FIFA 20 review – pace is king and street football is back… just don’t pick Mustafi

THE arrival of each new edition of FIFA is a bit like the start of a new season.

There is much excitement, optimism and a sense that this year could be different.

But all too often, it turns out that little has changed, just like finding your favourite team is mired in yet another relegation battle or a season of mid-table mediocrity.

However, FIFA 20 genuinely offers cause to think this one really could be the year things change…

VOLTA

The most obvious update for FIFA is the introduction of Volta, a freestyle street style game made famous by the cult classic FIFA Street.

From the off one thing is clear – it’s very neon. From the menus to the customisable outfits of the players to the wide array of 5-a-side pitches you can play on.

Having a 3v3 battle on a Tokyo rooftop, a gritty parking lot or the dusty pitch in Lagos in a clear diversion from the main game.

It looks great, and there are fun touches such as replays being shown on CCTV and celebrations viewed through spectators’ mobile phones.

A welcome option is to have both men and women playing on the pitch together – a first for FIFA.

The initial experience was it was fun to play and easy to pick up. What’s not to like about making a fool of your opponent, smashing sick volleys into the goals and pulling off outrageous rainbow flicks.

Only time will tell if it becomes quickly overlooked in favour of the main game and descends into a gimmick.

The story mode is somewhat jarring and quite unnecessary (a flimsy attempt at replacing The Journey which has been ditched) while the knock-out format of the tournaments can be frustrating as a defeat sees you return all the way back to the start.

But for a quick bit of pick-up-and-play when you have a spare 30 minutes, this seems like a winner.

THE MAIN EVENT

This is why you will really be shelling out for the latest edition of FIFA and the welcome news is that the look and feel of the game has been updated.

It seems like there is more space between players, putting more emphasis on passing and tactics. It’s the game for the Pep Guardiola era.

Another modern aspect of the game that FIFA 20 has picked up on is the importance of pace.

The difference in players with and without speed is glaring, so when the likes of Kylian Mbappe go up against Shkodran Mustafi there is no contest. Quick tip: Don’t ever pick Mustafi.

It’s a change that can at times feel a bit unfair – there is literally no chance Harry Maguire is going to catch Lionel Messi once he’s through on goal. But then again, that’s reality, even if he did cost Manchester United a whopping £80million

So instead, there is more focus on making pre-emptive defensive movements which is actually all the more rewarding when it’s a success.

However, in games between “lesser teams” in which overall pace is lacking, the game can feel a little sluggish.

Let’s be honest, most of the time you’ll be playing with the best teams (including Juventus rip-off Piemonte Calcio) and best players anyway (don’t worry, Cristiano Ronaldo is still in it), but for those who do like to rough it with the less glamorous names might find it frustrating.

SMALL GAINS

Graphically, it seems FIFA has reached its peak. It looks a tiny bit more realistic than it’s predecessors but there’s nothing game changing here.

That’s the tone for the popular Career Mode as well. There are small updates, such as the ability to field questions from the press, but that will quickly get boring and aside from that there’s not much new.

Set-pieces have been refreshed to offer more mechanics for striking the ball, which seems a sensible update on the more hit-and-hope methods of the past.

Meanwhile, the shooting – which was heavily criticised last year – has been tweaked to offer more consistent and clinical finishing and it does feel better.

The soundtrack feels fresh, with the likes of Jorja Smith, Hot Chip and Slowthai providing the backing as you ponder whether to play N’Golo Kante in that deep midfield role or position him higher up the pitch like Maurizio Sarri (maybe he had a point after all, despite what Chelsea fans thought).

Meanwhile, Kick-Off games with “House Rules” such as Survival (where a random player is ejected from the goal scoring team every time there’s goal) and Long Range (where goals scored outside the box count double) are good fun, particularly when playing mates.

So another FIFA has arrived and this time it comes closer to the hype than many of its predecessors.

It genuinely feels different this year –  more in a Leicester 2016/17 way, rather than a Manchester United post-Fergie sense. And that’s excellent news.