FIFA 19 in the Pre-Review: We at Mein-MMO were able to play FIFA 19 in advance and now give you an overview of what we noticed positively and negatively about the gameplay.
In mid-July, an official press play event for FIFA 19 took place, to which we from Mein-MMO.de were invited. We were able to examine some innovations and play a few matches.
Everything we noticed about the gameplay of FIFA 19 is shown below. After all, gameplay is the most important component in FIFA because – as Adi Preißler already knew – “Gray is all theory in life – the important thing is on the pitch”.
FIFA 19 in the Pre-Review – Everything we noticed about the gameplay
What exactly did we play? My colleague Philipp and I played a total of 6 matches in the “Kickoff” mode of FIFA 19 against each other – the halftime length was 4 minutes. The developers emphasized beforehand that this play version is still a “work in progress”. It is already very close to the final game, but it still lacks refinement; a few bugs still need to be resolved.
Which new features caught our eye immediately?
FIFA 19 does not reinvent virtual football: Right off the bat – if you played FIFA 18 recently, switching to FIFA 19 will not be difficult for you. The basic controls remain largely the same. Passing, shooting, crossing – the tried and tested key combinations are as they have always been; you are immediately back in!
The graphics are top-notch: EA Sports has tweaked the graphics a bit again. The presentation looks flawless, and the player faces of the available teams look more realistic than ever before.
Overall, the gameplay feels slower than in FIFA 18: The slower pace was clearly noticeable in the first matches; however, one quickly gets used to it. After the fourth match, we felt that this change definitely enhances realism.
We look forward to these gameplay innovations in FIFA 19
Pace doesn’t seem to be as much in focus as in previous FIFAs: Since the game is generally a bit slower, tactics and tackling behavior come more into focus than the speed attribute of the players. A Mats Hummels was not overrun helplessly by a Cristiano Ronaldo, but was able to challenge for the ball. How important pace will be in the final game we cannot predict yet, but our first impressions have positively surprised us.
I personally loved the Active Touch System. This gives more control over ball reception and touches. It is possible to use the right stick to lift the ball and chip it over opponents. Or you can hammer the ball to the ground so that it bounces and flies over the opponent while you run past them.
Additionally, the Active Touch System features numerous new animations showing how players handle the ball and fight for it.
For example, players execute a diving header to reach the ball in midfield before the opponent and pass it to a teammate. Also, a feigned shot while sprinting is now quite effective as there is hardly any loss of speed, allowing you to easily outmaneuver opponents.
In short: You have more control and more options with the ball. This video introduces the Active Touch System:
Tackles feel different in FIFA 19: I found it harder to win the ball with a normal tackle (circle button on PS4) than in FIFA 18. The reason is the new feature called “50/50 Battles”. This shows players having “more instinct” in tackles, always trying to get a foot to the ball somehow. Thus, tackle situations are more contested – and you can feel it on the pitch.
The tackles we executed all went very well. In FIFA 19 they are certainly an effective means to win the ball. Shielding (with L2 on PS4) had, on the other hand, almost no benefit.
Gray arrows over players: What we also liked was a grayed-out arrow over a teammate when you are the defending team. This indicates which player you will switch to when you press the player switch button. It is also the player who rushes in when you request support in a tackle. You have a bit more control as you are visually shown beforehand which player you can switch to.
What hasn’t convinced us in FIFA 19 so far
The goalkeepers! Unfortunately, the goalkeepers in our matches were a complete disaster. Every single normal long shot went in because the goalkeepers reacted far too late. Once, the ball gently flew just a few centimeters past the goalkeeper, and instead of sticking out a hand, the goalkeeper threw himself to the ground as if struck by lightning. And we’re talking about Hugo Lloris here.
Okay, Manuel Neuer made a few spectacular saves that looked really good. But we were genuinely surprised by how much the goalkeepers let in.
Long shots are too effective: While none of our chipped long shots went in, every normal shot from distance – so just pressing circle on the PS4 – found the back of the net. You can only try to block the shot with a defender as the goalkeeper certainly will not save it. While testing, I wrote down three times: “Long shots OP” in bold.
Everything else we noticed in FIFA 19
- Regarding the goalkeepers: When you press the right stick inward and then move the stick, you can control the goalkeeper and possibly position him better. We tried this new feature several times: it works flawlessly, but we couldn’t prevent a goal with it. Additionally, we noticed that the goalkeepers can kick the ball much further into the opponent’s half than in FIFA 18.
- Regarding free kicks: Free kicks work exactly the same as in FIFA 18.
- Regarding corners: There are also no changes to the corner mechanics.
- Regarding penalties: The penalties are also identical to those in FIFA 18. If the goalkeeper jumps in the right direction, he always saved the ball for us – even with half-right and half-left low shots.
- Regarding the driven shot: This has been significantly toned down. We tried it from many positions, and only one from short distance went in. By the way, you perform it by holding R1 + L1 and then charging the shot strength with Circle.
- Regarding the new shooting system: I tested this too little to form a first impression. I am too used to the old system, which is why I always applied this one automatically. In this video, you can see the new shooting system:
- Regarding passes and crosses: Relatively many through balls didn’t reach their target for us. Other than that, we didn’t notice anything negative. That balls from a spin don’t arrive 100% accurately to a player, we found rather positive. However, you can well combine into the opponent’s penalty area when playing quick passes.
- Regarding dynamic tactics: We played around with the tactics a bit, but time did not suffice to assess their influence and utility.
- Regarding the referee: The referee officiated everything correctly in our games.
- Regarding goal kicks: Until now, when changing direction, the camera swung along. In FIFA 19, you can now view the entire field in width.
- Celebration animations can be completely skipped.
Conclusion: FIFA 19 does quite a bit right regarding gameplay. You have more control in the game, you can combine well and create surprise moments; the action looks smoother and more realistic. We definitely had fun at the play event.
However, EA Sports still needs to work a bit on the long shots and the goalkeepers, who left us with a bad impression. If improvements are made here before the release, we look forward to the new season with FIFA 19!
How does such a play event actually take place?
Such an event can basically be imagined like a lame standing party that gets better over time. Initially, everyone stands lost somewhere in the room until some small groups form where games are extensively discussed. Some press representatives also remain alone in a corner sipping a cola, maybe nibbling on a snack.
But once the employees from EA Sports take the stage, things pick up speed. We gain insights into the development of FIFA 19, and they present us with the greatest innovations. In-game material is presented on a large screen. Anyone interested in football and the FIFA series – like me – hangs eagerly on the developers’ lips and takes notes.
But only then does such an event reach its climax: in the room, several “PS4 Pro” consoles are set up where you can play a few matches in the kickoff mode of FIFA 19 with a friend. Meanwhile, there is the opportunity to speak with the EA employees to then fully focus on the new gameplay of FIFA 19.
We will find out how the fun will go in the final version at the latest on 28.09.2018. Then FIFA 19 will be released with all innovations on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
