FIFA 17 Review: The best FIFA game but not quite perfect

If I had to pick one word to describe FIFA 17, it would be “beautiful.” EA Sports’ latest addition to their biggest franchise is quite simply their very best effort to date but that’s not to say it is the perfect football game – it does have its fair share of flaws.

The gaming giants have outdone themselves this year by combining incredible graphics, smooth gameplay, beautiful presentation, and most importantly, a new gameplay mode called ‘The Journey’ where you take control of an unknown youngster by the name of Alex Hunter and attempt to make him a household name.

The Journey is one of the biggest edges FIFA 17 has on its arch-nemesis, PES 2017. There a lot of areas where the two are neck and neck – FIFA edges the graphics, while PES edges the gameplay. FIFA takes the majority of the licenses but PES has UEFA’s Champions League and Europa League. FIFA’s Career Mode is good but not great, PES’ Master League mode is good but not great. Not a lot to choose from, eh?

We’ll get to why The Journey matters so much in a bit, but in the meanwhile, let’s take a look at how FIFA does on some of its core components.

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Graphics

The Frostbite engine takes FIFA’s graphics to the next level

This is the best-looking football game in the world today. Powered by the new Frostbite engine, FIFA ascends to another level in capturing the real life likeness of players, teams, stadiums and even the managers of the Premier League – a new addition this year.

There is an incredible attention to detail, as you now see tattoos for most the of the big-name players, dirt and grass from falling around the pitch, and a fluidity which was absent in previous editions.

With detailed match presentations, player entrances, team line-ups, and more, FIFA 17 has set a new bar for graphics in football games.

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Gameplay

The new set-piece system is a welcome change

FIFA 17 is one smooth ride – well, most the time, anyway. This has always been FIFA’s Achilles heel as EA have repeatedly dropped the ball in the past, ensuring every FIFA fan comes in with caution. “What will annoy me about the game this year?” they wonder.

Well, you will be disappointed to know that there are a few of these instances that can really ruin the flow of the game. You have those instances (especially on the higher difficulties) where the opposing team hangs on to the ball forever and there’s nothing you can do to get the ball back.

Defenders lose track of their markers too easily and goalkeeping shifts between the sublime and the comical. And, of course, there a few glitches you can use for an easy goal (no, I won’t tell you what they are, go Google them if you really want to know).

But, it’s not all bad, I promise. Most of the gameplay is smooth as silk. Passing and dribbling feel way more authentic now, and the AI seems to have significantly improved, even if there are a few odd moments where they go a little haywire.

Improved physics and new animations mean you can now score goals that look much more realistic while finishing and shooting feels much more satisfying due to the superior shooting system

The new set-pieces are also a welcome addition. While it takes a little getting used to, the new systems allow for more variety in terms of execution. It's a helluva lot of fun to take a long run up and score a belter of a freekick with the outside of your foot.

All in all, despite a few problems, gameplay this year is much much better.

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Licensing

Easily one of FIFA’s biggest strengths is the plethora of official licenses it has at its disposal. Authenticity is the name of the game here, as FIFA 17 boasts licensed leagues and teams from all over the world. This is especially apparent in the Premier League where everything is recreated to perfection.

The only point where FIFA has failed in licensing is the inability to pry UEFA’s Champions League and Europa League licenses away from PES 2017. Sure, you can customise North London Red into Arsenal in PES but that fails to capture the immersive experience EA Sports is able to provide.

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Career Mode

This is one I’m going to gloss over a little bit. While there are some new additions in the form of different objectives and long-term goals and the like, Career Mode is still largely the same.

It’s still a lot of fun to build squads and take on the might of the AI and the new challenges add an extra layer of complexity but it is by and large a game mode that didn’t change too significantly.

My one gripe with Career Mode is that unrealistic transfers are still absurdly common and there a few transfers which happen on every new Career.

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The Journey

Alex Hunter’s story is captivating

The Journey is FIFA’s newest game mode where, as I mentioned above, you take young Alex Hunter from the footballing unknown to super stardom. This is easily FIFA’s biggest win this year, as the game mode is filled with something which has been sorely lacking in FIFA games for a long time now – heart.

Chronicling young Alex’s journey is an absolute joy and the game makes you genuinely care for the young lad you control. Every high and low is a real rush and I must say that despite my initial scepticism about the new “Marcus Rashford Mode” as haters have dubbed it, The Journey is a real gem.

Despite a few issues where the dialogue seems out of place and some events which would never happen in reality, The Journey makes FIFA 17 a must-have game for every football fan.

Oh, and a piece of advice – Play as Hunter in every game instead of playing as the whole team. It is so much more satisfying this way.

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Online

Another area which I will not be concentrating too much on – the online play. I haven’t had the chance to access most of the online features yet, although, Ultimate Team looks better than ever with the new Squad Building Challenges. As long as EA is able to keep server status stable, the online component should be good to go.

In conclusion, I’ll say this – if you’re looking for the best football game on the planet, get PES 2017. If you’re looking for the most fun football game on the planet, get FIFA 17 because that’s exactly what EA’s latest offering brings to the table.

Rating: 8.5/10