FIFA 20 Review
Football. Even if it’s a two-syllable word that is so easy to say, it is a worldwide phenomenon. It is a road that has been trodden by many. A road that caused some to shed tears, and caused some to rejoice their most valuable moments. For some, it has one of the most barbarian fan bases out of all sports. And for some, it completes the missing spirit in their life. And over the last 20 years, all the Fifa games we’ve seen so far were the products of the world’s love and hate relationship with football. Even though it was clear that the football lovers were hungry for something fresh, EA chose to give us a rebranded version of what they’ve been releasing for at least 5 years with Fifa 2020.
FIFA 20 PC REVIEW
Despite EA obstinately refusing the potential this generation holds for its Fifa franchise, there is still so much that could be done with Fifa. So much more that could be added to a $60 game. We all had the same sense of wonder when we passed on the current generation of games in 2014. We all wondered where the gaming industry can go, how the gameplay can change, and waited for something fresh. Even though many of our thoughts applied to some games, Fifa has been the same since 2015. Playing Fifa 20 is no different than playing Fifa 2015. This review was not even worth writing if there wasn’t any Volta mode. There is nothing more to Fifa 20 except for some minor changes and graphical upgrades. And believe me, this pisses me off every time I remember that this is $60 game.
Fifa 2020’s biggest change, Volta
Speaking of Volta, I have to underline that it is the only mode that is even worth praising. Volta was Fifa Street back in the days, and to be honest, it is really well made in Fifa 2020. It is really enjoyable to play and Volta by itself is a mode good enough to boot Fifa up just to play it. Even though it doesn’t create wonders with it’s kind of a Journey mode, creating our player, travelling to different countries, winning tournaments, and building a team by doing so is really really fun. We can even form a team to compete with other players online.
Volta’s sense of play is totally different than the base game. Mechanically speaking, it feels more like an arcade than the normal mode. The ball feels as one with the player’s feet, making it easy to pull out slick-looking moves. Despite looking easy to play at first, it is hard to master. Which creates a playground that takes a long time to feel the complete experience. Watching really good players try Volta is easily an eye-candy for a football fan. I definitely recommend you check it out if you are good at playing Fifa online.
What is new outside of Volta?
As I let go of Volta, I want to talk about other changes in the game. Don’t worry, they barely form a paragraph. One of the first things that the player can understand is the lowered difficulty curve to pull out feints in one to one situations. This creates a flow that can be easily followed by different animation cancels, forming a chain of special moves and making the game feel better when you are on an offense. Of course, there are some minor changes to the defensive side of Fifa too. The missing manual defensive moves in Fifa 2019 are fixed with Fifa 2020, making it easier to take the ball from your opponent. Some small physics changes are in good direction to realism but they are still no PES 2020. Lastly, there is weather update that is long overdue. Weather can now change during the matches making the players and ball slip on different occasions. Even if it’s really long overdue, it still feels good.
Fifa 2020’s story mode now includes press conferences. You can use these conferences to boost up your team’s morale. Minor but a good change nonetheless. FUT (Fifa Ultimate Team) now has some season passes that are clearly influenced by the likes of Fortnite and Apex Legends. Each pass includes missions that the player can complete to earn rewards like player packs and coin boosts. Player packs are still the same as we all know it. They are highly dependant on the luck factor, making your progress fall behind if you don’t spend money. Fifa Ultimate Team is still Pay-2-Win, and it will clearly not going to change any time soon. I used to play Fifa only for the FUT mode, but it is really not my cup of tea anymore as you can’t build a decent team without spending money.
Graphics are still the same. Which is not a surprise because Fifa has been looking the same since 2016. Same lighting, same textures, and same everything. If I put 4 different Fifa’s from current generation on 4 different screens, you can’t tell the difference. It is not something unique to the visual aspect too. EA is lazy all around. Nothing new when it comes to sound design. Same lines that we’ve been hearing from the announcers since 2013. The only thing new is the selection of music I guess.
The missing manual defensive moves in Fifa 2019 are fixed with Fifa 2020, making it easier to take the ball from your opponent. Some small physics changes are in good direction to realism but they are still no PES 2020. Lastly, there is a weather update that is long overdue. Weather can now change during the matches making the players and ball slip on different occasions. Even if it’s really long overdue, it still feels good.
