FIFA 18 finally gives players the freedom to drag opponents into the corners before freezing them out with a change of direction by stopping on a dime and pulling the ball back away from the defender. No longer did I feel stuck choosing between four dribbling moves, waiting for the animation to finish before selecting another. I finally feel like I have the ability to string together a unique series of moves to get by my opponent. The tightening of controls is complimented by a huge revamping of the dribbling mechanics. FIFA 18 seems to fix all of those issues, as the overall product on the feels more natural and responsive, especially during unforeseen situations. FIFA 17 seemed to alleviate the issues, to some extent, but more work was needed to balance player animations with in-game responses to things like sporadic slide tackles and changes in ball possession. The FIFA franchise has long been plagued by players getting caught in animations that throw off the flow of a match or a particular sequences. After all, soccer is well known for its rowdy attendees.Īnother noticeable improvement, aside from the upgraded visuals and the incredibly detailed fans, is easily the effort put into improving player’s controls. An absolutely amazing thing to experience in a video game. In other words, if you’re in a close game during the final stretch, the crowd will build you up with your team’s chat. ![]() ![]() (Yes, I actually watched their movements during a match.) The best part is, the crowd will generate their team’s chat based on the flow of the game. Each fan seems to perform a different type of animation, as opposed to every other model doing the exact same thing. FIFA 18 certainly provides an interesting take on this small slice of awesomeness. I know, it’s a nerdy thing to look for in sports simulators, but I’m fascinated to see if developers actually take the time to build something of value in that dark corner of every sports game. If you’ve ever read any of my NHL reviews, you know I’m a huge fan of the crowd animations. The other interesting aspect, in relation the visuals, has to be the fans in the crowd. It’s truly a treat from the moment you fire up the console. Nonetheless, FIFA 18 looks gorgeous, with its upgraded player models, stadiums filled with rowdy football fans, and authentic broadcast presentation overlays. I’m equally surprised EA doesn’t apply this same framework to the Madden or NHL franchises. I’m still perplexed why the rest of the development community hasn’t taken notes on FIFA’s ridiculously efficient ability to build a visually stunning product annually. FIFA 18 is no exception, and I once again found my jaw falling straight to the floor. I’m always blown away by the series’ visuals and the way the games, as a whole, are presented. My initial reactions to the series remain the same each year a new FIFA arrives into my download queue. FIFA 18 is a product of exactly that, as it is a simple, yet highly impactful piece that’s familiar, but also brand new. ![]() Fortunately, FIFA is built on one of the best game engines in the history of the sports simulator genre, which makes it only logical to sinking development time into things like player controls and visuals. If any other developer attempted this methodology, they’d be hung out to dry in an instant. The FIFA franchise, as a whole, is one of the few in the video game realm that can consistently pump out a stellar product with simple roster updates, boosts in controls, and glorious visual upgrades from top to bottom.
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