In spite of improved control over players and free kicks, FIFA 2017 lacks the ‘wow’ factor to hit the sweet spot
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The Âu00c2u0080Âu00c2u0088last fortnight had been spent in high anticipation, playing the demo version of FIFA’s latest franchise — FIFA 17 — riddled with glitches and limited interactive gameplay. But with the game launching worldwide on Tuesday, mid-day brings you an exclusive review of the ‘yays and nays’ of what to expect from this year’s hottest selling game.
What catches the eye about FIFA 17 are the real-life like graphics — a feature that can be dedicated to the new Frostbite engine used in the game, compared EA Sports’ old in-house Ignite engine. Every blade of grass can be seen swaying in the wind, and every ripple on each player’s jersey is clearly visible, providing a life-like similarity to one’s favourite players.
However, it seems that the makers at EA could have done a better job at improving the gameplay, rather than focusing on making the game prettier.
An advanced attacking positioning (depending from player to player) provides better control while attacking, but the pace of the game seems to take away the realism. For example, the “tiki-taka” style of passing and playing seems to lack efficiency, as compared to its flawless success in real-life matches. A new “physical haul overplay” feature makes the game slower, allowing players to shield the ball to a higher degree, making the game more counter-attacking in nature.
The journey beckons
Sure, there wasn’t much to evolve into, from FIFA 16, which is why makers seem to have brought “love and emotion” back into the game in an effort to win over gamers’ hearts. This can be seen in a never-before seen feature called The Journey, the story of a young and rising star Alex Hunter, and his rise to stardom. This version of the game traces young Hunter’s journey as he signs with one of the four big clubs in the English Premier League, as well as his rivalry with childhood friend and team mate Gareth Walker.
Think of it as a “story mode” of sorts, from the POV of Hunter, as he battles for a starting position in the team, his interactions with the press, and the inner conflict that he faces while trying to live up to his manager and clubs’ expectations. Yes, this feature brings back the good old passion that got us involved with football for the first time, while giving the gamer a first-hand experience of what it’s like to be playing in the big leagues.
Gameplay changes
FIFA also seems to have brought about minor changes to the gameplay; features that don’t impact the game to much, but offer a layer of realism. For example, players can now reposition their run-ups towards a dead ball during free kicks and penalties, granting gamers a higher degree of control and bend over the ball. Fake throws have been implemented too.
Penalties have undergone a complete revolution, with the bar and direction showing simultaneously on the same cursor during a player’s run-up. Long distance shooting seems to be the “in” thing this time, with players having an unusual amount of precision from long range. However, player movements still seem a tad restrictive, and not perfectly responsive to the gamers’ controller button timings — a feature that will leave you screaming at the monitor in case of misdirected passes.
Keeping in mind that while the earlier version of the game hardly had any wrongs to right, FIFA 17 brings to the table a degree of newness. But if you believed “this is the perfect one,” you might want to lower your hopes.
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