Anthony Martial has simply scored a belter. He picked the ball up 35 yards out, ghosted previous one defender with a shimmy of his hips, froze the following man with a stepover earlier than shifting the ball to his proper and leathering it into the highest nook from simply exterior the field.
It appeared spectacular in real-time, however after I sluggish it down within the instantaneous replay, it’s even higher. I can see the defender stumble on the first shimmy, the ball slowly rising after Martial hits it with backspin, and the keeper getting the slightest contact because it fizzes previous.
It’s solely after watching the replay, about 4 hours into my time with FIFA 19, that I actually begin to discover the little issues EA has modified since final yr. You crunch into tackles tougher. Strong gamers throw their weight round extra, shielding the ball from defenders. Agile wingers can slip away from tackles quicker, and whenever you do smash a volley previous a despairing keeper, it feels higher than ever earlier than in a FIFA game.
Yes, it’s one other yr of small enhancements, however they add as much as one thing that’s extra enjoyable on the pitch. Even if it doesn’t take the identical steps ahead off it.
The massive headline function in FIFA 19 is timed ending. You can shoot the identical approach you probably did in FIFA 18, however in the event you faucet the shoot button once more as you’re about to strike the ball, you’ll hit it with additional energy and accuracy. Tap it too early and also you’ll scuff it. Too late and the ball will have already got left your foot.
It makes taking pictures really feel extra like actual life: in the event you attempt it when the ball is caught beneath your toes, or when it flashes again to you out of a crowd of gamers, you’ll should react faster to get it proper, and subsequently you’re extra more likely to fluff the prospect. But when you’ve got the time and house to arrange a shot, you’re extra more likely to join.
You can utterly ignore it as a function, if you would like. But the standard of objectives you’ll rating whenever you use it – like that Martial strike – make it a relentless temptation, and I like having a risk-reward battle each time I’m by on objective.
I’ve all the time most popular taking pictures in PES as a result of it feels extra assorted, however timed taking pictures closes the hole by supplying you with each screamers and scuffs. When mixed with new ball physics, which makes the ball really feel extra energetic, and fewer prefer it’s simply pinging between gamers, you’ll see much more selection in your objectives than in FIFA 18. For each screamer, I’ve scored off a fluky deflection. For each overhead kick, I’ve poked the ball residence by the keeper’s legs from six yards. The act of sticking the ball within the web merely feels higher in FIFA 19, and it makes a giant distinction.
Things are higher in midfield and on the again, too. EA has reworked the way in which gamers battle for the ball, which suggests it’s not a case of simply getting alongside your opponent and mashing L2/LT. If a participant is close to the ball, they’ll go after it aggressively. Defenders will take ball and man in slide tackles, however attackers may also chase down unfastened balls, typically turning a seemingly misplaced trigger of their favour.
In previous FIFA games, it’s typically felt like both tempo or pace dominates, however EA has received the stability spot on this yr. A pacey winger can nonetheless burst previous a full again, and talent strikes usually tend to improper foot the CPU, however a giant centre again will win a shoulder-to-shoulder battle with a smaller ahead. You can actually discover a participant’s strengths and weaknesses, and it makes for a extra plausible game of soccer.
Tactics are one other level of enchancment, however the brand new system isn’t excellent. You can set separate methods for every of the 5 mentalities (from ultra-defensive to ultra-attacking), shifting quite a few sliders to determine how deep your defenders will drop, or how extensive your wingers will play.
You can even select totally different overarching kinds for each attacking and defending for every mentality, and there are many choices to select from. When defending, for instance, you possibly can select to get males behind the ball, go for all-out strain, or for one thing in between, reminiscent of dashing after the ball for seven seconds after you lose it. You can actually really feel the impact on the pitch, too, and it creates a variety of freedom for the way you arrange your sides.
But it nonetheless appears like a primary try. It’s fairly fiddly to arrange your ways, and there’s no strategy to copy a template between two mentalities. I wished Paul Pogba to have a free position on the balanced, attacking and ultra-attacking mentalities, which meant flicking between the three and setting it every time. During matches, you possibly can’t change ways for any mentality aside from the one you’re at present utilizing, which appears weird.
The new first contact mechanics are equally up and down. Tapping the appropriate stick in any course earlier than you obtain the ball will make your participant do a elaborate flick. It feels nice whenever you pull it off – nevertheless it’s too straightforward to tug off. If you’re in house, you possibly can reliably flick the ball up and blast a volley residence.
These are each minor gripes that EA might repair, however the largest grievance about FIFA 19 is that it merely feels too straightforward towards the CPU. In profession mode, I performed on Ultimate issue, which was beforehand solely in Ultimate Team. I anticipated an actual problem. Instead, I ran away with the league as Man United. Opposition defenders will constantly fail to select up runs out of your midfielders, resulting in straightforward objectives.
In one six-minute half towards Watford, I ran up 4 objectives, 17 photographs and 65 p.c of the possession, and I missed solely two or three sitters. Yes, my staff was stronger, nevertheless it shouldn’t be taking place on FIFA’s highest-ever issue. FIFA has all the time been extra end-to-end than the extra thought of Pro Evo, however I might’ve favored to see EA sluggish the tempo down barely, and make it tougher to create possibilities.
Still, you possibly can all the time go into the settings and fiddle with the gameplay sliders, altering every little thing from the CPU’s default dash pace to the prospect of a passing error, or the possible severity of any accidents. Those sliders are one in all my favorite issues about EA’s sports activities games, and you may actually make FIFA 19 really feel like your individual.
Off the pitch, FIFA 19 doesn’t make many strides with its game modes. EA have secured a brand new Champions League license, and it’s undoubtedly cool to stroll out whereas the voice everyone knows so effectively sings “THE CHAMPIOONSS”, however I might’ve a lot somewhat they revamped Career Mode, which hasn’t modified in years.
The Journey story mode receives extra consideration, and now you can management three characters, together with the principle man Alex Hunter, who’s enjoying at Real Madrid. Switching between gamers whenever you need is novel, however I couldn’t deliver myself to care concerning the characters, who’re largely unlikeable. Lanky striker Danny Williams, who’s climbing up the Premier League ranks, merely calls himself ‘The Williams’. Ugh.
Worst of all, you’re requested to finish numerous coaching classes early on, so that you’ll should battle by a pair hours of boredom to get to the meaty bits.
And then there’s the behemoth of FIFA Ultimate Team, which is greater than ever: within the new Division Rivals event you’ll play placement games earlier than competing towards gamers of an analogous talent degree in tournaments. As in earlier years, I nonetheless suppose you accrue gold cash too slowly in FIFA 19, which funnels you in direction of spending actual cash to get higher gamers. But increase your staff along with your favorite gamers is admittedly satisfying, and few different games can beat the joys or frustration, relying on which aspect you’re on, of an in depth on-line match.
The largest adjustments, maybe unexpectedly, are in Kick Off. You can arrange matches in numerous eventualities, essentially the most imaginative of which is Elimination, the place you lose a participant each time you rating. But my favorite addition is the power to create an account to trace your outcomes throughout totally different consoles, and document your matches towards different gamers who’re additionally logged in. Last yr, I performed 50 games of FIFA over a few months with a buddy, and we wrote each consequence and scorer on three A4 items of paper. This yr, FIFA will deal with it for me.
I’d fortunately play one other 50 games with my buddy, and numerous extra on-line and towards the pc, in FIFA 19. It’s a disgrace EA has uncared for profession mode and enjoying towards the AI feels simpler than regular, until you’re prepared to tweak gameplay sliders. But the adjustments EA have made – notably to taking pictures – have paid off. FIFA 19 is best than FIFA 18 in virtually each approach, and it’s extra enjoyable to play than some other soccer game proper now.
For all issues FIFA 19, check out our guide.
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