It’s that time of year again.
That’s correct, it’s FIFA season, and the good folks at EA SPORTS have made sure that FIFA 17 is worth the wait, the hype, and the frenzy surrounding the latest edition of the most popular soccer video game in the world.
If you’ve played the demo, you know a little bit about the new gameplay features.
There’s the physical play overhaul, which allows for more realistic jockeying in possession and work to gain position on aerial balls. It also allows physical forwards to be used to their fullest ability when a ball needs to be held up for runners.
Then there’s the completely reworked AI, called the "Active Intelligence System," which increases off-ball movement and adds more dynamism to attacking moves. EA SPORTS has also decided to completely revamp the set-piece system, meaning that every dead ball situation, including penalties, has a brand new feel and even more potential to result in a game-changing play.
Holding it all together is the brand new Frostbite Engine. FIFA 17 marks the first time EA has integrated this engine into the FIFA series, and it adds layers of depth, clarity, and realism to which the series has simply never even come close in the past. With a brand new engine on which to build this game, EA SPORTS was really able to get under the hood of next-gen consoles like the PS4 and XBOX One and tweak the suspension. It's added some much-needed horsepower to a game which -- more faithfully than ever -- seeks to virtually recreate the most intense, vibrant, and dynamic sport on the planet.
If you’ve played the demo, you’re also chomping at the bit to test out all of the updated teams and new stadiums.
You probably want to tear apart Bundesliga defenses with Christian Pulisic’s Borussia Dortmund, break teams down into their component elements by way of the awesome power of FC Barcelona. And -- if you’re like me -- you also want to get down to the nitty gritty and see whether or not this game makes Major League Soccer, well, feel like Major League Soccer.
Luckily, I can report back to you that it does just that.
Part of this great leap forward in terms of MLS’ inclusion in the game is the physical play overhaul, made possible largely by the Frostbite Engine. This, more than maybe anything else, really communicates the no-holds-barred, fast-paced, unforgiving nature of an MLS game to the player, and makes MLS stand out from some of the other leagues in the game because of its quirks and unique, defining elements.
Instead of being glossed over like they’ve been in FIFAs past, these elements are allowed to shine and make it so that playing with MLS teams is fast and fun, while giving the match that unpredictable edge that sets the league apart.
Equally important to the MLS experience in FIFA 17 is that extra attention to detail made possible by the new Frostbite Engine, which makes the likes of CenturyLink Field and BC Place feel just as unique and exciting in the game as they are in real life. The Sounders' Jordan Morris still didn’t get the face scan realism treatment (neither did Christian Pulisic, FYI) but his home stadium got the architectural equivalent of that and, well, she’s a beauty. She’s glowing. Is that a new Hawks’ Nest? It looks so good on her! Anyway…
If that’s not enough, the CLink and BC Place also feature prominently in "The Journey." So what's that all about?
"The Journey"
I absolutely cannot overstate how freaking cool this game mode is. If you need a quick primer on what "The Journey" is all about, check out the trailer and my early look-ahead at the game mode here. If not, I’m going to get right into it.
Everything about this game mode impressed me way more than I thought it would. With this being a brand new addition to the FIFA series, it could have easily been a situation where there were just too many kinks to work out. It could have been buggy, the story hastily put together, the acting sub-par, and the experience just generally not compelling.
Simply put, "The Journe"y could have easily been FIFA 17’s weakest link, but is instead its strongest attribute.
"The Journey" starts on a muddy, rain-soaked field in Clapham, London, underneath a ball seemingly glued to the feet of a ten-year-old Alex Hunter as he winds through his local youth club’s opposition.
His mum, Catherine, is there, his dad, Harold, is there -- until Alex goes down under a clumsy challenge, which causes Harold to storm off while questioning his son’s toughness. His best friend, Gareth Walker, is also there, helping him slice up the opposition.
Unfazed by both the hard challenge and the drama unfolding on the sidelines, Alex slots home the match-winning penalty, catching the eye of someone else in attendance: Hugh Baker, one of the most prominent youth scouts in England.
Fast forward seven years, and Alex and Gareth are still side by side, but this time they’re walking into the National Training Centre accompanied by Alex’s grandfather, the great Jim Hunter, on their way to an “exit trial.”
This is when the player gets their first real shot at playing as Alex Hunter, taking on several drills to earn skill points and impress the scouts, as well as playing two halves of 11 vs. 11 against Alex’s nemesis, Danny Williams (no, not him). Impossibly egotistical and fiery, the big, burly Englishman serves as a wonderful antagonist. He’s a little corny, but still incredibly hate-able.
After impressing in the exit trial -- and impress you must --A lex gets the opportunity to sign with any team in the Premier League. After making a strong first impression in training, it’s off to the United States for the pre-season tour. Next stop: Seattle.
After getting your first taste of first team action at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field and Vancouver’s BC Place, you learn about the history of those stadiums and the Cascadia rivalry dating back to the 1980s via the commentators THen, Alex and Gareth gush over the feeling of playing in front of “tens of thousands of screaming Yanks” on the plane back to England.
But once they’re back, it’s time for Alex to strap the boots on tight, snap himself out of boyhood, and face the real world.
The paradox here is that I can’t say enough about this new game mode, and I can’t say too much without giving away some serious spoilers. What I can say is that is that the narrative arc early on is very well-paced, the characters are interesting and dynamic, and the voice acting and animation create a very compelling story line that doesn’t lose its shine even when I was in between major plot points.
If you decide that you really can’t live without spoilers, follow me on Twitter and we’ll sort it out.
All in all, this is the best new addition to the EA SPORTS FIFA series that I’ve played in years. The technological improvements, rewrites, and overhauls mark a significant upgrade in the overall gameplay experience, while the Frostbite Engine provides the chassis that allows these features to flourish on next-gen consoles.
It’s these improvements that allow for game modes like "The Journey" to flourish as well. The level of detail committed to the storyline and supporting theatrical elements requires an equally detailed gameplay experience on all levels in order to create an experience worth playing through.
EA SPORTS has again managed to replicate the fervor and glory of the world’s greatest sport. And as anyone who truly knows the sport knows, it’s the finest details that matter most.
