Nine of FIFA 19’s best new features: Timed Finishing, No Rules, fan banners..

Planet Football • 02 Oct 2018

FIFA 19 has been finally released – and we can’t wait to pick up a controller, ignore our responsibilities and get into some serious gaming.

EA Sports’ series has dominated many of our lives for a long time now, and no matter how good or bad one edition is, we can’t help but buy the next one, too.

As always, there are plenty of new features on the latest game.

1) 25 new icons added

Last year saw the Icons feature added to the game. This year, 25 new legendary players have been put in Ulitmate Team for you to obtain.

Johan Cruyff, George Best, Luís Figo, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Eusébio are all playable in FUT, but you’ll have to find them in gold packs.

2) You will love Timed Finishing or ignore entirely

This game mechanic has reworked how you shoot.

In previous instalments of FIFA, hitting the shoot button twice in quick succession would mean your controlled player would shoot along the floor – a great way of catching out unsuspecting goalkeepers who have to get down low to save.

This time, a second tap, when timed to perfection, can see the ball fly into the top corner from 30 yards. This new feature may take some getting used to – so expect some misplaced shots go high into the stratosphere – but if you turn FIFA’s Trainer on for a short while, you should, in theory, get the hang of it.

“You’ve got another tool in your arsenal, if you want to use it,” FIFA creative director Matt Prior said to Eurogamer of the new mechanic.

“The pro players will be the key guys who use it, but that’s not to say regular players won’t. It’s not in any way designed to widen the gap between those two types of players. It’s just to give another layer of control to the core user.”

3) Dynamic Tactics means you can refine how you play

Today there is more public attention on tactics than ever. And this is reflected in FIFA 19, which allows you more control.

Whether you feel you’re a Sam Allardyce or Pep Guardiola, FIFA 19’s new system gives you the ability to change all the intricate details of a game-plan and tune them to your preference.

You can craft multiple tactical blueprints and switch between them accordingly while playing.

Thankfully, there’s even a remedy to beat that one particularly annoying friend who likes to ‘park the bus’; you can switch on ‘Pressure on Heavy Touch,’ which sees your players charge down the opposition, forcing them into mistakes.

4) Authentic European football

FIFA won the rights to Champions League and Europa League, pretty much leaving Pro Evolution Soccer without a paddle.

This means authenticity on the European stage, a proper feel of those glorious Tuesday and Wednesday nights where football’s elite fight it out for the most prestigious prize in football.

And now you, sitting at home in front of the TV in your underpants eating Doritos, can be part of the action. Hallelujah.

5) True-to-life animations with new active-touch system

Though the GIF shows off the type of poetic, blissful goal that can be achieved in FIFA 19, it also raises a valid point about the new game. That is the animations.

Some have been refined while others are entirely new.

And whether you’re passing, shooting, crossing or trapping, the brand new animations are clear to see.

We wonder who was brave enough to do the motion capture for this one?

Peaked on my first game of 19. Headshot, Double Nutshot and a crisp half volley. Perfection from r/FIFA

6) The Journey reaches its conclusion

Alex Hunter returns to conclude the trilogy.

With Cristiano Ronaldo making his shock move to Juventus over the summer (in-game and real-life), Hunter is brought in as his replacement at Real Madrid. It’s your job to ensure Hunter is an adequate replacement.

FIFA have made use of their Champions League licence, the narrative being your attempts as Hunter to win the trophy, while you get to play as his half-sister, Kim, as she tries to win the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

7) No Rules means more fun

No Rules means exactly what it says on the tin.

You finally get the chance to bruise up the opposition without an abundance of red cards and an early end to the game.

This mode also means no offside, too. You can literally do whatever you want to win the match; the trouble is, so can your opponent.

Your best method of winning these games is by sticking speedsters like Jamie Vardy and Leroy Sane up front while getting some really feisty players in behind to batter your opposition.

8) Fan animation is enhanced which mean selfies are here

Fan animation is an aspect in football games that is largely neglected, with clones of what appears to be the same supporter duplicated on every row in the stands.

Now FIFA 19 has decided to buck the trend and implement some authentic fan behaviour.

Such is their attention to detail in FIFA 19, you’ll spot certain sections of the crowd taking selfies – and Newcastle fans can even be spotted with ‘Ashley Out’ banners.

New Fifa I see is accurate regards St. James Park. Even has “Ashley out” banners 😂. You seen this? @petersnowdon pic.twitter.com/oofei6N4k8

— Simon T (@spurredon10) September 30, 2018