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FIFA 18 is out: every year we are given the next instalment of sports games, and every year you will see a few idiots buy a copy at their local supermarket and drive it home with a seatbelt secured around FIFA. Every year you will see wives and girlfriends across the country moan because they have lost their other halves to a game. Every year you will see videos of angry teens and adults across the country throw controllers into their tv and have complete FIFA rage. This year, if life mimics the game, expect to see exactly the same.
It has been a well known fact for the last few years that FIFA has been the second best football game on the market. Despite this, all my mates play FIFA and all your mates do too. This is something everyone has accepted and is just a way of life. We are often too scared to change.
Things about FIFA 18 will impress you. One of these aspects are the graphics and the character design. When it comes to in game and during video sequences, it is tricky to determine between real life and the game. Having played far too many games already, I have noticed that this year, not only do the players look realistic but so do the kits, managers, stadiums and fancy style boots. Noticeably, they didn’t look too far off real in FIFA 17 either. So, if it is graphics which pull you into a game then FIFA 18 is perfect for you.
FIFA always boosts an impressive soundtrack, and shortly into career mode your heart will start thumping and your toes tapping to the relatively-unknown Avelino and the well-known Stormzy. Then, 10 minutes later, my heart went from thumping to fuming. What is this I have heard before? Nah, I must be mistaken. Hold on… I have heard this all before. 20 games in and I had realised that Martin Tyler and Alan Smith must have made easy money this year because the majority of the in-game commentary was exactly the same as last year’s! It’s not like the commentary is perfect either.
After I took off Kyle Walker and put on Leroy Sane, Martin Tyler announced how I was making a defensive sub to shut up shop. Also, when I was losing 3-0 and there was about one minute left, Smith decided to announce that there may just be enough time to get an equaliser… Saying that, I am of the age to remember the old ISS Pro Evolution commentary and this is nowhere near as bad as that was. It is just a shame that a game with such a strong soundtrack really hasn’t gone that extra mile to ensure all aspects of the sound are secure. During the career mode, you hear a number of voiced football stars, like Cristiano Ronaldo and Rio Ferdinand, which all have been filmed and synced smoothly.
There have been considerable changes to the gameplay and it is very obvious when it comes to attacking. If you love scoring goals, then this is the right FIFA for you. Every striker, no matter how good, seems to glide through the defenders and bang the ball top-corner as if they were Messi. But there are always two halves to a game, and with attacking being so easy, you will begin to notice just how hard it is to defend. Playing against the computer, I was able to keep a few clean sheets, but during my long and arduous stint in Ultimate Team, I probably scored about 200 and let in 150… and that was just in 10 games. I found myself sliding in and getting far too many cards because I couldn’t keep up with the movement of the attacker.
The basic character control is the same as the last few FIFAs, with response time being pretty decent and with you constantly getting annoyed with the character changing to the one you didn’t want it to (the standard pains of a football game).
The variety of game modes offered is incredible and will keep you entertained for ages. I spent a long time playing the career mode which launches back into the well-documented life of Alex Hunter. After playing that for a few hours, I started the infamous Ultimate Team which has a few nice little extra additions. As well as all of this, you have the standard exhibition mode, seasons, pro seasons and a few more. You will find yourself taking part in transfer negotiations where you, the player and the agent sit in a room. Unfortunately, I wasn’t sold by this and thought it was nothing more than a glitchy and cheap gimmick. A lot of people have talked about how they love it, so maybe I’m just a Scrooge.
No matter the flaws, the lack of any meaningful changes and all the frustrating elements to FIFA… if you are a football fan, you will definitely enjoy it, and if you have friends, I am sure you will enjoy it even more as they will be playing it, too. Ultimate Team will scavenge all your pennies, while career mode will take all your time and convince you that you may still have a chance of making pro. Yes, you’ll find yourself smashing through the fluid online modes against a bunch of 14-year-olds, refraining yourself to not rise to their constant cussing. You could just continue playing FIFA 17, but what would be the fun there?
FIFA 18 will be the sports game of the year and it doesn’t matter about people’s actual opinions of the game, they will still play it. Fact.
DVDfever Dom adds: “It sounds pretty kicking!” 😉
FIFA 18 is out now on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch, and click on the packshot for the full-size version.
Important info:
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Players: single player, multiplayer
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GRAPHICS SOUND GAMEPLAY ENJOYMENT |
10 7 7 8 |
| OVERALL | 8 |
I have been a video game player since 1993 and a music fan since I can remember. I studied Film and Journalism at university and ended up becoming a Primary School teacher. Video games changed my life and sent me on the right track and have stayed with me ever since.