Another year, yet another FIFA. Well, the thing is for FIFA fans and regulars, the annual football phenomenon has become as commonplace as the rise and fall of the tides, yet year after year the game touches record sales figures and somehow manages to push the envelope a little further on what a sports game should look and feel like.
Unfortunately the gameplay feels more or less the same with some minor tweaks to the way defending works. It’s much harder this year folks, so prepare yourselves for some controller wrecking rage. However, in my brief 40 hours with the game, I saw myself enjoying the challenge of defending more than raging. It was a breath of fresh air, the fact that I actually had something new to learn and master, while trying to focus on winning the games, made this FIFA a lot more immersive for me. Now, I don’t use the word immersive lightly, because if one thing FIFA gets right year in year out, it’s immersion and this year they seemed to have upped the ante even higher than last year. The stadium genuinely feels alive, the crowd chants the pre and post match presentations, everything breathes like it’s the real deal, in short it’s great.
The journey also makes a return and from what little I managed to play of it (I am a pure FUT player and occasionally dabble in career mode), it’s passable. All in all, there’s enough here for the recurring FIFA player to justify spending the Rs 3,500 for this year’s iteration of the game. I would have liked more top tier talents getting a proper scanned face in game, but that’s me nit-picking to be honest. It’s a great time to be had, especially with friends on LAN and FIFA 18 Ultimate Team is more immersive and rewarding than ever. Gone are the days of endless and pointless coin farming. It’s actually enjoyable now!
Verdict: 7.5/10
