Discover all you need to know about FIFA. Features, Pros and Contras. FIFA available for Android and iOS devices. Get it Now !
Free UK Delivery on Eligible Orders. Check the Great Selection of Games Today!
Refurbished Xbox One guaranteed to work like new from only £99. Buy better. Up to 41% less than new, 92% less CO2 emissions.
Search results
- Despite the few negatives, FIFA 20 still plays a good game of football. It won’t be the best you’ll ever play, but it is fun and addictive, no matter the mode you choose to play. FIFA 20 also looks as good as it plays and is the most authentic-looking football experience in a FIFA game yet.
www.gamerevolution.com/review/598189-fifa-20-reviewFIFA 20 Review | The most authentic FIFA yet - GameRevolution
People also ask
Should you play FIFA 20 on Xbox One?
Is FIFA 20 worth it?
Is FIFA 20 a good game?
Should you play FIFA 20 alone?
Should you buy FIFA 20 Ultimate Team?
What are the new features in FIFA 20?
Oct 7, 2019 · Taking everything into account though, FIFA 20 on Xbox One has brought in more control to the experience; in particular the defending which feels refined. The Ultimate Team mode shines...
- Smells like street spirit.
- Every IGN FIFA Game Review Ever
- FIFA 20 and VOLTA Mode
- The Marred Volta
- Modes, Modes and More Modes
- Unsurprising Mechanics
- Verdict
- FIFA 20 Review
- More Reviews by Simon Cardy
- IGN Recommends
By Simon Cardy
Updated: Apr 21, 2020 1:27 pm
Posted: Sep 19, 2019 7:01 am
I’ve had to reassess the way I’ve played FIFA this year, which is something I haven’t had to do in many years through all the tweaks, changes and so called “game-changing mechanics”. FIFA 20 feels different to previous years; in some ways for the better, but in others not. Volta, a brand-new way to play FIFA that offers a breath of fresh air to the series - albeit not without its own faults - is here, but does it come at the expense of the game as a whole?
Last year, many of FIFA 19’s gameplay innovations were based on the attacking game, from timed-finishes to the basics of how the ball could be nudged into space with a flick of the stick. FIFA 20 swings the pendulum back the other way and puts much more emphasis on the other side of the ball. The way you defend has been overhauled and has never felt more crucial. You can no longer heedlessly charge at a defender, hold down the tackle button, and hope for the best. You’re punished for not thinking about defensive play to the same extent you would building an attack, due to the high level of risk-reward when going in for a challenge; time it well and you’ll likely take the ball cleanly and win possession. Misjudge the timing, however, and you’re punished with a foul or left watching as your opponent skips over your trailing leg.
The way you defend has been overhauled and has never felt more crucial.
“
This is due in part to a new weapon attackers now have in their arsenal in the form of strafe dribbling. You can square up to a defender by holding the left bumper and attempt to shimmy past, ultimately creating a yard of space needed for a cross or shot. It’s a useful tool that provides more options when in control of the ball. If successful, at the very least you’ll get fouled, giving you the chance to try out the new way set-pieces are taken. EA has seemingly taken inspiration from the now-dormant PGA Tour golf series when it comes to taking direct free kicks, because now you first place a target where you want to aim, then add spin with the right stick as the taker approaches the ball. This technique opens up new possibilities and can produce some great-looking finishes. It’s initially difficult to get to grips with but I found myself enjoying it greatly, especially in comparison the simplistic ways they’ve worked in previous games.
For more on specific gameplay changes, check out the video below:
Get past your man without being chopped down, however, and you’re in luck, as you’ll likely have the pace to ward them off and bear down on goal. This is thanks to a welcome adjustment of how player speed works in FIFA 20. A common FIFA 19 frustration was how easily slow defenders would often be able to catch up with much faster attackers; I’m happy to report that’s no longer the case here, and the sight of an aging Mats Hummels quickly closing in on a spritely Raheem Sterling is no longer a regular occurrence.
This loops back to the defensive overhaul implemented in FIFA 20. Defensive AI is far more intelligent and they’ll intercept passes and block shots much more often. Lofted through balls are no longer anywhere near as effective as they once were, as defenders are better at reading the game and provide more of a challenge than I’m used to when playing FIFA.
As a result I’ve found myself playing more on the counter-attack, which in turn has led to my biggest frustration with this year’s outing: it feels completely two paced. The players have returned to being lightning-quick, but that feels completely at odds with the speed at which the ball wants to move. New ball physics cause it to bobble and get slowed down grass more realistically, which admittedly looks great, but it also interrupts the flow of the game. It’s like listening to a song with someone sporadically pressing the half-speed button every time you hit a groove.
My biggest frustration with this year’s outing: it feels completely two paced.
“
This, coupled with the more realistic ways players turn, both on and off the ball, slows down the pace considerably, and some players’ turning circles are unusually large. I’m all for creating as authentic a football experience as possible – and something that FIFA excels in its presentation – but I fundamentally want it to be fun first. For me, football games have often been at their best when they don’t take themselves too seriously and embrace the silly side of the game. Whether that be the long-lost penguin outfits in the golden era of PES or the pure slapstick, arcade fun of FIFA Street. Luckily, there is still room for plenty of that in FIFA 20, even if it’s hard to find in its core 90-minute match modes.
For more a full match of FIFA 20 in 4K, check out the video below:
Volta is the grandstand addition to FIFA 20 and is an amalgamation of FIFA Street and the more recent story-based Journey mode. In many ways it’s a successful combination: there’s a lot of variety and perhaps even enough to do to to warrant a standalone release without provoking too many gripes. That alone nullifies the argument that FIFA 20 is just a reskin of the previous year’s version.
There are three ways to play Volta: Tour, League and Story, each of which is appealing in different measure. Tour is where you go to play matches against the CPU, using squads pulled from the server that have been built by other players. Once you beat a squad you can recruit a player from that team to join yours, similar to Need for Speed’s pink slip system. It also allows you to choose which of the 17 worldwide locations and forms of street football you’d like to play. Each of these global arenas has been beautifully crafted and has its own unique atmosphere, while also offering a genuinely different gameplay experience - though some with greater success than others. I much preferred the larger pitches like Rio de Janeiro’s favela or the Berlin gymnasium rather than the claustrophobic cages of Tokyo’s sky-high rooftops.
To see all of the different Volta modes, check out the video below:
Matches on these smaller pitches often descend into chaos, with balls bouncing between knees, concrete and chain fences, and very little football actually taking place. Repeatedly hitting shoot to see where the bounces was often the most successful tactic, repeating until it finds the back of the net. But on more open pitches, Volta really comes into its own. There’s time and space to pass the ball around, with enough scope to add flourishes like tricks and flicks. That said, if you overplay flair you’ll be punished, because Volta is much more rooted in classic FIFA than the old Street games. There are no bonus points for skills moves, they’re just another way to help win the match. It feels good to achieve a balance of the two, even if in my heart I yearn for the days of getting Peter Crouch to panna every opponent in sight.
If you overplay flair you’ll be punished, because Volta is much more rooted in classic FIFA than the old Street games.
“
Outside Volta, there are numerous additions to other modes in FIFA 20. House Rules gets a couple of new options: King of the Hill is a possession-based mode I can see myself spending little time with, while Mystery Ball is pure madness. Every time the ball goes out of play a new appears on the pitch, with a different ‘perk’ altering its physics each time. These include dribbling, speed and shooting boosts, to one ball that has all three combined. Panic ensues every time this ball comes into play, because the player in possession can breeze past defenders before slapping the ball into the net. It’s the kind of silliness I want from FIFA and continues the trend of last year’s fun additions.
Mystery Ball is pure madness.
“
Ultimate Team also benefits from House Rules modes this year, with a couple exclusive to FUT. Max Chemistry and Swaps modes are fun, but I can’t see them being a massive time suck for people already invested in FUT’s loop. They’re found in the new FUT Friendlies section, meaning you can take your assembled squad offline and play with a friend. It’s a quality-of-life improvement for those who don’t want to worry about player fitness or contracts running down.
For a full match of Mystery Ball, check out the video below:
For those going online, there are new Season Objectives. Much like a battle pass system, it sets challenges which rewards items only exclusive to this mode. Some are vanity items that express more of that welcome silliness in FIFA, introducing such things as a retro 16-bit ball and a dabbing unicorn tifo for your stadium. These are all positive changes that add a bit of personalisation to the FUT experience, which is much needed when a lot of squads are filled with the same handful of players, causing the whole thing to become a little homogenised.
One thing that hasn’t changed are the microtransactions. Card packs are still available and people will continue to buy them. EA has stated it has no plans to alter its approach to “surprise mechanics” unless laws are passed. As of yet, very little progress has been made on this front, but who knows, maybe by the time FIFA 21 comes around things might have changed. There have been baby steps made this year in regards to cards. Icons will now cost less on the transfer market, but the chances of obtaining one via a pack are still ludicrously low. In short, microtransactions still look to be an issue in FUT 20, with many fans vocal about their inclusion and inherent pay-to-win nature.
For more on changes to FUT in FIFA 20, check out the video below:
Volta is a significant addition to FIFA and while it doesn’t all hit the right notes, it’s a largely enjoyable way to play a wealth of content, including a story mode that’s more concise and engaging than The Journey. Elsewhere, improvements have been made to the core FIFA 20 experience, especially when it comes to defending, but overall controllin...
Review scoring
good
Volta brings new life into the series, but on the whole FIFA 20 is an adequate but underwhelming entry into the series.
Simon Cardy
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Review
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Single-Player Campaign Review
- Simon Cardy
Sep 24, 2019 · Enjoy more control over the Decisive Moments that determine the outcome of every match in FIFA 20. Pick your target and time it right from the spot. Add curl, dip, or knuckle to free kicks. A new aiming mechanic gives you more creativity from dead balls. Move with more agility. Lure the defender in. Beat them with speed or skill.
- (65)
- E
Nov 27, 2019 · TechRadar Verdict. By listening to player feedback and implementing some inspired changes, EA has made FIFA 20 feel like a worthwhile content package for patch note-scouring series veterans and...
- olomanjordan@gmail.com
- EA
Sep 19, 2019 · Pros. Addition of new Volta mode. Strength and speed attributes feel more influential. Player animations look fantastic. Cons. Unconvincing ball physics. Career mode cut scenes are annoying. Key...
- Electronic Arts
Sep 26, 2019 · Teams of up to six players go head-to-head in arenas based around the globe, with splendidly OTT results: balletic skills, spectacular goals, ludicrous overhead kicks, preposterous celebrations.
Oct 2, 2019 · As always, FIFA 20 is hugely impressive visually and in terms of overall presentation, it’s got most things shining brightly (even without the perks of 4K and HDR in the Enhanced/Pro versions). The in-game atmosphere is great with some new on-screen overlays and assorted features such as stand-sized banners (or tifos) unfurled before each game.
