered by Seattle once, which was humbling. Defending felt a bit tricky sometimes, seemed easy to get caught out on the counter. But scoring some nice team goals felt rewarding.
Overall Thoughts
Spending time focused just on the MLS in FC 24 was… interesting. It’s definitely a different flavor. You don’t have the superstar power across every team like in Europe, so you rely more on tactics and finding those hidden gems in the transfer market, especially in Career Mode.
It wasn’t perfect, mind you. Sometimes the AI felt a bit predictable, and like I said, the pace took adjusting to. But overall? Yeah, it was a solid experience. A good change of pace from the usual grind. It felt like a proper project, trying to build up Austin FC. Kept me busy for a good few sessions.
Would I recommend trying an MLS career? Yeah, if you’re looking for something different in FC 24, give it a shot. It’s got its own unique challenges and feel. Worth exploring, for sure.
