9 Things We Are Super Hyped For in FIFA 19
EA Sports FIFA franchise has been on an impressive run. Year after year, they are at the top of the heap when it comes to sports games sales and consistently seem to secure high review scores on Metacritic. It’s the franchise that can seemingly do no wrong. Granted, there is the hardcore fan base that will always be able to nit-pick every little nuance but all in all the FIFA development team know how to make a great soccer game and they do it every year. While at EA Sports Summer Showcase event at Redwood Shore studio last week, I had a chance to sit down with FIFA 19 and once again, I am just in awe with the incredible detail that goes into this game. The franchise is showing no signs of slowing down and back again with another rock solid entry locked and loaded for a September release. Here are 9 things we are super hyped for.
The Champions Have Arrived
Yes, FIFA has finally acquired the rights to the Champions League and one thing is for certain, the development team is pretty excited about it. And well, so are we. The Champions League is considered the premier league, so having it in FIFA 19 only serves to boost the franchise in a big way. At the event, we played a couple of matches in the Champions League where it was truly special to hear that iconic music playing as well as seeing the big banners and regalia you’d typically see in a League game.
Improved Visuals
A lot of work was done with FIFA 19’s lighting and it is most noticeable with those Champions League night games; however, many other areas have seen some enhancements. For instance, players now react and move a little more realistic. This is FIFA’s third year with the Frostbite engine and it shows as everything from player expressions to the way sweat glistens on their heads, there is a level of polish. The fields and crown animations are also slick as well. The Mexican wave, for instance, adds excitement to the game and is pretty amazing to watch.
Active Touch Mechanics
In FIFA 19 there is a new Active Touch System that basically enhances and improves player controls. Having played it myself, it feels great! It makes for a game that feels much more fluid. Players trap and approach the ball in a more realistic manner. It isn’t as jarring as it has been in years past. Players will now flip the ball to another player with the back of their foot or they will deflect an incoming ball to another player in a seamless fashion. It just adds a bit more authenticity to the game.
Set Plays Are Thrilling
In previous FIFA games, I never felt like the set plays or crosses produced a lot of positive results. Maybe it is something I was doing. No, it was definitely something I was doing but finding open players always seemed to be a bit of challenge. This time around, finding open players is a little easier which makes for more creative opportunities to attack opposing teams. It didn’t look canned or predictable.
Head over page 2 for the remaining items on our list…