In the melodramatic film of Oliver Stone Any Given Sunday Al Pacino says that American football is an "inch game". That same way of thinking can be applied to the EA approach of FIFA 19 since the changes made are definitely better measured in inches. Although the company continues to deliver a worthwhile soccer game with enough modes and features to keep you occupied until next year, it does not feel like an essential addition to the series.
For the third and last year in a row, FIFA 19 recovers The Journey, a story-centered campaign mode starring the young English prodigy, Alex Hunter. Hunter now plays for the German club Bayern Munich and is on track to become a superstar, but the pressures of fame have left his personal and family relationships in ruins.
His coaches and managers have not had much in the attention of the media he is receiving so to silence the detractors, he must continue acting in the field while also trying to maintain their relationships.
Losing focus
Given the argument we have seen so far, we expected a definite conclusion that would make Alex Hunter become the star of football but instead, FIFA 19 took the strange decision to present it in only one third of the players. history.
His friend Danny Williams and his stepsister Kim Hunter, who appeared on The Journey last year, now receive the same bill, and we take a look at their own tumultuous careers. Kim Hunter's new role in the US National Women's Team UU It leads to some exciting moments, but in reality it is Williams who ends up feeling like the protagonist of The Journey. With the most complete story and the clearest growth, Williams no longer feels prankster, but at the expense of Hunter's closure.
It is certainly more ambitious than last year's mode, but FIFA 19 [ElViajede suffers from rhythm problems.
FIFA 19 The Journey is certainly more ambitious than last year's mode but suffers from rhythm problems caused entirely by its ambition. At almost any point in the story, you can switch between Alex, Kim or Danny. The game suggests changing specific players as you advance, especially before a big game.
Taking the recommended path often changes the focus of the other characters and may take an hour or more before the story comes back to them. Any expectations that you might have felt about the next game are lost, and since the stories are only intertwined a few times, the progression tends to stop and go forward.
It's a shame because although The Journey lacks focus, it offers some of the most emotional and emotionally shocking moments we've seen at FIFA in years. During one of Danny's lowest points, Chris Walters emits an aura of frustration and hopelessness far beyond what we would expect from an actor in the history mode of a football game, and even real athletes like Alex Morgan are credible in their roles.
If it's not broken …
Even if the story were terrible, it would not affect the excellent football game FIFA 19 once again meets. Dribbling, crossing and defending is still as excellent as ever, regardless of the way you are. Initially, the shots seem to have a very small window between goals and crazy fouls, but in the end, the controls feel more comfortable and you can routinely hit the ball at the back of the net. This is especially rewarding in modes like The Journey or Career, where you can choose to control a player for the entire game. It feels almost too good to ask for a perfect pass to establish a winning goal of the game.
The dribbling, the crossing and the defense are still as excellent as ever.
What does not feel so good, is the new Timed Finishing System. It is supposed to provide more control over your shot by pressing a second button, but given the large amount of screen activity that happens at once, it turns out to be too difficult to regulate (and correctly) the timing of your shots. Most of our attempts caused a ball that rolled towards the goalkeeper.
Another new feature in FIFA 19 is the Play as mentors option. This allows you to control Alex Hunter and some of his closest teammates instead of the entire club. It almost seems like a clear idea, but it immediately gave us a headache. Trying to keep track of a player is quite difficult, and keeping track of an entire team is more difficult, but tracking only some players is hectic and unrewarding. There are still many opportunities to meet with mentor players if you choose to control Alex alone, so in general, it feels like an unnecessary addition simply to promote something new.
Finally Engaged
The star of FIFA 19 – and all EA Sports' annual releases – remains the ultimate team. This addictive mode keeps you playing effortlessly for hours and hours. Initially, they give you a short list of players with little chemistry or skill, but winning a few matches quickly rewards your squad with reinforcement packages containing top players to complete your starting lineup. The coins needed to buy more card packages and buy players from the transfer market are obtained by winning matches in your league, completing specific challenges and having a good performance on the field.
The speed at which you win gives you the flexibility to exchange a player or two in your squad after each game from the beginning, and it will not be long before you have a formidable club capable of fighting in the ever-changing Squad battles mode. Of course, if you're too eager to form teams, you can spend real money on additional packages, but fortunately it's not necessary.
There are some persistent problems in Ultimate Team, however. The squad creation interface is still a mess, which makes it harder than it should be to add someone to your active squadron. Applying consumer elements to your players takes too much time, and how often you do it makes it difficult for you to play football again.
Cards are a bet
As with all Ultimate Team games enabled by EA, there are microtransactions in FIFA 19 . However, if you do not want to pay real money to get card packages, you can earn money in the game to buy them. Deciding not to buy card packages does not necessarily feel like you're losing, especially when you're not guaranteed to get your money's worth. We are never inclined to spend money during our time with the game, although there is something intrinsically unpleasant about giving players who pay potential benefits.
DT Gameplay
Our take
Yes, FIFA 19 is very much the same game you got last year, especially if you do not mind the campaign mode, The Journey. That said, it reliably provides the excellent soccer simulation that fans are looking for. Although the new features do not complement what already exists, they do not hinder a solid experience either. Those who start playing FIFA 19 will find it very difficult to stop.
Is there any better alternative?
No, FIFA 18 can offer a similar experience, but only FIFA 19 brings a conclusion to The Journey.
How long will it last?
The Journey takes several hours to complete, but you can play the remaining modes indefinitely.
Should I buy it? ?
Yes, but people who are only interested in playing occasionally will be fine with last year's game.