EA Sports' 'FIFA 17' gets a major overhaul, but keeps that old familiar feeling

The EA Sports' FIFA video game series hasn't always been the most realistic, but it's long been the most fun. The game has drawn in a whole new generation of soccer fans with its relative ease of learning, regularly updated and licensed teams, and simply by being ubiquitous for so many years. Although this year's edition gets a brand new graphics and engine overhaul, it doesn't change anything revolutionary on the gameplay side, but it still remains infinitely enjoyable. There are a ton of new features, tweaks to gameplay, and cinematic elements, but if you're familiar with the game, it's still the same FIFA; it's just a lot prettier.

For the first time ever, FIFA 17 features EA's Frostbite engine, featured in Battlefield, Star Wars Battlefront, and more. With an updated graphics and physics engine, the game is absolutely beautiful. There are new animations, passing is much more crisp and direct and it's possible to play a much more fluid possession style with the updated ball-shielding mechanics and a much-improved AI that allows for more intelligent off-the-ball movement. Defenders are more intelligent and close down quicker, and there's less space in midfield, giving the game more of a realistic feel than in previous iterations.

Players seem to have slowed down, but the ball moves faster than ever, and it can lead to games careening out of control, especially on FIFA's Ultimate Team mode, which has long had issues with the speed of gameplay. Set pieces have also improved, with the ability to handcraft your own routines rather than simply shoot, play short, or drive the ball into the box.

Speaking of FIFA's most popular mode, Ultimate Team has received a few welcome upgrades, but it's still the same life-consuming FUT that millions of FIFA fans flock to play every year.

The biggest new feature of this year's edition is The Journey, a story-driven mode where players are given the option of taking 17-year-old Alex Hunter through his quest to become a world-class young professional at any of the 20 Premier League clubs. Players must perform both in training and in game situations to progress, with performance in both situations determining the way the story plays out along the way. Structured like a role-playing game (RPG), players can also craft how young Alex interacts with his peers and is viewed by the public, with the ability to respond to interviews and one-on-one conversations by choosing from three different types of response.

As a whole, The Journey is a fun ride, and it's a welcome addition to the typical FIFA offerings. Frostbite's graphical improvements and the character acting made the journey seem fairly realistic, and I felt invested in Hunter's success (and a deep, vindictive hatred for his nemesis) along the way. However, as it is on a linear track, the game can suffer from a bit of narrative dissonance between your actions as a player and the game's path. For instance, I played my way onto Arsenal's first team, scoring five goals in three matches, and was still left off the Champions League list, and sent out on loan to the Championship. How's that for a reward?

FIFA 17 may not be the most realistic property out there, but it's fantastically enjoyable. While it does suffer from some of the same issues of the past, it's still impossible to put down, and it looks incredible. If you're a FIFA fan, it's a must-buy. If you're new to the franchise and looking for pure realism, this may not be the property for you. If you're just looking for a great overall soccer game, you can't go wrong here.

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