Is FIFA 19 Better or Worse Since Launch?

[Steve_OS]

There are not many games that divide opinions quite like FIFA. The constant fight between offline...

Written By: Kevin Groves

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[PPerfect_CJ]

Worse. WAY worse. I mean, Career Mode is currently unplayable because of the -1 overall ratings bug that was introduced in the last patch. Only mode I play, so that pretty much killed everything for me.

[dubcity]

Quote:

The constant fight between offline and online players has to be a difficult path to navigate for EA.

I wish it were a difficult path for them. They made their choice years ago when UT pack microtransactions blew up.

[yausser1017]

I cannot believe how bad Fifa has gotten. I bought Fifa on release day every year for over 10 years, and stopped in 2017. I bought 19 after Christmas cause it was half off. I have no interest playing a game that you cannot effectively play defense. I mainly play pro clubs with friends, and the AI defense is a joke. 3-4 times a game somebody is ripping shots from 30-40 yards and they go in every time. Passing is non existent, cause you can use controlled dribbles down the field and there is no way to stop it. No way to play defense, the game is just stupid.

[Chrisx]

I'm on the pc, and kept backups of several versions of the game, including the launch version from September. I got to disagree with the article on a couple of points: on the evolution of the gameplay since launch and on defending positioning.

For all the patching, the game is for the most part the same. If you liked it back then, you'll still like it, if you thought it was bad, it still is.

If there's one patch that had the most impact I'd say it was the first one (or was it the second?). This sped up animations and passing a bit and fixed the sidefooted shots. The rest is tuning so slight you'll hardly notice, it affects your expectations more than it changes the game in any meaningful way IMHO. For example at some point they supposedly nerfed finesse shots when the ball is coming from an awkward angle. Plenty of these ridiculous shots are still flying in when they shouldn't. Maybe there're fewer of them but it doesn't really change the game, all exploits are still a thing, online and offline, perhaps dialled down a bit.

Defending positioning? Full backs are terrible, never tracking runs on the wings. Pass, cross, header, repeat. Fouls are a problem but what kills the game completely for me (offline) is how the CPU will not even use the new tactical system! Is the cpu setup with constant pressure? That means there is zero midfield and you can go box to box with 1 pass. Is the cpu setup to drop back? If you're winning you can keep the ball forever, they'll never press you. It blows my mind that people don't notice/mind that, it's the first fifa game that can put me to sleep really.

Anyway, all that is in the past now, uninstalled it and deleted the lot now. My journey started with fifa 13 but 19 will most likely be my last one. Game is designed for a very specific target group. Casuals who spend a lot on fut and need a pay to win game (elite teams are crap to play against) with exploits built in to help win a few and incentivize more spending. Even "pros" and content creators are ignored, never mind the offline crowd. They are useful for marketing the game online but the gameplay is never designed for anyone with half a clue.

[tonysnow45]

I've come to realize the expectation of the EA of producing a quality game is the days of the past. It surprise me that people continue to purchase their products and then complain about the gameplay.* None of their sports are nowhere close to being a true SIM game.

[pk500]

FIFA 19 has two MAJOR problems that haven't been and probably won't be fixed by any patch, one unique to this game and another to every edition of the franchise.

The first problem, unique to this year's game: Midfield marking is FAR too tight from box to box, especially when the human player is moving the ball from his end into the midfield. Watch a Premier League game -- no team routinely uses its midfield to apply that much pressure at the center of the pitch unless it's trailing in the final minutes of a game.

The end result of that excessive pressure is an over-reliance on the insane passing speed featured in this game to advance into the opposing team's 18. It almost feels like the soccer video game equivalent of spamming.

FIFA 18 didn't have this problem. That game featured an almost ideal amount of CPU defensive pressure through the midfield. CPU defending in PES 2019 is almost too loose through the midfield in normal game situations, but it's a hell of a lot more realistic than FIFA 19.

The second problem, evident in every edition of FIFA, is horrific ball physics. The ball in FIFA lacks weight. It's an abstract sensation to describe, but if you've ever played soccer or even messed around on a field passing or shooting with friends, you know how the ball behaves and what kind of weight is "felt" when playing.

FIFA doesn't re-create the "weight" of a soccer ball at all. The ball feels more like a beach ball or a ball half-filled with helium at times. EA never has addressed this problem, and it probably never will.

The ball "weight" and "feel" in PES 2019 is excellent, streets better than FIFA.

Please don't interpret my comparisons to PES 2019 as the rants of a PES fanboy. Hardly. PES 2019 has its share of flaws outside of the usual lousy licensing and terrible commentary. But excessively tight midfield marking and terrible ball "feel" and "weight" are the biggest problems of FIFA 19 that EA probably won't address with any patch because it might require a significant rewrite of the game engine code.

[KG]

Quote: Originally Posted by Chrisx

I'm on the pc, and kept backups of several versions of the game, including the launch version from September. I got to disagree with the article on a couple of points: on the evolution of the gameplay since launch and on defending positioning. For all the patching, the game is for the most part the same. If you liked it back then, you'll still like it, if you thought it was bad, it still is. If there's one patch that had the most impact I'd say it was the first one (or was it the second?). This sped up animations and passing a bit and fixed the sidefooted shots. The rest is tuning so slight you'll hardly notice, it affects your expectations more than it changes the game in any meaningful way IMHO. For example at some point they supposedly nerfed finesse shots when the ball is coming from an awkward angle. Plenty of these ridiculous shots are still flying in when they shouldn't. Maybe there're fewer of them but it doesn't really change the game, all exploits are still a thing, online and offline, perhaps dialled down a bit. Defending positioning? Full backs are terrible, never tracking runs on the wings. Pass, cross, header, repeat. Fouls are a problem but what kills the game completely for me (offline) is how the CPU will not even use the new tactical system! Is the cpu setup with constant pressure? That means there is zero midfield and you can go box to box with 1 pass. Is the cpu setup to drop back? If you're winning you can keep the ball forever, they'll never press you. It blows my mind that people don't notice/mind that, it's the first fifa game that can put me to sleep really. Anyway, all that is in the past now, uninstalled it and deleted the lot now. My journey started with fifa 13 but 19 will most likely be my last one. Game is designed for a very specific target group. Casuals who spend a lot on fut and need a pay to win game (elite teams are crap to play against) with exploits built in to help win a few and incentivize more spending. Even "pros" and content creators are ignored, never mind the offline crowd. They are useful for marketing the game online but the gameplay is never designed for anyone with half a clue.

Do you play with any PC mods or global editors?

I feel like you could resolve some of these issues with mods tweaks but it would take globally editing something like FB positioning (a point I totally agree with as they tuck in way too much and are easily beat by the same 1-2s).

Both games are def designed and catered towards casuals/FUT crowd, which makes sense from a business standpoint, but they need to figure out a way to monetize Career Mode which is the only way they'll throw considerable resources at it.



pk500,

Totally agree about physics and ball weight. EVERYTHING in FIFA feels floaty from the players to the ball. They've sacrificed so much to create responsive controls but it ends up making the game feel cartoon'ish IMO.

I'm mixed on your assessment of midfield play between the two games. Now when a team is properly set up in PES (deep defensive line turned off, fluid formations bringing #'s back to defend, A/D levels turned to defensive, etc...) the game is exponentially improved, especially in the midfield, but when you play a team that's in....say a 4-3-3 and they're on red Attack level it's way too easy to bypass the midfield and get the ball to your ST with one ground pass from your CB. Then you have the ability to turn with the ball because the CBs are pushed back into the box with the CMs/CDMs dropping back to the edge of the box. It just makes the game way too predictable and easy.

FIFA on the other hand, IMO, does a better job with the midfield play but the defensive pressure is nullified because the game is so responsive, the default view lets you see every possible option/outlet, and you can one-touch pass around the pressure. The physicality in PES is greater even if the shielding animation is contextual unlike FIFA where there's a specific command for it.

Both games are a let down IMO.

Great discussion though fellas.