FIFA 14 Demo Impressions - kelvinmak's Blog

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FIFA 14 Demo Impressions Stuck

Posted on September 12, 2013 at 10:02 AM.

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One of my most overused phrases in the past few months has been "let's wait until we get our hands on the demo." It's part laziness and part bad writing, but I'd like to think there's a hint of truth buried somewhere in there too.

Watching the FIFA 14 gameplay videos that came trickling out of Gamescom, featuring mostly human vs. human matches, it was somewhat hard to tell what changed between this year and last. But once I, yes, got my hands on the demo Tuesday, the differences became quite clear.

The feature that has since generated the most discussion, it seems, is the new player momentum. Some say it�s less fluid because of a perceived �lag�, while others argue that it�s more realistic since you can�t just change directions on a dime, or press shoot, no matter a player�s positioning, and expect the player to let fly anymore. This is the biggest change from 13 to 14.

From the demo, it looks like a player will need to take a second to recover his momentum, or shuffle his feet to get himself into a shooting position first. I like the change. It certainly makes things a little harder at the start because it sacrifices what was previously a simple part of the game�move where you want, when you want�but ultimately it is the more realistic way and allows for some choppier sequences of play. This new momentum feature, in conjunction with the improved variable dribble touches, means that we have to use speed burst even more judiciously.

To further lessen the reliance on pace, big players are more effective than ever. The increased physicality of this year�s game really shows if you have players like Yaya Toure or Ibrahimovic on your team. They use their large frames to their advantage. I particularly like the way when two players come together (sometimes before they�ve even reached the ball), they begin to jostle automatically. As well, a ball carrier will hold off challenges much more proactively with their bodies. In essence, I don�t necessarily need to outrun another player, but rather just keep him away from the ball, and that�s something I can do in FIFA 14, with its increased physicality, far more effectively than in previous years.

True to their word, EA has also improved the aggressiveness of the defenders. You can no longer pass through an opposing team with ease, as they defend very resolutely and compactly when the scoreline calls for it. In some cases, I almost thought they were too effective, it was very much near impossible to find any space in the middle of the park. As well, CPU players are more aggressive in their initial pressing. It was great to see, under the right conditions, CPU teams trying to swarm my goalkeeper or defender when I tried to play the ball out from the back. AI controlled teammates also mark their men tighter and generally give opposing players less time on the ball, unlike last year�s timid attempt at defending.

So in that sense, yes, the defending has definitely been improved, and that�s great. But�and maybe this is a long term conceptual beef more than an immediate one�there are some moments (rare, but they�re there) when I can�t help but notice that the ten outfield defenders lack a sense of awareness in terms of team defense, as they just mark their own men and staying in their prescribed positions no matter what happens, which in turn makes the game feel temporarily like a series of one-on-one battles.

On a more positive note, I am really liking the new shot physics, as shots now have more weight to them when flying through the air. Couple that with the aforementioned mechanism where players have to adjust their body position first before letting fly, together they make shooting a much more satisfying experience than before. It�s a bit disappointing, then, that the new physics aren�t extended to passes (especially goalkeeper clearances), as they still have the floatiness from previous years.

Presentation-wise, it looks to be as slick as ever. Sky�s Jeff Stelling joins the franchise�s growing stable of TV personalities, doing pre-games and recaps, while Martin Tyler and Alan Smith reprise their roles in the commentary booth. On the visual side, it looks pretty similar to FIFA 13, with maybe a slight polish on the kits and crowds. It seems like the new, and sleeker, interface we saw from the career mode reveal is now the standard for menus across FIFA, and that�s a big plus, since it really does a nice job of cleaning up the cluster and makes navigating easier.

The one thing that I can�t judge definitively, mostly because of the time constraints, is CPU possession play. Because of the short halves, one bad sequence from either team will lead to some seriously skewed numbers. However, and perhaps rather disappointingly, it is looking increasingly like there won�t be much changes in the way each individual team plays. While I did notice some differences in general playing mentalities and, to a certain extent, player spacing, the way the CPU attacks seems the generally the same (to be fair, the short halves may be, again, a factor here) no matter which team I play�that is, play the ball up as quickly and as directly as possible, then take its time passing it around the final third. That was the pattern I encountered whether I was playing against Barcelona or the Red Bulls.

So where do we stand, now that we actually got our hands on the demo? Cautiously optimistic, I suppose. No, it doesn't look all that different from FIFA 13, but that's because the changes lie mostly under the hood. All the new features are looking like they�ll improve the game one way or the other (which, of course, isn�t a given these days), and I�m holding out hope that the things I�m not so sure about� the lack of variation CPU�s playing style, especially�might be lessened when I play a longer match, or in career mode. So... let�s wait until we get our hands on the full release?

Comments

# 1 Dazraz @ Sep 12

I've been a FIFA man for some years but I have to say gameplay wise & visually I was more impressed with PES this year. Of course FIFA has the depth in terms of Licenses & Stadia as well as better commentary. I'm hanging out for next gen to see how good FIFA is there before making my decision.

# 2 shaikio @ Sep 12

I would probably wait until next gen to pick up FIFA this year, but I'm going to bite on the current gen since there is the $10 deal to trade up to the next gen version and because Ultimate Team and a few other things will transfer to the next gen version. Could actually see myself also picking up PES this year too though based on the demo.

# 3 BrianFifaFan @ Sep 12

Try it on PC with a Demo Expander. The CPU does play a lot differently. Great review!

# 4 BigMacAttack22 @ Sep 12

I liked some aspects of it, but I liken my experience to that of NHL 14 - I was wholly unimpressed with the NHL demo to the point I was SURE I was not buying it. I ended up downloading the early release on season ticket (which has become a huge buying resource for me) and was so pleased that NHL is sitting in my disc tray now.

The demo was fine for me. The new physics were good, I liked the new shooting, and the AI has generally improved (team defense notwithstanding). I just don't think it's anywhere near the final build, so I would rather have the full game to judge it.

# 5 Lovesports @ Sep 12

I also like PES much better this year

# 6 melandlaurel @ Sep 13

I disagree with this portion of the article: "... While I did notice some differences in general playing mentalities and, to a certain extent, player spacing, the way the CPU attacks seems the generally the same (to be fair, the short halves may be, again, a factor here) no matter which team I play—that is, play the ball up as quickly and as directly as possible, then take its time passing it around the final third. That was the pattern I encountered whether I was playing against Barcelona or the Red Bulls..."

I specifically looked at this as well, and had a different experience. Playing as PSG, I found the pressing and passing of Barcelona to be representative, incisive and deadly. The Red Bulls could never do that to me, hoping to maybe catch me on the break and build on the wings, on occasion, was all that they could muster...also representative of that club in real-life. After playing about ten hours of the demo, I saw real differences in build up style and attacking approach.