FIFA 19 Review

With great improvements to how you play, additional modes in FUT, the addition of the Champion’s League, and visual enhancements in every mode, you’ll find it hard to put the controller down. There have been improvements on the gameplay, physics and the majority of the game modes, which proves that EA has been working to create a competitive game that manages to meet expectations. With the addition of the Champions League license, FIFA 19 is able to realistically portray the European soccer experience. Introduction scenes and team anthems will satisfy soccer fans without a doubt. Passing and shooting accuracy feel less automatic which makes players depend on their skill rather than the AI’s. Another great change is that sprinting down the wing with a fast player is also no longer a great option as pace is not as effective as before.

Alex Hunter’s story also gets a conclusion in The Journey’s third season and we get to take hold of two other characters rather than just focus on Alex. The Journey was an enjoyable experience and really allows you to feel like you’re living the life of an actual soccer player. Some game modes such as career mode and pro clubs where left unchanged and could have been expanded upon. The net code for the game is great and finding games is quick and seamless. This makes online play much more fun than previous installments thanks to reduced waiting times.

In terms of problems – the only bug that has constantly frustrated me is being unable to apply consumables at times in FUT. I have to exit out of the game mode and re-enter to apply them. The same problem also occurred a few times when doing squad building challenges. It is common to feel cheated while defending but that is just part of the game. It can be extremely frustrating at times, but that’s the nature of the series. Losing FIFA always will be very annoying but it is what pushes players to improve.

FIFA 19 does not reinvent the whole series, but it is a step forward in some elements, such as the gameplay, the approach to football more realistic and a better artificial intelligence. The new modes, like rules free, are really fun and, in general, the fans of football will enjoy it. The movement and first touch of the players is a lot more fluid and the game in general takes a more realistic approach to the sport.