Fifa 18 Preview

Key Features

• Release date: September 2017
• Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
• Switch, PS3 and Xbox 360 to get a different version

FIFA 18 release date, Ultimate Team, The Journey, EA Access, demo and hands-on impressions

This is the ultimate page for everything you need to know about FIFA 18. Below we have our initial hands-on impressions, and below that we have everything else you need to know about the game.

FIFA 18 hands-on impressions

By Max Parker

Keeping a yearly franchise fresh is hard, but EA Sports has been on an impressive run with FIFA over the past few iterations. FIFA 18 isn’t a huge overhaul, but the various tweaks and additions make a game of football that’s much more realistic, fluid and very enjoyable.

The switch to the Frostbite engine last year was huge, giving the series a dramatic facelift. But, as with the switch to any new engine, there were some quirks with odd player reactions and blank faces. Thankfully FIFA 18 is the year when the Frostbite engine really comes into its own, and this game looks absolutely stunning.

The new lighting system is the biggest obvious graphical change, and it really gives that extra hit of realism that was missing before. Playing in a sun-soaked South American stadium, the light bathes the players and shadows dot about an almost sepia toned pitch whilst at night in Europe the floodlights bounce of the walls.

Stadiums feel much more alive, which seem a small and insignificant detail but it really helps amp up the atmosphere. Each venue feel unique, with everything from the fans to the pitch reacting differently. Fans in Argentina wave flags and banners, throwing confetti that floats down onto the pitch and stays there. A demo game of Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid, saw the fans pile down from behind the goal and runs towards Griezeman as he scored a deft 90-minute winner. The crowd feels alive in a way those regimented fans in previous versions have never felt.

Considering the early version of the game I was playing, it seems overly harsh to criticise aspects of the game yet. But, two new features stuck out as needing some extra tweaking between now and release. Dynamic quick substitutions are a great idea; every time the ball goes out of play, you flick R2 and perform a sub without needing to hop into the menu. My issue is that the players it suggested I sub and who was going to replace them seemed weird and highly unrealistic. There’s also been some improvements to player movement and while players are now more likely to spread out to receive the ball, I found they still clump together and force you to take the ball further than you want. Hopefully both of these will be fixed and tinkered with before release.

The Journey single-player campaign, which debuted last year, could easily have been a point of ridicule for trying to add a narrative to a football game. But it was actually surprisingly great, and it’s no surprise it’s back another season here. The Journey: Hunter’s Return finally lets you customise Alex’s hair and clothes and it takes a distinctively more continental feel with the option of moving abroad. Local multiplayer in The Journey is new, and the decisions you make along the way are said to have greater impact on.

I only got to play the few minutes of the story, but it certainly feels like more and that’s not  a bad thing.

Ultimate Team isn’t to my tastes, but I know a lot – and I mean A LOT – of people love it and EA is of course bringing it back. Expect to hear more on this mode later, but for now all I was told was that the currently Xbox Legends will be coming to PS4 and PC this year headlined by the iconic Brazilian striker Ronaldo.

First impressions

After a few games, FIFA 18 had already done enough to grab my attention. The improved atmosphere inside the stadiums and more realism in players’ faces is nice, but it’s the smoother and genuinely much more fun dribbling and shooting that makes this such a step-forward.

It likely won’t attract the PES die-hards, but this is another impressive entry in a very consistent series.

FIFA 18 release date – When is it coming out?

FIFA 18 will launch for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch and PC on September 29, 2017. At the end of the debut trailer, a PS4 Pro logo appears, suggesting the game will offer additional support for Sony’s premier console.

FIFA 18 The Journey – What’s it about?

EA has confirmed The Journey will return in FIFA 18 with all new storylines and characters. We know that Alex Hunter will indeed return, now embarking on the next stage of his superstar career.

FIFA 18 Trailer – How does it look?

The latest footage for FIFA 18 comes courtesy of Chesnoid Gaming. The video takes a look at the enhanced Career Mode and some of its upcoming features:

FIFA 18 Ultimate Team Legends coming to PS4 and PC

The recent news from EA Sports has confirmed that FIFA Ultimate Team Legends will no longer be exclusive to Xbox One. The news is noticeable in the pre-order page for the game, in which players who purchase the “Icon Edition” receive £120 worth of Jumbo Premium Gold Packs, as well as Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo, the iconic Brazilian striker, on loan for five games.

Electronic Arts also revealed some of the first players coming to FIFA 18 Ultimate Team, one of which is Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. Other confirmed legends include Russian keeper Lee Yashkin and the one and only Diego Maradona.

Ultimate Team has also undergone a bunch of stylistic changes in FIFA 18 including new animations, placeholder cards and characteristics for each player. Daily and weekly objectives have been revamped, with new rewards up for grabs adding an extra layer of competition for you and your friends.

You can find a collection of images detailing all the changes from the recent FIFA 18 stream here.

FIFA 18 Cover Star – Who will it be?

We finally have our first glimpse at FIFA 18’s official box art. This year’s installment will launch with a ‘Ronaldo Edition’ that grants players with three days early access and 20 jumbo premium card packs for FIFA Ultimate Team.

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