Since yesterday, the demo version of FIFA 17 is available on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC. Numerous players are now checking the football simulation thoroughly. So are we. Our boss will show you what he can do with the controller at the end of the article.
Update: If you are looking for information on the FIFA 20 demo, you can find it here.
Many FIFA fans were looking forward to a relaxed evening yesterday, where they finally wanted to test the eagerly awaited “FIFA 17” demo. However, this plan fell through for a large number of players. The demo went live at 7 PM on most platforms, followed by extensive store issues, making it so that the necessary data could only be downloaded very slowly or not at all.
In the meantime, the download and installation of the demo should have been completed on most platforms, so that today the major test phase can really begin until the launch of the main game on September 29.
On the Internet, for example on Reddit, there are already countless user reviews, which paint a mixed picture. Some fans shower the game with praise: The passing is great, the physics engine is ingenious, and the shooting mechanics are really cool. The improved player intelligence is immediately noticeable and the graphics, enhanced by the Frostbite engine, are extremely impressive.
However, the slow pace of the game is often criticized. Special moves, for example, take too much time. It also takes longer than before for a player to turn around. Consequently, some gamers are not happy with all the new features.
Of sluggish players and goosebumps moments
Ttime says: I played around ten matches in the demo today. I actually wanted to do this yesterday, but the store let me down. So, I reluctantly went to bed earlier than usual to discover the features of FIFA 17 rested.
I let the pleasant humming of my console sound in the early afternoon, started the demo, and played through both modes available: Kick-off and “The Journey”. I’ll start directly with three things that stood out to me positively:
- The graphics are amazing! You can see the sparkle in the players’ eyes, the stadiums look great, the cutscenes in “The Journey” mode are fantastic – compared to FIFA 16, there is a significant jump here.
- The gameplay has improved in many aspects: You can create a nice passing game, numerous new animations are noticeable within a few minutes, player intelligence is visible through new AI movement patterns – I think the player control “feels” really good in FIFA 17. You can read my detailed review of FIFA 17’s gameplay here.
However, there was one thing I particularly liked.
The Journey – The highlight of the demo
The story mode! The brief excerpt that you see in the demo makes you really want more. You, or rather the football talent Alex Hunter, are initially in the locker room with stars from Manchester United, then watch the match against Chelsea from the bench – by the way together with Ibrahimovic – and you will be substituted in the middle of the second half. The coach gives you instructions that you have to fulfill, and off you go.
After the match, you conduct an interview where you can either give cool, hot-headed, or “balanced” responses. The events on the pitch and your appearance in the interviews determine the course of your story.
I personally liked the story mode in the demo the most so far. This seems to have great potential to tell an emotional story of an aspiring football professional. When the trailer for “The Journey” played after the demo content, I even got goosebumps for a brief moment. So I’m looking forward to it!
PENALTY SHOOTOUT – Up into the clouds with the ball
However, there are two things that I would like to address critically:
The players do indeed feel sluggish – which I think particularly affects defensive work. I found it extremely difficult to get the ball in the first games. You can barely keep up with the opponent, and when you reach them, the ball is already elsewhere. However, I observed myself adjusting to this better in the last few games.
The adjustment process from FIFA 16 to FIFA 17 seems to be underway! In the last game, I finally swept the opponent off the field 5-0 on “Pro”. And I also noticed: The more I get used to FIFA 17, the better I find it and the more fun it is!
My current (still) second problem: The set pieces. Especially the corners and penalties have been significantly revamped, which I currently have no idea how to handle. Hardly any penalty went where I would have liked it to be. In three games, I deliberately played for a draw to practice the penalties. Only in the last penalty drama did I leave the pitch successfully. Otherwise, I looked terrible from the spot. But I will probably get used to that as well, just like the cursor for the corners, which, although unusual, opens new possibilities.
Otherwise, I can’t complain. Overall, I really like the game. My conclusion is positive. So far, I have only had to struggle with the referee’s decisions twice. With the goalkeeper, almost not at all. But as always with the FIFA titles: Only after dozens of games can a comprehensive judgment be made. Especially since this is also “only” a demo and the developers will still tweak some things until the release.
Compared to FIFA 16, a lot has been done. Year after year, EA Sports has brought their FIFA series a little closer to real football, but the jump from 16 to 17 is definitely bigger than the jumps in recent years.
First impression in the video
Together with colleague Julius Busch, our boss now shows you his first experiences in the “FIFA 17” demo. In addition to an exciting duel, some set pieces can be seen. How will the two fare?
What is your opinion on the demo?
