However it isn’t as balanced or straightforward as it should be. Interspersed between big matches are training sessions that improve your chance of breaking into the starting 11. From winning a game, to making the right number of passes, there’s a lot to keep you busy.
In The Journey, you can choose to control your entire team, or your character alone - reminiscent of the erstwhile Be A Pro Mode - and depending on the situation in each match, you’re tasked with meeting a predefined set of objectives. No clubs from Serie A or Bundesliga yet, though hopefully EA will include them next year. Before the launch it was rumoured that you'd be playing for Manchester United exclusively, but in the final game that's not the case, and you're not limited to it. In it, you’ll take control of Alex Hunter, a footballer making his debut for a top tier club in the English Premier League. The biggest addition however, is a new single-player, story driven campaign known as The Journey. (Also see: FIFA 16 Review: Inclusive, but Is It for Everyone? )
A day one patch might rectify some of these concerns, but as it stands, there's very little to inspire confidence. This makes FIFA 17 feel like a faster game but one where you don’t have enough control.
They feel out of sync with the improved pace. When stacked up, these minor modifications impact gameplay tremendously. As is shooting, and it takes perceptibly longer for you to launch a volley than in prior games. Dribbling, which EA claims has been revamped, is also slower and less intuitive. Over extended periods of play it seems like a step backwards. It just feels like EA’s added another layer of complexity to taking a corner, while paring down accuracy. Taking corners has been reworked as well, though not for the better. For fans accustomed to the midfield-focussed play of last year’s game, this could take some getting used to.Īlso rectified are the magnet-like sliding tackles of FIFA 16, now it requires a sense of timing and getting it wrong will land you a red card more often than not. The same applies for switching - more often than not, you’ll find yourself controlling a player furthest from the ball when the opposition is making an attacking run, with only the game’s barely competent team AI to help you out. If these are on, prepare to see long passes to players rather than to those closest to you.
Passing is precise for the most part as long as you’re not using any of FIFA 17’s assist features. There’s a reliance on pacier players along with weaving through gaps in the opponent’s defence, and passes don’t really feel strung together until you reach the last third of the pitch. The staccato pace of play that made FIFA 16 true to life has been sped up a bit. With a new engine comes a slew of subtle, yet important gameplay tweaks.