Football sim adds Champions League
This is the latest contender in the great football sim battle against Pro Evolution Soccer. EA have tweaked the controls to compete with the PES (Pro Evolution Soccer) gameplay.
Prepare for kick-off
FIFA 19 looks the part with new licensed content, but problems with controls dilute the impact.
FIFA 19 has a polished presentation, with fantastic graphics of players and stadia. It now includes official Champions League content, having finally wrested the license away from Pro Evolution Soccer. The official music is included, as are authentic graphical overlays, to give a compelling and accurate representation of the World's premier club tournament.
When you play exhibition matches, it is now possible to select some house rules for the game. These include 'Headers and Volleys' and 'No Rules', the latter dispensing with offsides and fouls.
'Survival Mode' is the most interesting of them all. When you score, one of your players is randomly removed from the field of play. This adds a new tactical twist to the game.
The developers have enhanced the control system significantly. Unfortunately, mechanics like 'Timed Finishing' have been poorly implemented; a second kick press gives you more precise control over when you execute a shot. This makes it too easy to score goals, and affects the balance of the game.
Career mode is the culmination of the story started in FIFA 17 and 18. This chapter suffers from being too linear, so you feel out of control of the circumstances.
The FIFA Ultimate Team section of the game lets you play online and offline games to win coins that you can reinvest in your team. It is possible to buy coins via a microtransaction. This means that players who have spent a lot of money will have a significant advantage in building the most successful teams.
Where can you run this program?
The game is available for PS3 and PS4, Xbox and Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and Windows.
Is there a better alternative?
No. FIFA 19 has all the official licensing in place, but Pro Evolution Soccer is a strong contender in terms of playability.
Our take
This is another solid version of the franchise, with enough new content to keep die-hard fans happy. Player control is still a slight issue, however, and the developers could stand to improve the career mode.
Should you download it?
Yes. If you like football, this is still the game to buy in spite of its flaws.
