DISCLAIMER: A review copy was provided by the publisher.
Platform: Xbox One (reviewed), Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, and PC
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
MSRP: $59.99, $79.99 (Champions Edition), $99.99 (Ultimate Edition)
Release Date: Standard Edition – Friday, September 28th, 2018. Champions and Ultimate Edition – Tuesday, September 25th, 2018.
It’s fall, that means we’re deep in EA’s reign on the gaming market with new shooters and their big money makers, the sports titles. We’ve already had Madden, NHL, and NBA drop this year, now it’s time for arguably their most popular sports franchise, the beautiful game: FIFA.
FIFA 19 fires on all cylinders with yet another incredible story mode, brilliant gameplay, and plenty of refinement in all areas. It’s no wonder that this series is as popular and successful as it is, it’s because EA Vancouver’s dedication to quality is second to none. They’re not about just meeting the bare minimum because they’re contractually obligated to the FIFA license, they’re about delivering the definitive soccer experience year over year.
The highlight of these games for the last few years has been the campaign AKA ‘The Journey’. They’re expertly written, filled with depth through story and gameplay, and give you plenty to do to ensure you’re not just watching an interactive movie. It shines in all areas whereas Madden’s Longshot mode dwindles in the gameplay department and in this year’s installment, the story as well.
In FIFA 19, we find all three of our protagonists (that’s right, three) at different points in their respective careers but all of them are very successful. Alex Hunter is living the high life with fancy new agents and managers trying to coast off his talent, Kim Hunter is making a name for herself on the women’s USA soccer team, and childhood friend to Alex, Danny Williams, is attempting to break out of the shadow of his successful brother.
There’s a lot to unpack in this story, it has a lot going on at once and truthfully, it shouldn’t work… but it does. For starters, The Journey in FIFA 19 has a very unique narrative structure. You’re allowed to flip-flop back and forth between protagonists whenever you want, you can spend months with Alex and then go back in time to play as Kim, catch back up to Alex on the timeline, and then go to Danny or play as one of the other two.
It has a very non-linear structure. While a game like GTA V has three protagonists, all the events of each character take place at the same time. You’re never further ahead in the timeline with one character than the others. FIFA 19 is the opposite of that but… it somehow still feels cohesive. It’s a story that weaves in and out, it’s not really one whole story but rather three independent ones that cross over from time to time.
It sounds incredibly confusing and I can’t even imagine the logistical nightmares of trying to make this thing in a year but it’s actually really cool. More importantly, each character feels fully realized. Kim is trying to make a name for herself in the legendary Hunter family as a semi-illegitimate child yet reporters are just using her as a vessel to get questions answered about Alex, she doesn’t feel totally appreciated and desires a way to make herself stand out.
Alex meanwhile is losing sight of what’s important with his family, he isn’t remaining grounded. He gets caught up with managing his own brand, he’s on a bit of an ego trip. You get both perspectives of this particular story as well, you see it from the glamorous aspect that Alex sees and you also see it from Kim’s view who frowns upon it more or less.
You’re allowed to explore each individual story at your own pace, you can play through one, two, or all three. However, if you’d like but if you want a more curated experience, there’s a recommended path that highlights when you should switch characters.
FIFA 19’s campaign builds off of all the foundations that came before it with plenty of playing time, character customization for all three protagonists, plenty of meaningful choices, and much more. If you’ve played FIFA 18 and have that save file on your console, choices will import into FIFA 19 and change the flow of your story depending on what happened last year. If you haven’t played it on this console (I played on PS4 last year, Xbox One this year), the game will make the choices and outcomes from last year for you.
When it comes time to hit the pitch, you’ll usually have the option to play exclusively as your character, play as a team (traditional FIFA experience), or a new third option, play with your mentors/key teammates. While it varies per character, Kim plays with the one and only Alex Morgan so you can only switch between those two. That means the ball is usually out of your control when you’re playing defense, you’ll have to position yourself and wait for possession to return to you so you can move in for the attack.
As you play exclusively with your mentors, your bond grows, creating better chemistry on the pitch, and it even unlocks challenges for you to play in. It’s a nice additional touch that some may not fully take advantage of depending on how they like to play but it shows that EA is willing to build on the formula they’ve created.
I’m willing to say that FIFA has the best gameplay in the sports genre, it’s my personal favorite annual sports title thanks to that heart racing speed, the precise footwork needed to move the ball and sink a goal, and the overall intensity. There’s nothing else like it and FIFA 19 continues to prove that with its refined gameplay.
Veterans will notice new additions like new a colored meter that appears above your player’s head when going to shoot goals that allows for more precise control over your shots. On top of having to aim your shot effectively, you tap the shoot button once to begin the meter and time it to tap it within the green of the meter. The closer to the green, the more effective the shot.
It’s a much better way to measure the power and precision of your shot than just holding the button for a microsecond and hoping it’s not too much but simultaneously also enough to hit the net.
On the flip side, there are some things that don’t feel quite so perfect. At times, it felt like my team’s AI wasn’t quite up to par. When playing as a full team rather than just the protagonist or the mentors, it didn’t feel like my team was positioning themselves to get open for passes or keep the defense off me.
There were times where my strikers would just run to the side of the pitch rather than closing in towards that sweet spot close to the penalty box to get open for a pass. It’s frustrating and confusing, causing what felt like easy goals to quickly crumble in front of my own eyes.
Luckily, player control feels far more fluid and flexible than ever before. Running the ball down the pitch feels far smoother than past entries so if something like this does happen, sometimes all hope isn’t lost and I can use the responsive controls and systems to work this jumbled play in my favor.
Players feel incredibly agile, there’s a sense of real control over the moment to moment action. Unlike previous years, there weren’t many (if any) moments where I felt like the game screwed me over due to lack of responsive controls causing me to lose possession of the ball, there’s an incredible flow to FIFA 19 that is rather elegant.
The Verdict:
FIFA 19 has some new additions but it feels like this year was focused on honing in on a truly refined soccer experience. Veterans will notice all the nifty tweaks to gameplay, adjustments to modes, and more but FIFA 19 really shines in its attempts to polish itself.
Those who appreciate a good story will also love FIFA 19’s return to The Journey which continues to tell captivating stories with grand themes and well-written characters. It’s truly astonishing that EA is pushing out these stories which are consistent gaming highlights on a yearly basis. The work EA Vancouver is putting in is nothing short of impressive and it’ll be sure to pay off both in critical reception and plenty of sales throughout the next 12 months.
