FIFA 18 was heavily criticized by eSports players, seen as “slow, sluggish, unmanageable”. Does FIFA 19 perform better this year? In a talk on the streaming channel MAX professionals spoke candidly about the release version.
High stakes – high rewards: In eSports, particularly with FIFA 19, there can be a lot of money involved: Some professionals invest 3000-5000 Euros in their teams, with some FIFA world champions reportedly spending between 8000 and 10,000 Euros on packs. However, they also won nearly 200,000 in the World Championship.
The crisis year “FIFA 18”: FIFA 18 did not function as the professionals had hoped. In early 2017, Corentin “RocKy” Chevrey, the FIFA world champion, said: “The game is getting worse and worse”. He criticized particularly the gameplay of FIFA 18, saying it was sluggish, slow, and unmanageable.
The promised improvements from the developers only made the game worse; he had been struggling through matches for months.
During thecurrently ongoing EGX in Berlin, MeinMMO CEO Dawid Hallmann spoke with one of the best players in the world, Marcel “Donchap28” Deutscher, and professional FIFA coach Benny Aka Tazz, about the latest edition of the football simulation. Has FIFA 19 improved?
Here you can listen to the conversation along with an exciting FIFA 19 match:
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More training features:Marcel “Donchap28” Deutscher, who is among the top 30 players in the world, gave a positive early report: “I have a very good feeling about FIFA 19. There are very good new features like dynamic tactics that allow you to influence the game during play.”
Timed Finishing a significant new feature: Benny aka TaZz from bPartGaming also agreed with this assessment. Especially the new “Timed Finishing” offers the chance to gain an advantage over less skilled players: “That’s a component that can improve the shot. You can practice that – and as a player, I can do something better than my opponent and gain an advantage.”
A point that Marcel has also already noted: “You can see very well what you did wrong – or right – with ‘Timed Finishing’. Last year was different, when three long shots with Cristiano Ronaldo suddenly hit the post, and you didn’t know why.
Offensive play becomes more realistic
Only pressing “X” doesn’t work anymore: Passing in FIFA 19 is also more challenging; mistakes are punished by the game. However, you can make up for it with practice: “Last year you often played against players who just spammed the X button – that doesn’t work anymore. EA Sports has improved that significantly,” said Marcel.
FIFA coach Benny saw the issue last year as well: “There has been a lot of assistance with passes in recent years. I think it’s good that this is being toned down; it makes it harder. You are punished for making mistakes – there will be a difference between players.”
MeinMMO CEO Dawid Hallmann in conversation with Marcel Deutscher
More play through the back: The two professionals expect that the new features will make a noticeable difference in offensive play: “You probably have to take some pace out. In the last game, you could quickly push forward, but now the passes are rather inaccurate,” said Benny.
It would no longer be possible to just rush forward: “It will be more about playing from the back, with fewer risky balls forward. You might bring in the outside defender to seek safety in the buildup play.”
This gives the game even more simulation character, thinks Marcel: “In real football, no team rushes forward for 90 minutes. Last year, you could defend very well, had good pressing, and the opponent did not know what to do anymore. He then hit X out of reflex and got countered suddenly.”
This does not work in FIFA 19 anymore: “You have to rather turn around and come from the back.”
Patch in – or rather not?
Last year there was an early patch: Despite all the optimizations, serious bugs still exist in the game, just like last year: “For example, players perform a sidefoot shot when you want to shoot with full power – so that option is gone for now,” explains Benny, who is curious about how EA will handle this:
“This is a very interesting phase right now. Last year there was an early patch that fixed many errors. However, it was condemned by everyone because it changed a lot that characterized the game at that time.”
Core should not be changed: EA initially announced that they did not want to make that mistake again. “But this time it might be good if the patch could eliminate the bugs.”
Marcel also thought a patch would be good – as long as it doesn’t change the game as rigorously as last year’s: “If the patch comes, it shouldn’t change the entire game again. The game should be given a chance first, and the core of the gameplay should remain intact. Because it makes a good impression – both for casual gamers and for us pros.”
The new installment of the FIFA series, FIFA 19, is expected later this year and could be released as early as September 2018. The football simulation will be p...
