Skip to main content

A month after launch, how's FIFA 18?

Wenger out.

A month after launch, FIFA 18 is in an interesting spot.

When EA's gargantuan football sequel came out I, and from what I can tell most people, enjoyed the game. Gameplay changes made for a fun, fast-passing and high-scoring game of virtual football, and some cool new modes meant FIFA 18 felt fully-featured. (For more, check out our FIFA 18 review.)

A month later, and with a couple of patches under its belt, FIFA 18 now has a mixed reputation among its rabid community. I've stuck with the game, pumping tens of hours into this year's FIFA Ultimate Team mode, and I've played what feels like hundreds of online and offline matches so far. So, I thought it would be useful to run through the good, bad and ugly of FIFA 18 one month in - and to offer my thoughts on what happens next.

The good

The passing

Passing is perhaps the most divisive aspect of FIFA 18 right now. I love it and hate it (more on the hate part later). Passing is so accurate and fast in this game that you're able to ping the ball about as if it's a pinball. Players control low, driven passes with ease. This passing style means creating chances is easier than it was in FIFA 17, and this combined with what feels like easier shooting makes for plenty of high-scoring games.

After the miserly FIFA 17, I'm still enjoying this new, somewhat silly football simulation. However, it has led to some issues, which I'll get into later.

Squad Battles

Squad Battles are a new mode for FIFA Ultimate Team that let you play against computer-controlled teams built by other players. What's great is you get decent rewards (FUT coins and packs) for the time and effort you put in. As a father with limited game time, Squad Battles has made FIFA Ultimate Team a realistic proposition. Just a few matches on an evening a few times a week is usually enough to reward me with enough coins to buy a few Gold-quality packs. And, depending on how well I do in those matches, I usually end up with enough coins to buy a decent player from the transfer market. As far as I'm concerned, Squad Battles is FUT dad mode, and it's fantastic.

Squad Battles make FUT a realistic experience for me.

The bad

The passing

FIFA 18's passing is overpowered. It's hard to see it any other way. And this had led some to say FIFA 18 has a skill gap problem. The theory is, FIFA 18 is an easier game than its predecessors, so the gap between so-called casual players (almost always a derogatory term within the FIFA community) and so-called experts has narrowed. While I believe skill continues to win out in FIFA 18, it's hard to ignore some of the complaints around the passing in particular.

AI defending

FIFA 18's first major patch marked a turning point for many players. Prior to the patch, the sentiment was largely positive. Post patch, well, sentiment nose-dived off a cliff.

The patch notes revealed tweaks to the goalkeepers to make them better at stopping shots and one-on-one situations. It felt like long shots took a nerf, too, which was welcome given how easy it was to score from outside the box prior to the patch. But post-patch, players felt FIFA 18 played too similarly to FIFA 17, with miserly AI defenders who would block shots more often than not. This, combined with the improved goalkeepers, can make for a frustrating experience.

With improved AI defending post-patch came complaints about the computer doing all of the hard work for the player on the defensive side, which was one of the chief criticisms of FIFA 17. This ties into the skill gap complaint. If it's easy to defend (ie, let the AI do the bulk of the defending while you take a strong defensive midfielder, such as N'Golo Kanté, and run around like a headless chicken after the ball), this takes away the challenge of mastering manual defending.

FIFA 18's first patch improved goalkeepers, but divided the community.

The referees

It's safe to say FIFA 18's referees need some work. They're just so inconsistent, and often let what look like outrageous barges go unpunished. It can be pretty frustrating to see your player turfed off the ball with what looks like a rugby tackle, only to concede a penalty for what looks like a tickle.

Also, I don't know about you, but I find the refs get in the way of my players more in FIFA 18 than any previous FIFA.

Player switching

FIFA 18 feels like it has a real problem with player switching. Usually once or twice a match I find myself hammering the player switch button as I frantically try to get the game to let me control the defender I desperately need it to. In a game with such fast, direct passing, satisfying player switching during defending is key. Unfortunately it falls down occasionally, and for me this usually ends up with my opponent creating a chance or even scoring.

The ugly

Transparency

One of the underlying issues FIFA 18 faces - indeed the series as a whole - is a lack of transparency over how exactly the game works. This leads to complaints about everything from the direction the ball moves when you pass it, to theories that revolve around apparent scripting. In short, some players reckon FIFA 18 cheats them. I've seen some pretty crazy conspiracy theories that accuse EA of dipping into matches to distract defenders during injury time, of blowing the ball off course as it rolls along the goal line, or - and I'm not joking here - even tampering with player stats.

Such theories are easy to dismiss at first as an overreaction to a moment during a match that goes against you. And representatives of EA Sports have always said FIFA does not include scripting. That ridiculous rebound that lets your opponent score a dramatic, last-minute winner? That's just football, EA says. That time your defender passed the ball straight to an opposition striker when you're sure you pointed the thumb stick in the opposite direction? That's football. Remember when Steven Gerrard slipped and Liverpool lost the league? That's football.

It's true that FIFA 18 contains plenty of odd moments that really do make you think. The FIFA subreddit and EA's own forum are littered with clips of FIFA 18 not working as players think it should, such as this one.

The problem is we don't really understand how FIFA works under the hood. Sure, we know how team chemistry works, and how player statistics go up or down depending on certain factors. But we do not know how those statistics and numbers and all the rest of it manifest on the pitch where players are clashing and the ball is on the move.

Why did your pass go awry? Why did your goalkeeper palm a shot straight into the feet of the opposition striker? Why did your shot hit the post and go wide? Why did your defender turn a blind eye to the midfielder who burst into the box?

FIFA 18 is a game of skill, but it's also a game of AI management. You control one player at a time, and so the computer controls 10 at any given moment. So much of the play is beyond you, out of your grasp, just outside your understanding, that when things do go wrong, it's easy to blame the computer. FIFA just cheated me. There. Easy. I've said it myself, usually when I've conceded a last minute equaliser online.

This is why FIFA 18's next big patch is so interesting. EA has said it will nerf passing in FIFA 18's third title update, making ground passes and ground through passes less effective when "blindly" passing the ball between 90 and 270 degrees, where zero degrees is the direction the player is facing.

This patch makes me feel a lot better about FIFA 18 and how it works under the hood. It suggests player skill - in this case knowing a pass is more likely to succeed if you don't blindly pass the ball - does have an impact. For all the player statistics and chemistry styles that make the numbers go up and down, making your players pass the ball in a realistic fashion is best - just like in real life.

What's next?

Despite some of its issues, I'm still enjoying FIFA 18 quite a bit, and with Squad Battles I'll keep coming back for more. Some of the common complaints you see online are overblown (FIFA 18 is still nowhere near as depressing to play as FIFA 17 was), but there are clear problem areas, such as referees and player switching.

It remains to be seen how this upcoming passing nerf will play out (it's out now on PC but yet to hit the console versions of FIFA 18), but my gut tells me creating chances will get slightly harder, and so those high-scoring games I've come to enjoy might calm down a bit. Perhaps this is a good thing. Perhaps not.

We'll see.

Read this next

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com