FIFA 19 - Xbox One

You know what you come to FIFA for. It's not reinvention of the wheel, it's for as close an experience to playing at the pinacle of professional footy as you can reasonably expect without actually spending thousands of hours getting to the top of the sport then lacing up and stepping onto the pitch. (And sure, even the elite few who HAVE put in the thousands of hours prefer picking up a controller to lacing up their boots every now and then). So, once again EA has upped the fidelity of its football while throwing a little bit of something extra into the mix.

The little bit of something extra isn't so little this year, mind. For the first time in a decade the UEFA Champions League makes an appearance. Pre-match scenes showing players walking out under the arch and lining up for photos set it apart from the rest of the game right off the bat, as does commentary from Derek Rae. It's integrated throughout career mode and Ultimate Team and fully customisable, to boot.

On the pitch, EA has made some changes to the physicality of the game. Strong players can no longer be shunted off the ball, calling for a bit more patience, while new contextual animations in 50/50 challenges throw up the sort of varied results you see in the real game. Sometimes players will stay on their feet, but at others they'll wind up on their backsides and loose balls are very much up for grabs. Meanwhile, the introduction of precision shooting means that by holding down the shoot button and giving it a well-timed second tap you can improve the accuracy or curve of your shot.

It's time to get off the couch, turn on your console and get back on the couch. Glory awaits! more