FIFA 17

Yes, the title still contains all the favorites fans love from the franchise. However, this year is all about so much more - Alex Hunter and his promising career. EA could have stripped the title dry and only provided The Journey and I’d still give it a positive score. The game mode is simply that good. Throw in a few gameplay improvements and you have yourself one heck of a new installment in the FIFA family.

The story mode (this year’s biggest selling point) is not perfect, but I was surprised how much I was invested in this idealized adventure every little boy dreams of while playing football with his pals. None other mode in FIFA or PES provides such experience. In all other departments – licenses, visuals, sound, atmosphere – the new FIFA is as strong as ever. [12/2016, p.67]

The inclusion of a story mode represents a move into fresh ground for the FIFA series. [Dec 2016, p.66]

There’s just a ton of content packed into FIFA 17 including an updated Ultimate Team that makes this an extremely compelling package. I’ve sunk nearly thirty hours into FIFA 17 already and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon. The new engine increases the spectacle of the sport while still keeping true to the franchise. This is a great looking game and easily one of the best sports games of the year.

An assured, confident outing with barrels of both quantity and quality. Physical play is more rewarding than last year; attacking play's more excitingly incisive, and The Journey's a great experiment. [Dec 2016, p.74]

For the diehard fans, there’s no doubt - FIFA is the way to go once more. Providing even more than we hoped for, FIFA 17 is a massive new entry in a long series.

In short, FIFA 17 is a fuller experience than previous games, and when that’s married up with the slick, licensed depth and complex player ratings that fans expect, it’s hard to find reasons not to pick it up. The gaming equivalent of a half-volley into the top corner.

FIFA 17 is in every detail better than FIFA 16. The new game engine gives you a smoother gameplay, Journey is a great way to implement a campaign in a sport game and there is just a ton of things to do. On the pitch, however, PES 2017 is the better game this year – mainly because of better AI and deeper mechanics.

FIFA 17 feels like an evolution, rather than a marginal update.

FIFA 17 is wonderful; the graphics are improved, the gameplay works better and The Journey is an interesting addition.

This year's FIFA represents a big change for the long-running series. The core gameplay is fun, The Journey is great, and the improvements across the board all shine to showcase a football game that is absolutely worth playing, whether you're a diehard fan or not.

This year's FIFA, then, can be fairly summarized as one big change that doesn't quite pay off, and lots of small ones that do.

The most important part of FIFA 17, the actual gameplay, is as solid and dependable as ever. On-field action feels like the pace has been sped up a bit, but it’s nothing that’s going to lead to balance issues. In fact, given last season’s deliberately slower pacing, this is probably a welcome enhancement.

FIFA’s commitment to an authentic soccer experience shines with a new story mode, improvements to graphics, an approachable learning curve, and a kick-ass soundtrack.

FIFA 17 is a worthy new iteration on the famous EA Sports’ football series.

FIFA 17 takes a step forward and finally offers a Story Mode that becomes a must for the franchise from now on. The enhancements in the offensive AI translates into a better spectacle than last year, and Frostbite's influence on physics and collision gives us unexpected and new situations in each fight for the ball. Ultimate Team is improved once again, and its only burden is the lack of improvements in other modes, although this game reinvents the franchise once again.

Not the transformative experience offered by this year's PES, but still unmatched in the genre for atmosphere, licenses, and finer details.

The introduction of “The Journey” makes a traditional game mode into something new and exciting, complete with a storyline, character back-story and more.

Ultimately, I feel as though FIFA 17 hasn’t significantly improved over last year’s effort. Sure, The Journey adds a new mode to play through and the graphics look great, but gameplay wise, I don’t see anything majorly different. EA has tweaked areas that didn’t need tweaking. I don’t like the new penalty and set piece system and the AI still suffer from bouts of strange behaviour. That said, FIFA 17 is still an excellent football game that will keep me coming back for more.

The Journey isn't the be-all-end-all of FIFA 17. It's a good start that adds to the game despite its flaws, while the title is anchored by the overall gameplay and other modes. Solving the riddle of how to blend player agency seamlessly with a well-crafted story remains a tantalizing prize, one that will pay off handsomely when attained.

The Journey is a smart addition, though it can be a little tedious at times, top-notch presentation and decent performances make the tedium tolerable. The actual gameplay is still enjoyable, but mostly unchanged from previous iterations.

The addition of 'The Journey', the engine shift to Frostbite, and the strides towards a more unpredictable, methodical representation of The Beautiful Game render FIFA 17 a game certainly worth playing.

FIFA 17 is an evolution of FIFA 16's gameplay. Full of content, strong new features but with new weaknesses, with unbalanced offensive-defensive mechanics and goalkeepers that are less solid than its predecessor. It still is unbeatable in terms of online modes and has a significant visual upgrade with the new Frostbite engine.

FIFA looks great getting off the bus and The Journey is an intriguing addition, but the AI and ball handling could be better. Ultimately Team is still great, though. [Nov 2016]

For my money, PES is still ahead where it counts most, but The Journey gives FIFA something unique and rewarding. If you can afford it, this year it might just be worth getting both.

With much-needed tweaks in visuals and gameplay, some improvements in the career mode and the addition of the Journey Mode, FIFA 17 has retained its place as the best football simulator available on the market.

In the end, the most meaningful change to FIFA 17 is The Journey. It, along with the increased big-match atmosphere provided by the Frostbite engine, make very compelling reasons to trade up. [December 2016, p78]

The Journey makes the purchase worthwhile and the rest of the content will keep you playing for months. FIFA 17 delivers as per usual.

EA introduces FIFA's best new mode in years and delivers an excellent game on the pitch. The Journey may well bring back lapsed fans.

There’s something for every sports game fan in there, and the overall package is of immense overall value. The problem EA has is that in trying to supply an ever-growing range of tastes, what its adding to the package for existing fans, who already have preferred gameplay modes, is really quite limited.

The first FIFA in a long time to introduce something new. FIFA 17’s The Journey mode starts strongly but maybe needs a bit more story to make it truly engaging but overall its a nice addition to what is a very good, and immensely detailed, football game.

The Journey is FIFA 17's headline act, and it's a surprising success. The story of Alex Hunter is this year's centrepiece, and adds yet more value to the already robust and rock solid footie offering that we've come to expect of the series. What's more, the jump to the Frostbite engine has worked wonders as far as presentations is concerned. As accessible as it is comprehensive.

While it seems passé to mention licences, Fifa again dwarfs its rival where real kits, faces, stadia and presentation are concerned. Although some of these elements can be tackled in PES with a quick file download, this factor remains a deal-breaker for many fans, cementing Fifa 17’s status as the complete footballing package. The Journey, really, is just the beginning of what is on offer here.

The Journey provides a good story mode for FIFA, introducing the trials and tribulations of a young professional footballer, and when it comes to the action out on pitch, FIFA 17 continues to be a well rounded experience, even if it feels bogged down in midfield compared to PES 17.

Instead of churning out the same old rehash of last year’s game, EA Canada has chosen to add a whole new element to their soccer sim. From the fast fluid gameplay, to Alex Hunter’s story, FIFA 17 puts together everything into what has to be the most complete package of football that we’ve seen to date.

FIFA 17 dramatically outshines its rival off the pitch with its re-creation of the match-day atmosphere. On the pitch, the transition to Frostbite has improved the look and feel of the game but a few gameplay inconsistencies frustrate and the returning server issues are just as prevalent as always.

It is a shame that FIFA 17, for all of its definite gains, still has familiar problems on the pitch. There, PES remains champion, but off it, FIFA is unrivalled. And it certainly plays well enough that the unique pleasures of The Journey and the rest of its footballing suite remain a treat.

FIFA 17 bounces back nicely after a down year without sacrificing any of its primary strengths. The Journey is a well-produced campaign mode that complements the existing feature set nicely, and the move to Frostbite appears to have gone off without a hitch. It's not really accurate to say FIFA is back since it never really left, but it is fair to say that it has momentum again, and that speaks well of its future as we head into the back half of this generation.

Maybe EA should rethink their annual formula, take their good time next time around and dare make some changes that matter.

The Journey is a great showcase for all the new Frostbite engine brings to Fifa, but the move hasn't exactly rocked the boat. Beyond the fancy, and compelling new career mode, Fifa appears to have maintained its form at a time its competitors are running away in terms of quality. What the game lacks in finesse and gameplay, it makes up for with deep game modes and a graphical update to rival competing engines. Fifa 17 is neither a departure, nor a revelation, but a safe entry in a transitional year.