FIFA 18 Preview: Hands-On with New Gameplay Features, The Journey Season 2, More
Cristiano Ronaldo's inclusion as FIFA 18's cover star is the perfect metaphor for what the game is trying to achieve. The Portuguese icon has adapted his style over the last couple of years in order to deal with the pitfalls of an ageing body, and despite losing a little of his explosive speed, he is better at utilising his physicality to dominate the opposition.
EA Sports has taken note, and it now wants players to consider an alternative route to success away from the pace-heavy tactics that have come to define FIFA 17.
The developer recently hosted a hands-on preview at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium—preceded by a presentation from gameplay producer Matthew Prior and associated producer Sam Rivera—to reveal the opening influx of changes to this year's game.
With Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series now dominating on the pitch, EA's second year with the Frostbite engine is an important one; particularly when FIFA 18 was billed as the "biggest leap forward" in gameplay during the reveal to UK press.
Gameplay
In practice, it's obvious EA hopes to show off the series' replenished inner workings by tasking players with being more thoughtful. Matches are noticeably slower and more considered, with physical strength playing an important role in halting rapid strikers such as Marcus Rashford and Ahmed Musa, who continue to cause havoc in the online realm of FIFA 17.
Short passes are a little less crisp and need extra power to replicate the ping-pong play of the current game, a tweak that elevates the importance of anticipation during tight matches. It's easier for strong defenders such as Gary Cahill and Giorgio Chiellini—neither of whom are blessed with great speed—to use their bodies as means of crushing opposition who would easily burst through on goal in FIFA 17.
Interestingly, the addition of a third tackle command also means you're better equipped to deal with the attacking threat. Situated between the standing challenge and slide tackle is now a middle ground that means you can throw your weight around without risking being exposed after the slide.
The hard tackle is executed by pressing and holding the normal tackle button, and it often amounts to a full-blooded attempt to regain possession. Shielding the ball with your body is overpowered in FIFA 17 as it's difficult to knock anyone off balance, so including a more explicit way to compete for the ball without overcommitting is a natural step. This is a subtle example of EA giving players greater opportunities to implement a more complex playing style.
A smarter AI system amplifies this by working harder to make a realistic contribution to each match. In FIFA 17, a chasm of space is left if you opt to step up and challenge the ball head-on, an issue that forced many online players to track back manually with their midfielders. The computer-controlled defence would remain tight and difficult to penetrate with no input, as FIFA 17 only considers the movement of individual players and doesn't think about the team as a whole.
Encouragingly, FIFA 18 aims to rectify this by employing a more forward-thinking design. Your team coordinates support rather than playing with tunnel vision, using smarter movement to create and fill space with greater regularity.
Players make sharper diagonal runs and jostle to become unmarked, or they might take up a position closer to the sideline if the middle becomes cluttered (a big problem in the current game). When playing single-player mode, you'll even notice the AI utilising different tactical styles and changing tactics in an attempt to swing the match their way. EA wants gamers to play with an identity, and this work under the bonnet appears to be a smart move.
The conscious effort to make this happen was obvious throughout the hands-on, and it extended to the footballing stars on screen. The series has failed to compete with PES' excellent representation of individual playing styles, best summarised by the calculated dribble of Arjen Robben or Lionel Messi's ability to ride tackles in Konami's title.
FIFA 18 sees the introduction of motion-captured superstars—led by cover star CR7—in an attempt to reproduce what makes the world's greatest footballers unique.
Ronaldo's mo-cap performance translates well to the game. He pumps his arms when sprinting, his hands flat and reaching far behind his back at top speed. A slight dip of the head indicates the Portuguese star is really motoring and accelerating hard.
Other examples—such as Robben and Raheem Sterling—were less pronounced, although obviously move in a more realistic manner than the players who haven't received such close attention to detail.
Sterling takes noticeably smaller, quicker steps and is an example of slight players being able to change direction more immediately. EA is aiming for frame-by-frame responsiveness, instead of waiting for animations to end before a turn can be completed, and it's the more agile players who most prominently demonstrate this.
A greater sense of variation plays nicely into the developer's hope that dramatic moments will come to the fore in FIFA 18. Both Prior and Rivera made it clear the idea is to add more context-sensitive wonder goals from crosses, volleys and through balls that weren't possible before.
Crosses are useless in FIFA 17 but are now driven harder and receive more curl, meaning the battle to win aerial superiority doesn't just come down to who's the tallest. Strikers can nick in front of their mark and are more likely to pull something special off from situations where the battle would be lost in the current game.
EA wants to reward players for being creative and for thinking outside the box. For example, balls threaded through two defenders are currently prone to being snuffed out, but FIFA 18 aims to make things less one-sided. If you can spot a difficult pass, there's a better chance it can now be executed.
As defenders have a more concrete arsenal to deploy, it's only fair offensive play is also expanded for those who are looking to fill their highlight reels. Atmospheres are more authentic in major grounds, with realistic banners and crowd reactions (such as running out of their seat and towards the goalscorer), adding to the drama in the crucial moments.
The Journey Season 2: Hunter Returns
Alex Hunter's reappearance will also feature a number of minor tweaks to help keep things fresh. Prior and Rivera suggested the upcoming story mode will largely feature away from the Premier League—with Ronaldo outlined as a key early character—and will allow gamers to customise Hunter with clothes, tattoos and Paul Pogba-style haircuts.
Celebrity culture will also be on show. The trailer was propped up with viral sensations such as Andy Tate and Arsenal Fan TV giving their take on a proposed Hunter transfer away from his club. Houston Rockets beardy man James Harden even made a fleeting appearance, suggesting Hunter is going to receive some major crossover appeal in the next part of his story.
Fans of the mode will be interested to learn there's now the opportunity to make decisions that will slightly alter the story's six chapters. A friend can also join in Hunter's matches, with two playable individuals now possible on the pitch. From the small section sampled, there's no doubt this is going to be a very similar experience to last year's offering.
So far, FIFA 18 shows that EA is willing to listen to the complaints of the consumer. However, fans will know it takes far longer than a few hours of play to start working out the title's frustrations and exploits. The community is remarkably alert and open to giving ruthless feedback, so it will be interesting to see how the game evolves after its gestation period is over.
EA's development cycle often focuses on improving attack one year and then evening out defence the next, so right now, it's heartening to see both receiving significant tweaks in the same season. Ronaldo's presence is destined to garner a lot of attention during the early stages of FIFA 18's lifespan, but in the game's current state, the no-frills gameplay additions deserve to take centre-stage.
FIFA 18 was previewed using a PS4 Pro. The game will launch worldwide on PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Nintendo Switch on September 29.
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