I still remember downloading eFootball 2022 the day it dropped, expecting a polished replacement for the Pro Evolution Soccer series I’d played for over a decade. Like many players, I was left confused by the launch state, rough animations, and missing features that dominated early discourse. If you’re considering downloading it now, or coming back after skipping the first few updates, you’re probably asking how is eFootball 2022, especially compared to later entries in the franchise. This guide breaks down its current state, best parts, biggest flaws, and whether it’s worth your time, plus actionable tips to get the most out of it if you decide to play.
How is eFootball 2022’s Gameplay Compared to Other Franchise Entries?
The 2022 iteration of eFootball went through 12 major post-launch patches, so its current state is almost unrecognizable from the buggy mess that launched in late 2021. The biggest difference you’ll notice right away is the pace: it’s significantly slower than both PES 2021 and newer eFootball releases, with a heavy focus on deliberate build-up play instead of fast, arcadey counterattacks. Defending is far more tactical than in later eFootball entries – you can’t just sprint at attackers and win the ball automatically, you have to time tackles perfectly and hold your defensive shape to avoid giving up space.
Crossing is another standout feature here, as it’s far more effective than in 2023 or 2024 versions of the game. Wingers with high curve and crossing stats can put in balls that even average strikers can finish, so wide play is a core part of the meta instead of an afterthought. The only real gameplay flaw that remains is clunky one-touch pass animations in tight spaces, which can lead to cheap turnovers when you’re playing through a crowded midfield. But if you hated the hyper-fast, skill-move focused gameplay of newer eFootball entries, you’ll almost certainly prefer the more realistic, simulation-style flow of the 2022 version.
Key Pros of Playing eFootball 2022 in 2024
One of the biggest draws of this entry is that it’s completely free to play with no pay-to-win lock on core modes. All official teams, offline career modes, and basic online ranked play are accessible without spending a cent, unlike some later entries that push microtransactions to unlock even basic competitive features. You can grind for in-game currency to unlock cosmetic items if you want, but you’ll never be at a gameplay disadvantage for not spending real money.
The player roster is also extremely customizable, even if Konami stopped official updates for the game in late 2022. Community-made roster patches are released every month, with updated 2024 squads, licensed kits, and correct player faces that fix all the gaps in Konami’s official data. The online player base is still surprisingly active too, especially on PC and PlayStation 5 – you can find a ranked match in under 30 seconds in most regions, even during off-peak hours.
The career mode (Master League) is far more detailed than in newer eFootball releases as well. You get full transfer negotiation controls, youth academy management, and press conferences that actually affect team morale, instead of the stripped-back, paid-only career mode featured in eFootball 2024. I’ve put over 80 hours into Master League on this entry, and I still prefer it to any other football simulation career mode on the market right now.
Common Flaws You Should Expect Before Playing
For all its strengths, eFootball 2022 still has a few persistent flaws that haven’t been fixed, even after all the post-launch patches. Launch-era bugs still pop up occasionally, even with all updates installed – I’ve had matches crash right before a penalty shootout, and player faces for lower-league teams are often generic or completely wrong. Microtransactions for cosmetic items are also wildly overpriced, with a single custom kit skin costing as much as $10, which is hard to justify for a three-year-old game.
The competitive ranking system is also a bit broken. You can get matched against players 10 ranks higher than you if you’re on a winning streak, which can be extremely frustrating for new players who are still learning the gameplay mechanics. Crossplay support is also limited: you can only play against people on the same console family, so PlayStation players can’t match with Xbox or PC users, which cuts down on the player pool a bit for less popular regions.
Some of the most commonly reported bugs from active players in 2024 include:
- Random match crashes during extra time of tournament knockout games
- Incorrect player stats for recently transferred players in official rosters
- Input lag spikes when using wireless controllers on PC
- Misaligned commentary that doesn’t match on-pitch action for low-stakes matches
None of these flaws are game-breaking for most players, but they’re worth knowing about before you spend time downloading the 40GB game file.
Practical Tips to Get the Most Out of eFootball 2022
If you decide to give the game a try, there are a few simple tips that will help you avoid the frustration most new players face when they first boot it up. Always download the latest community roster patch before starting a career mode – it fixes all the outdated player and team data, plus adds missing licensed kits and badges that Konami never added officially. Most patches are easy to install, with step-by-step guides shared on popular eFootball forums.
If you’re new to the slower gameplay, start with 2-3 offline matches against easy AI to get used to the tackling and passing timing, don’t jump straight into online ranked play. The timing window for passes and tackles is much narrower than in newer football games, so it’ll take a few matches to get used to the rhythm. If you’re playing competitively, focus on building a squad with high stamina and short passing stats first – those are the two most underrated attributes in the 2022 meta, and they’ll give you a huge edge over players who only pick fast attackers.
I also recommend turning off automatic defending if you want to rank up quickly. Manual defending gives you far more control over your backline, and you’ll stop conceding stupid goals from AI defenders running out of position for no reason. I keep a small notebook next to my controller to write down formations that work against specific playstyles, like a 5-3-2 for countering teams that rely on wide crosses, and it’s helped me climb from Bronze to Top 100 in my region in just two months.
At the end of the day, whether eFootball 2022 is right for you depends entirely on what you want from a football simulation. If you want a slow, tactical game with a fully featured career mode and an active online community, it’s one of the best options out there, even years after its launch. If you prefer fast, arcadey gameplay and official regular updates from Konami, you’re better off sticking to newer entries in the franchise. Now that you know how is eFootball 2022, you can decide if it’s worth downloading, and use the tips above to skip the frustration most new players face when they first boot it up. I still fire it up at least once a week for Master League sessions, and it’s become my go-to casual football game when I don’t feel like dealing with the microtransactions of newer releases.